Obama Health Care

Several provisions of the still questionable Obama health care reform bill go in to effect today.  As of September 23, 2010 here are a few of the changes going in to effect:

Children can remain on their parents’ insurance policy until age 26, unless they work for an employer who offers health insurance.  Some states implemented this change months ago, and a few states already allow dependents to stay on a parent’s policy until they reach the age of 30.

One positive aspect of Obama health care is that insurance companies, as of today, can no longer drop a person when they become ill; neither can they search for mistakes on an insurance application in order to deny payment for a service when the customer gets sick.

New health care plans are required to cover numerous preventative services, including colonoscopies and mammograms without a deductible or co-payment.  Health care plans already in force must provide first-dollar coverage for preventative services by 2018.

President Obama, in defense of Obama health care, said at a backyard gathering in Falls Church, Virginia on September 22nd that those who want to repeal the health-care overhaul should have to look in to the eyes of people who cannot afford insurance and tell them “Sorry, you can’t buy health insurance.”  According to the President, increasing health-care costs are the biggest factor in the continuing rise of the federal deficit.
Polls continue to show shifts in support of Obama health care.  In May, when the health care reform bill was signed in to law, 49% of Americans supported it.  Now, a full 56% of Americans disapprove of health care reform.

Other provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that take effect today include:

Insurance companies will no longer have the ability to set lifetime limits on coverage

Children age 19 and under with pre-existing health conditions can no longer be denied coverage

New tax credits will be available to small businesses to help offset insurance premium costs

Mark South
Obama Health Care

Joel Hansen, candidate for Nevada Independent American Party attorney general, stated that when you are forced to purchase a product he believes it is involuntary servitude.  The statements were made in a lawsuit challenging Obama health care; Hansen feels that the new health care laws impose a form of slavery on the nation.

According to Hansen, Obama health care violates the 1st Amendment which is freedom of religion.  He believes that socialism is a form of religion, and that the Obama administration is imposing this so-called “religion” on all citizens whether they want it or not.

The lawsuit was filed by Hansen in the first days of September, and Hansen claims that the suit is the most comprehensive filed against the health care law so far.  Prior to this suit, the state of Virginia has filed suit regarding Obama health care, and a joint suit has been filed by several other states.  Hansen claims that while those lawsuits focus for the most part on the 10th amendment, his suit takes things much further.  For example, this suit alleges that the First, Third through Fifth, Ninth, Tenth and Thirteenth amendments are violated by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Two of these amendments regard the quartering of soldiers and slavery, which may seem odd to those reading this.  What does Obama health care have to do with these two issues?  Hansen believes that the new health care law is equivalent to “Peonage” which is the coercing of an individual to work off a debt by threat of legal sanction.

Hansen has been a lawyer for 32 years, and is a Brigham Young University alum.  He states that Obama health care violates First Amendment rights because many people are pro-life and the new health care laws will force them to pay a portion of the costs for abortions.  Many religions are strictly against abortion, and being forced to participate in contributing to abortions is a violation of religious freedom.

While Hansen is vehemently against Obama health care, his sister edits a newsletter in Nevada in which she regularly warns people of the state the world is in, and even recommends readers both in the media and online to refer first to their Bible and then begin stocking up on canned goods.

Legal challenges against Obama health care will be “vigorously defended” by the Justice Department according to a statement issued in March.

Mark South
Obama Health Care

Obama health care still doesn’t seem to be going over well with the majority of Americans; in fact, a recent report shows that 56% of U.S. voters favor revoking the national health care bill.  A recent telephone survey conducted by Rasmussen Reports found that 40% of people are not in favor of repealing Obama health care, so there still are some that appear to be satisfied with the plan at least for the time being.

Of those polled on their views concerning Obama health care, it appears that there was no difference in the opinions of those individuals who are covered by health insurance and those who are not.  Of the 56% who favor repeal of the bill, 46% feel strongly that the health care bill should be repealed.  Around mid-August, 60% of people felt that Obama health care should be repealed, and 33% of those in favor of repealing felt that doing so would create more jobs.  Overall, opinions haven’t changed greatly since the health care reform bill was passed by Congress in March.  Since that time, the number of people polled feeling that the law should be repealed has remained between 52% and 63%.

Since Obama health care passed, opposition to the health care law remains strong; only about 36% of voters feel that the plan will actually be beneficial for the country.  That number has varied from between 32% and 42% since the bill passed.

The majority of people included in the poll who do have health insurance feel that their coverage is satisfactory and even excellent, but wonder if Obama health care will result in them being forced to change their coverage.  Of the 81% who feel their coverage is good, 42% believe it is likely that health care reform will eventually result in them changing their insurance.  Voters who are neither Republican nor Democrat along with those who are Republicans feel strongly that Obama health care is detrimental to the well-being of the country, while Democrats tend to lean in the opposite direction, feeling that the health care law is a positive move for America.

While it has been about 5 months since Obama health care passed and was signed in to law, it seems that many people still feel uncertain about the effect it will have on the country.  Regardless of whether voters feel that the law should be repealed, over 1/2 of voters in the United States feel that the requirement that every American must buy or get health insurance coverage is unfair.

Mark South
Obama Health Care

Now that Obama health care is law, many individuals have been concerned about the affects on Medicare, particularly those who are approaching or who are already of the age where they will receive benefits.  Recently, the President claimed that seniors are already benefiting and that Medicare is on stronger financial footing due to the implementation of the Obama health care law.

According to the President, “Reform has actually added at least a dozen years to the solvency of Medicare, the single longest extension in history.”  Costs to seniors for health care have been cut, and  efforts by the administration to halt fraud, abuse and waste in Medicare have made the program stronger and more stable.  Obama health care, according to some, will help Medicare stay afloat for many years longer than previously expected; this data was reported recently in the annual report of the trustees who oversee Medicare.  Previously it was believed that Medicare would run short on money in 2017, but now it is believed that the program will be financially sound until around 2029.

As Obama health care ramps up the efforts in the years to come, the President says that seniors will save about $200 annually in premiums and about the same amount of money in out-of-pocket expenses.  While the future of Medicare is uncertain, seniors will be provided financial aid for prescription drugs and free preventative care according to the President, who also says that Obama health care will provide new authority that allows the government to review rate increases in insurance companies, and reject those they feel are unreasonable.

The extended life of Medicare hospital insurance was credited to the fact that with the passage of Obama health care, there will be a dramatic gain due to significant health care savings in the years to come.  While this all sounds like very positive news for seniors, officials caution that time will tell if significant savings are realized in the health care industry.

Mark South
Obama Health Care

As many of us are all too aware, there has been a great deal of controversy in terms of our health care. However, although many of us are aware of President Obama’s plans for better health care for everyone, we are unsure as to just what the pros and cons of this opposed plan is. Many of the points could be deemed as less important than others, so let’s take a look at the main issues which have risen from the Obama health care plan.

The main advantage which none of us can deny is the change which will see up to 32 million uninsured American civilians see the health care coverage they need. Due to this, we will see an estimated 95% of our population covered by some form of health insurance, including those who gain a low level income or those who cannot typically afford health care insurance. Along with the higher percentage of civilians who will be provided with health care, the new plan will change the ways in which insurance companies deal with ‘high risk’ policies where civilians have lost their jobs as a result of injury or illness. Under the regulations of this new plan, insurance companies will no longer be allowed to simply drop coverage on an individual. They will also not be able to deny coverage to any individual who has an existing illness or condition which was identified prior to their purchase of their insurance policy with said company. Children will now be able to stay on their parent’s health care plan until they reach the age of 26, unless they are offered a health care plan through their employment. This will lower the level of uninsured younger individuals who typically would not be able to pay for insurance themselves following college leave and a lack of employment. Finally, insurance companies will now have to spend at least 80% of their premiums on actual medical care for those under their policies. Insurance companies are also now disallowed to charge more for comparable policies which are outside of the marketplace.

However, along with the advantages come the disadvantages. Following this plan, there could be an estimated total of $94 billion spent every year on health care for Americans. With this huge sum of money, there is a chance that the cost of premiums will increase, costing us more money. This is due to insurance companies claiming that they will be unable to cope with the financial burden which will follow from having to carry high risk policies. Along with this reform, we will also see an increase in our taxes in order to help pay for these changes. The Individual Mandate states that we could see an increase of 2.5% tax as a penalty if we refuse or fail to purchase health insurance. There will also be a tax increase on expensive health care plans. For many Americans, the main disadvantage of the Obama Heath Care Plan is the lack of public involvement. This option would have allowed for a government run health care option which would be available to citizens regardless of their current state of health or annual income. Most of these changes are also not due to take effect until 2014 which could potentially see us with a new President in power meaning that Obama’s ideas and visions may not even be taken into true effect.

In short, the Obama Health Care plan carries both good and bad points. While many of us are happy to see affordable health care finally becoming available, many are unsure if it is truly worth it when we take into consideration the extra costs we will eventually face- what’s your view?

Mark South
Obama Health Care

Obama health care will end up costing an estimated $115 billion additional dollars to implement according to estimates by the Congressional Budget Office.  Over the next 10 years, it is believed that the health care law will increase the federal deficit by a whopping $554 billion dollars.  President Obama’s own actuaries as well as the Dept. of Health and Human Services agree that health care costs to consumers will rise.

Before Obama health care passed, a report was given to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius in regards to health care cost increases, but she did not want the report to influence how the bill was voted on so she did not release information contained in the report.

Savings from Medicare for the bill will be used for new programs instead of being put back in to Medicare according to AARP.  So far, it looks as though cuts to Medicare are more than double what was estimated when Obama health care was first implemented, and now stand at about $575 billion.

The cuts in Medicare could have a devastating effect, driving 15% of hospitals into the red.  In fact, some doctors and hospitals may not participate in Medicare any longer, as the cuts are unrealistic and cannot be sustained according to the American Medical Association.  As high as 51% of employers may have to give up the health care coverage they currently have by 2013, and the impact is even greater for small-business employers according to White House documents.

Since the passage of Obama health care, the popularity of the President has had its ups and downs.  Recently, media coverage of Obama has been 48% positive, while over the past few months the positive ratings for the President have ranged anywhere from 39% to 60%.  While it seems that more people are showing support for the health care plan now than in its first inception, it appears that the costs over time will be astronomical.

Mark South
Obama Health Care

For the first time since Obama health care took effect, Justice Department lawyers faced off in open court against the Commonwealth of Virginia, stating that they do not have legal standing to challenge the law requiring that most Americans get health insurance coverage.

The two hour hearing took place before a federal judge in Richmond, VA with federal government lawyers stating that Virginia could not win an argument claiming that Congress had went above its constitutional authority.  Judge Henry E. Hudson predicts that the many challenges involved with Obama health care “will at some point in time define outer boundaries” of federal regulatory power.  Judge Hudson will rule on the argument within 30 days.

Currently, Obama health care is facing more than 15 legal challenges regarding several components included in the bill that was signed in to law in March of this year.  The lawsuit filed in Virginia was filed by Attorney General Ken T. Cuccinelli II, who is a Republican.  This lawsuit was filed following the health care reform bill being signed in to law.  Two other states, California and Michigan, are involved in lawsuits that have hearings scheduled for this month, and oral arguments in are expected to begin in September in a lawsuit filed in federal district court in Florida.  This lawsuit involves twenty states.

The attorneys general are hoping that Obama health care will be struck down by the United States Supreme Court in the end, assuming that lawsuits filed do continue move forward.  The argument of the attorneys general is that interpretation of the Commerce Clause of the Constitution cannot be used in a way that Americans are penalized by the government for refusing to purchase a product.

E. Duncan Getchell Jr., Virginia’s solicitor general, told Judge Hudson that you cannot draft an individual in to activity so that you can regulate him.  Getchell called the Obama health care law a “radical, radical claim of power,” and went on to say that if the health care law was upheld, the federal government would be allowed to require that citizens purchase nearly any commercial product for the purpose of advancing national interest.

From tax penalties to coverage for small business owners and their employees, it’s clear that Obama health care will never sit well with everyone, and that the controversy on the effectiveness and fairness of health care reform will continue well in to the future.

Mark South
Obama health care

According to a recent Associated Press-GfK poll regarding President Obama’s top domestic achievements, the health care overhaul is now being viewed in a more positive light by many Americans.  Now, it appears that 45% of those polled are in favor of Obama health care, and 42% are opposed, which is a definite change about from the 50% that were against the new health plan after it was signed in to law in late March.

Prior to the bill being signed in to law, much of the general public was confused about what the bill really meant because of so much misinformation that was being spread.  Claudia Harris, a Brigham Young University English professor, stated that she believed that some of the misinformation would be dispelled and people would begin to realize that the new health care package was a beneficial, solid program.

Since the law has gone in to effect, many people are actually experiencing how the law affects them personally, which has alleviated some of the concern people had prior to the bill being signed in to law.

On Obama health care, Kerry Eisley, an electrical contractor and Republican of Moscow, PA who supports the plan said “If we can insure more people across the United States and get the cost of health care down, I think that’s a better thing.”

Even as Republican party leaders are calling for a repeal of the law, the poll found that the party supports the health care plan now more than previously, up 9%.  Just since May, support of men has increased by 10%, from 36% to 46%.  Those individuals who are now in their prime working years (30 to 49 year-olds) are 49% in favor of Obama health care, as opposed to just 35% support just last month.

Certain aspects of the plan have already taken place and will take place in the near future, which are primary selling points of the law.  The Obama administration along with congressional Democrats and their allies are helping to increase popularity of the health plan by selling the most immediate benefits.  Some of these include the coverage of those aged 26 or younger on their parents’ health care plan, tax credits for small businesses that offer insurance coverage for employees, and $250 rebate checks for older Americans who must have prescription medications that are very costly.

According to Robert Blendon, a Harvard University public health school professor, the administration is making definite progress in convincing more Americans that Obama health care is the right direction to take.  Blendon tracks opinion trends on the health care issue.

One glitch in the seemingly increasing acceptance of Obama health care is that older people don’t like the new law.  Obama held a televised town hall meeting at a senior center recently in efforts to assure those who are 65 and older, but it didn’t seem to make much of an impact.

Some people, especially the older generation, wonder just how long the United States can borrow, and how long it will be before other countries begin calling in our debts.  Still, others claim to watch the news every day and wish that the Obama health care plan would be explained in a clear, precise manner so that they completely understand the pros and cons and how it affects the country.

Mark South
Obama Health Care

Facing a public still wary of his massive health care overhaul, President Barack Obama on Thursday urged Americans not to judge the nearly $1 trillion legislation he signed into law last week until the reforms take hold.
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As Obama health care rolls on, a group of mostly Republican officials have mounted legislative and legal challenges against a requirement that will eventually lead to all Americans buying health insurance or facing a penalty tax.  These efforts are taking place across 33 states, with more joining the bandwagon by the week.

A lawsuit filed by Florida recently in a U.S. District Court states that individuals being forced to participate in an insurance plan should not be mandated by Congress, because they do not have the constitutional authority.  According to the suit, the mandate has infringed on the rights of states by requiring them to offer low-income residents coverage while not funding the added cost fully.  As of the 15th of May, seven additional states joined in the lawsuit.

Activists are hopeful that Obama health care will come unraveled, as more lawsuits and challenges are brought by state governments, individuals and legislatures in order to narrow the power of the federal government.  Constitutional scholars have stated that they believe the Florida lawsuit has only slim chances.

According to Clint Bolick, “This is going to be a long, protracted war of attrition and we haven’t even seen the first wave of regulations yet.”  Bolick is litigation director of the Goldwater Institute, an Arizona-based group that is advising state officials.

Those who support Obama health care claim that insurance costs would rise to exceedingly high levels if insurance were not mandated.  To support this theory, supporters say that since the new law will stop insurance companies from turning down people with pre-existing health conditions, the elderly or those who are sick would represent a huge majority of the insurance pool if others did not purchase insurance.

Florida is not the only state that has filed suit.  Virginia has now filed a separate lawsuit, and may get a decision even before the Florida suit which may happen in mid-September.  Virginia and Idaho passed a law prohibiting the “individual mandate” to purchase insurance coverage prior to Congress passing health reform.  Virginia is now arguing that the federal law to mandate health coverage is infringing on the states statute.

Arizona, Oklahoma and Florida leaders are taking yet another approach to block the overhaul:  On ballots for November, there may be a state constitutional amendment prohibiting the individual mandate.  As of now, 11 more states are instituting similar campaigns, although proposals in 15 additional states to adopt constitutional or legislative amendments failed to succeed.

The head-on assault to Obama health care faces very tough odds, according to Bolick, who says that he believes there will be a thousand flowers bloom in terms of lawsuits.  It looks as those who are ready to fight Obama health care have a tough job on their hands, and one that will likely end in defeat.

Mark South
Obama Health Care