Betsy McCaughey - O's Broken Promises

Betsy McCaughey, former Lt. Gov. of New York and founder of the Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths, has written an op-ed providing still more vital information about the Democratic health insurance bills in the House and the Senate. It is entitled O's Broken Promises - Health Bills v. Prez's Words. These Democrats are an unending source of amazement. It is no wonder they are in a hurry to push their health care insurance bills through Congress in a super hurry. They will not stand up under scrutiny at all. Most Americans will be furious when they come to understand what is in these bills. It is remarkable how committed the Dems are to Socialism that they would try to put this over on the American people despite the backlash which will surely sweep them aside afterward! Clearly, they believe the American people will be permanently saddled with socialized medicine even after they are thrown out of office.

What are the main points of McCaughey's op-ed?

• You will be forced to enroll in a "qualified" health plan chosen by a new government bureaucracy.
• If your employer provides your plan, you will have 5 years to enroll in a "qualified" plan. If you are self-employed, you will have less time.
• You must prove you are in a qualified plan when you file your taxes. If not, you will be fined thousands of dollars and put into a randomly chosen government plan, which you will have to pay for.
• All "qualified" health insurance plans will be managed care plans. The goal is to reduce everyone's consumption of health care, make everyone have the same low quality of care, and to prevent people with more money from having better health care.
• Any change in your present plan, even a change of deductible or copay amount, will result in your being forced to give it up and pay for a "qualified" plan.
• There is no "qualified" health insurance plan cost information, but a family of four with income up to $88,000 per year will qualify for some assistance.
• The Congressional Budget Office estimates (their estimates are always low) the cost of the plan to taxpayers as taxpayers (not as consumers, that cost is extra) is $1.04 to 1.6 trillion [from 2010 to 2019. 17 million will still have no insurance.]
• The cost will be covered by increased taxes on individuals making more than $280,000 per year in 2010, with their new taxes being doubled in 2012. The remaining money will come from reducing senior's health benefits under Medicare.
• Much of the expense in the government takeover of health care (He who pays and "qualifies" makes the rules.) is in making "community transformation grants", home visits for expectant families (to encourage government paid abortions?), services for migrant workers, and the creation of many, many new government councils, programs, and advisory boards.

The Democrats keep claiming that drastic action is needed to reform our failing health care industry. Yet, the World Health Organization ranked the U.S. number 1 in being responsive to patient's needs, including a timely response and a good choice of doctors. If you have cancer, you have a better chance of survival in the U.S. than anywhere else. A poll by ABC News/Washington Post found that 83% of Americans were very or somewhat satisfied with the quality of their health care and 81% were satisfied with their health insurance. This will be a high point in American satisfaction if these Democrat bills pass. It is all downhill from here. We will have much worse health care and we will be treated like children whose parent bureaucrats will make all decisions for their children.

The only time your input will ever matter is now. Scream bloody murder to your Congressman and Senators now, because soon the government will be limiting your ability to make your own life decisions, as well as those of your loved ones. This is a giant step into a state of servitude and tyranny.