Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
House passes vote to Repeal Health care law
The vote to repeal the health care law passed in the house with a vote of 245-189. Two house democrats voted with all the republicans to repeal the bill signed into law last March. I am glad that the government is doing something to fix the health care system. While I support some parts of the bill for instance, the one that extends coverage to children up to age 26 and the one that prevent insurance companies from denying coverage to those with pre-existing condition, I wish they could get rid of the part that will force people to buy insurance. They need to come up with a better method to fund the system.
Yes, the law has in place provisions that will exempt some people from facing the penalty for not carrier health insurance, but the criteria use for the exemption is flawed. The federal poverty level is not a good way to measure whether someone will be able to afford insurance. Some of the people who are uninsured earn above the federal poverty level can barely keep their head above water because of enormous college and credit card debt, and none of this is taken into account when deciding who to penalize.
According to covertheuninsured.org 78.5% of the uninsured have some or no high school education, and I am certain if we take a more in-depth look into these figures we will see that these people make up a great percentage of those earning at or under the federal poverty level. Most of them will qualify for Medicaid as per the new law, but as income does not raise with inflation, they will likely stay in the program indefinitely, just like they do in the government temporary assistance for needy family programs, which will result in increase cost to the deficit not decrease.
It is also ridiculous to forces those who can afford to and want to pay out-of-pocket for there medical costs, to buy insurance.
http://covertheuninsured.org/content/quick-facts-uninsured
Yes, the law has in place provisions that will exempt some people from facing the penalty for not carrier health insurance, but the criteria use for the exemption is flawed. The federal poverty level is not a good way to measure whether someone will be able to afford insurance. Some of the people who are uninsured earn above the federal poverty level can barely keep their head above water because of enormous college and credit card debt, and none of this is taken into account when deciding who to penalize.
According to covertheuninsured.org 78.5% of the uninsured have some or no high school education, and I am certain if we take a more in-depth look into these figures we will see that these people make up a great percentage of those earning at or under the federal poverty level. Most of them will qualify for Medicaid as per the new law, but as income does not raise with inflation, they will likely stay in the program indefinitely, just like they do in the government temporary assistance for needy family programs, which will result in increase cost to the deficit not decrease.
It is also ridiculous to forces those who can afford to and want to pay out-of-pocket for there medical costs, to buy insurance.
http://covertheuninsured.org/content/quick-facts-uninsured
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
U.S SUES NEW YORK STATE for unwarranted Medicaid billing
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN1113376620110111
On January 11, 2011, U.S attorney general for Southern New York State Preet Bharara, sued New York City for civil penalties and damages of over 10 million dollars for having Medicaid paid for services that was not warrant from the period 2000 to 2010. He said that Medicaid was paying for 24 hours home health care service for some patients who did not need it, whiles some that needed the extra help went without it. According to Attorney Preet Bharara, some patients were giving extra help without any medical evaluation and in some cases administrators had overrule the medical findings and had authorized the services.
On January 11, 2011, U.S attorney general for Southern New York State Preet Bharara, sued New York City for civil penalties and damages of over 10 million dollars for having Medicaid paid for services that was not warrant from the period 2000 to 2010. He said that Medicaid was paying for 24 hours home health care service for some patients who did not need it, whiles some that needed the extra help went without it. According to Attorney Preet Bharara, some patients were giving extra help without any medical evaluation and in some cases administrators had overrule the medical findings and had authorized the services.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Breaking news
From Kaiser news update- A health reform agency charged with overseeing Insurance agency will become part of the Medicare federal agency, which is a major organizational shift.
From HHS- Today, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis, and Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner sent a letter to Members of Congress to provide an update on implementation of the Affordable Care Act and discuss how the law will continue to give Americans more freedom in their health care choices as implementation continues in 2011.
Click here to read the letter
From HHS- Today, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis, and Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner sent a letter to Members of Congress to provide an update on implementation of the Affordable Care Act and discuss how the law will continue to give Americans more freedom in their health care choices as implementation continues in 2011.
Click here to read the letter
Monday, January 3, 2011
GOP will hold early vote to repeal OBAMACARE
USA today reports that the house of representative plans to vote to repeal obamacare. Some GOP have vowed that if the vote fail, they will go after the bill piece by piece. Since the GOP have the majority house, they will pass the repeal but it is likely to fail in the Senate where they are the minority.
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