Blue Dog Democrat info below. Betsy McCaughey has read the bill here.
Read this piece:
What the Pelosi Health-Care Bill Really Says
Here are some important passages in the 2,000 page legislation.
By BETSY MCCAUGHEY
The health bill that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is bringing to a vote (H.R. 3962) is 1,990 pages. Here are some of the details you need to know.
What the government will require you to do:
• Sec. 202 (p. 91-92) of the bill requires you to enroll in a “qualified plan.” If you get your insurance at work, your employer will have a “grace period” to switch you to a “qualified plan,” meaning a plan designed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. If you buy your own insurance, there’s no grace period. You’ll have to enroll in a qualified plan as soon as any term in your contract changes, such as the co-pay, deductible or benefit.
• Sec. 224 (p. 118) provides that 18 months after the bill becomes law, the Secretary of Health and Human Services will decide what a “qualified plan” covers and how much you’ll be legally required to pay for it. That’s like a banker telling you to sign the loan agreement now, then filling in the interest rate and repayment terms 18 months later.f $7,300 a year, which is 17% of his pre-tax income. A family earning $102,100 a year before taxes will have to pay a $15,000 premium plus an estimated $5,300 out-of-pocket, for a $20,300 total, or 20% of its pre-tax income. Individuals and families earning less than these amounts will be eligible for subsidies paid directly to their insurer.
• Sec. 303 (pp. 167-168) makes it clear that, although the “qualified plan” is not yet designed, it will be of the “one size fits all” variety. The bill claims to offer choice—basic, enhanced and premium levels—but the benefits are the same. Only the co-pays and deductibles differ. You will have to enroll in the same plan, whether the government is paying for it or you and your employer are footing the bill.
• Sec. 59b (pp. 297-299) says that when you file your taxes, you must include proof that you are in a qualified plan. If not, you will be fined thousands of dollars. Illegal immigrants are exempt from this requirement.
• Sec. 412 (p. 272) says that employers must provide a “qualified plan” for their employees and pay 72.5% of the cost, and a smaller share of family coverage, or incur an 8% payroll tax. Small businesses, with payrolls from $500,000 to $750,000, are fined less.
Eviscerating Medicare:
In addition to reducing future Medicare funding by an estimated $500 billion, the bill fundamentally changes how Medicare pays doctors and hospitals, permitting the government to dictate treatment decisions.
• Sec. 1302 (pp. 672-692) moves Medicare from a fee-for-service payment system, in which patients choose which doctors to see and doctors are paid for each service they provide, toward what’s called a “medical home.”
The medical home is this decade’s version of HMO-restrictions on care. A primary-care provider manages access to costly specialists and diagnostic tests for a flat monthly fee. The bill specifies that patients may have to settle for a nurse practitioner rather than a physician as the primary-care provider. Medical homes begin with demonstration projects, but the HHS secretary is authorized to “disseminate this approach rapidly on a national basis.”
A December 2008 Congressional Budget Office report noted that “medical homes” were likely to resemble the unpopular gatekeepers of 20 years ago if cost control was a priority.
• Sec. 1114 (pp. 391-393) replaces physicians with physician assistants in overseeing care for hospice patients.
• Secs. 1158-1160 (pp. 499-520) initiates programs to reduce payments for patient care to what it costs in the lowest cost regions of the country. This will reduce payments for care (and by implication the standard of care) for hospital patients in higher cost areas such as New York and Florida.
• Sec. 1161 (pp. 520-545) cuts payments to Medicare Advantage plans (used by 20% of seniors). Advantage plans have warned this will result in reductions in optional benefits such as vision and dental care.
• Sec. 1402 (p. 756) says that the results of comparative effectiveness research conducted by the government will be delivered to doctors electronically to guide their use of “medical items and services.”
Questionable Priorities:
While the bill will slash Medicare funding, it will also direct billions of dollars to numerous inner-city social work and diversity programs with vague standards of accountability.
• Sec. 399V (p. 1422) provides for grants to community “entities” with no required qualifications except having “documented community activity and experience with community healthcare workers” to “educate, guide, and provide experiential learning opportunities” aimed at drug abuse, poor nutrition, smoking and obesity. “Each community health worker program receiving funds under the grant will provide services in the cultural context most appropriate for the individual served by the program.”
These programs will “enhance the capacity of individuals to utilize health services and health related social services under Federal, State and local programs by assisting individuals in establishing eligibility . . . and in receiving services and other benefits” including transportation and translation services.
• Sec. 222 (p. 617) provides reimbursement for culturally and linguistically appropriate services. This program will train health-care workers to inform Medicare beneficiaries of their “right” to have an interpreter at all times and with no co-pays for language services.
• Secs. 2521 and 2533 (pp. 1379 and 1437) establishes racial and ethnic preferences in awarding grants for training nurses and creating secondary-school health science programs. For example, grants for nursing schools should “give preference to programs that provide for improving the diversity of new nurse graduates to reflect changes in the demographics of the patient population.” And secondary-school grants should go to schools “graduating students from disadvantaged backgrounds including racial and ethnic minorities.”
• Sec. 305 (p. 189) Provides for automatic Medicaid enrollment of newborns who do not otherwise have insurance.
For the text of the bill with page numbers, see www.defendyourhealthcare.us.
Ms. McCaughey is chairman of the Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths and a former Lt. Governor of New York state.
Start by calling the Blue Dogs:
Dennis Cardoza (CA-18)***
DC Address: The Honorable Dennis Cardoza
United States House of Representatives
1224 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-0518
DC Phone: 202-225-6131
DC Fax: 202-225-0819
Mike Thompson (CA-01)***
DC Address: The Honorable Mike Thompson
United States House of Representatives
231 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-0501
DC Phone: 202-225-3311
DC Fax: 202-225-4335
Jim Costa (CA-20)***
DC Address: The Honorable Jim Costa
United States House of Representatives
1314 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-0520
DC Phone: 202-225-3341
DC Fax: 202-225-9308
Adam Schiff (CA-29)***
DC Address: The Honorable Adam Schiff
United States House of Representatives
2447 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-0529
DC Phone: 202-225-4176
DC Fax: 202-225-5828
Jane Harman (CA-36)***
DC Address: The Honorable Jane Harman
United States House of Representatives
2400 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-0536
DC Phone: 202-225-8220
DC Fax: 202-226-7290
Joe Baca (CA-43)***
DC Address: The Honorable Joe Baca
United States House of Representatives
2245 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-0543
DC Phone: 202-225-6161
DC Fax: 202-225-8671
Harry Mitchell (AZ-05)
DC Address: The Honorable Harry Mitchell
United States House of Representatives
1410 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-0305
DC Phone: 202-225-2190
DC Fax: 202-225-3263
Gabrielle Giffords (AZ-08)***
DC Address: The Honorable Gabrielle Giffords
United States House of Representatives
1728 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-0308
DC Phone: 202-225-2542
DC Fax: 202-225-0378
Henry Cueller (TX-28)***
DC Address: The Honorable Henry Cuellar
United States House of Representatives
336 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-4328
DC Phone: 202-225-1640
DC Fax: 202-225-1641
Dan Boren (OK-02)
DC Address: The Honorable Dan Boren
United States House of Representatives
216 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-3602
DC Phone: 202-225-2701
DC Fax: 202-225-3038
James D. Matheson (UT-02)
DC Address: The Honorable James D. Matheson
United States House of Representatives
2434 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-4402
DC Phone: 202-225-3011
DC Fax: 202-225-5638
John Salazar (CO-03)
DC Address: The Honorable John Salazar
United States House of Representatives
326 Cannon House Office Building M
Washington, D.C. 20515-0603
DC Phone: 202-225-4761
DC Fax: 202-226-9669
Dennis Moore (KS-03)***
DC Address: The Honorable Dennis Moore
United States House of Representatives
1727 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-1603
DC Phone: 202-225-2865
DC Fax: 202-225-2807
Walter C. Minnick (ID-01)
DC Address: The Honorable Walter C. (Walt) Minnick
United States House of Representatives
1517 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-1201
DC Phone: 202-225-6611
DC Fax: 202-225-3029
Earl Pomeroy (ND)
DC Address: The Honorable Earl Pomeroy
United States House of Representatives
1501 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-3401
DC Phone: 202-225-2611
DC Fax: 202-226-0893
Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (SD)
DC Address: The Honorable Stephanie Herseth Sandlin
United States House of Representatives
331 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-4101
DC Phone: 202-225-2801
DC Fax: 202-225-5823
Collin Peterson (MN-07)***
DC Address: The Honorable Collin Peterson
United States House of Representatives
2211 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-2307
DC Phone: 202-225-2165
DC Fax: 202-225-1593
Leonard Boswell (IA-03)***
DC Address: The Honorable Leonard L. Boswell
United States House of Representatives
1427 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-1503
DC Phone: 202-225-3806
DC Fax: 202-225-5608
Marion Berry (AR-01)
DC Address: The Honorable Marion Berry
United States House of Representatives
2305 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-0401
DC Phone: 202-225-4076
DC Fax: 202-225-5602
Mike Ross (AR-04)
DC Address: The Honorable Mike Ross
United States House of Representatives
2436 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-0404
DC Phone: 202-225-3772
DC Fax: 202-225-1314
Charlie Melancon (LA-03)
DC Address: The Honorable Charlie Melancon
United States House of Representatives
404 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-1803
DC Phone: 202-225-4031
DC Fax: 202-226-3944
Travis Childers (MS-01)
DC Address: The Honorable Travis W. Childers
United States House of Representatives
1708 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-2401
DC Phone: 202-225-4306
DC Fax: 202-225-3549
Gene Taylor (MS-04)
DC Address: The Honorable Gene Taylor
United States House of Representatives
2269 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-2404
DC Phone: 202-225-5772
DC Fax: 202-225-7074
Bobby Bright (AL-02)
DC Address: The Honorable Bobby Bright
United States House of Representatives
1205 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-0102
DC Phone: 202-225-2901
DC Fax: 202-225-8913
Parker Griffith (AL-05)
DC Address: The Honorable Parker Griffith
United States House of Representatives
417 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-0105
DC Phone: 202-225-4801
DC Fax: 202-225-4392
Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02)***
DC Address: The Honorable Sanford D. Bishop, Jr.
United States House of Representatives
2429 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-1002
DC Phone: 202-225-3631
DC Fax: 202-225-2203
Jim Marshall (GA-08)
DC Address: The Honorable Jim Marshall
United States House of Representatives
504 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-1008
DC Phone: 202-225-6531
DC Fax: 202-225-3013
John Barrow (GA-12)
DC Address: The Honorable John Barrow
United States House of Representatives
213 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-1012
DC Phone: 202-225-2823
DC Fax: 202-225-3377
David Scott (GA-13)***
DC Address: The Honorable David Scott
United States House of Representatives
225 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-1013
DC Phone: 202-225-2939
DC Fax: 202-225-4628
Allen Boyd (FL-02)***
DC Address: The Honorable Allen Boyd
United States House of Representatives
1227 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-0902
DC Phone: 202-225-5235
DC Fax: 202-225-5615
Mike McIntyre (NC-07)
DC Address: The Honorable Mike McIntyre
United States House of Representatives
2437 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-3307
DC Phone: 202-225-2731
DC Fax: 202-225-5773
Heath Shuler (NC-11)***
DC Address: The Honorable Heath Shuler
United States House of Representatives
422 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-3311
DC Phone: 202-225-6401
DC Fax: 202-226-6422
Lincoln Davis (TN-04)
DC Address: The Honorable Lincoln Davis
United States House of Representatives
410 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-4204
DC Phone: 202-225-6831
DC Fax: 202-226-5172
Jim Cooper (TN-05)***
DC Address: The Honorable Jim Cooper
United States House of Representatives
1536 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-4205
DC Phone: 202-225-4311
DC Fax: 202-226-1035
John S. Tanner (TN-08)
DC Address: The Honorable John S. Tanner
United States House of Representatives
1226 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-4208
DC Phone: 202-225-4714
DC Fax: 202-225-1765
Ben Chandler (KY-06)***
DC Address: The Honorable Ben Chandler
United States House of Representatives
1504 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-1706
DC Phone: 202-225-4706
DC Fax: 202-225-2122
Joe Donnelly (IN-02)
DC Address: The Honorable Joe Donnelly
United States House of Representatives
1530 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-1402
DC Phone: 202-225-3915
DC Fax: 202-225-6798
Brad Ellsworth (IN-08)
DC Address: The Honorable Brad Ellsworth
United States House of Representatives
513 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-1408
DC Phone: 202-225-4636
DC Fax: 202-225-3284
Baron Hill (IN-09)***
DC Address: The Honorable Baron Hill
United States House of Representatives
223 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-1409
DC Phone: 202-225-5315
DC Fax: 202-226-6866
Charles Wilson (OH-06)
DC Address: The Honorable Charles Wilson
United States House of Representatives
226 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-3506
DC Phone: 202-225-5705
DC Fax: 202-225-5907
Zack T. Space (OH-18)***
DC Address: The Honorable Zack T. Space
United States House of Representatives
315 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-3518
DC Phone: 202-225-6265
DC Fax: 202-225-3394
Glenn Nye, III (VA-02)
DC Address: The Honorable Glenn Nye, III
United States House of Representatives
116 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-4602
DC Phone: 202-225-4215
DC Fax: 202-225-4218
Kathy Dahlkemper (PA-03)
DC Address: The Honorable Kathy Dahlkemper
DC Phone: 202-225-5406
Jason Altmire (PA-04)
DC Address: The Honorable Jason Altmire
United States House of Representatives
332 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-3804
DC Phone: 202-225-2565
DC Fax: 202-226-2274
Patrick Murphy (PA-08)***
DC Address: The Honorable Patrick Murphy
United States House of Representatives
1609 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-3808
DC Phone: 202-225-4276
DC Fax: 202-225-9511
Chris Carney (PA-10)
DC Address: The Honorable Christopher Carney
United States House of Representatives
416 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-3810
DC Phone: 202-225-3731
DC Fax: 202-225-9594
Tim Holden (PA-17)
DC Address: The Honorable Tim Holden
United States House of Representatives
2417 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-3817
DC Phone: 202-225-5546
DC Fax: 202-226-0996
Frank M. Kratovil, Jr. (MD-01)***
DC Address: The Honorable Frank M. Kratovil, Jr.
United States House of Representatives
314 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-2001
DC Phone: 202-225-5311
DC Fax: 202-225-0254
Michael Arcuri (NY-24)
DC Address: The Honorable Michael Arcuri
United States House of Representatives
127 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-3224
DC Phone: 202-225-3665
DC Fax: 202-225-1891
Blue Dog Leadership Team
Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (SD), Blue Dog Co-Chair for Administration
Rep. Baron Hill (IN-09), Blue Dog Co-Chair for Policy Rep. Charlie Melancon (LA-03), Blue Dog Co-Chair for Communications Rep. Heath Shuler (NC-11), Blue Dog Whip Blue Dog Members
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