House Democrat Health "Reform" Legislation: Short Summary of the Government Takeover of Health Care
OCTOBER 29, 2009
BACKGROUND AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On October 29, 2009, Speaker Pelosi and the House Democrat leadership introduced H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act. The legislation combines provisions in the versions of H.R. 3200, America's Affordable Health Choices Act, approved by the Committees on Education and Labor, Energy and Commerce, and Ways and Means, as well as other provisions negotiated behind closed doors by the Democrat leadership. The bill is expected on the floor the week of November 2, under a likely structured rule. While press reports indicate the bill will cost at least $894 billion, a CBO score is not yet available, and the following analysis will be updated as events warrant. Buried within the contents of the 1,990 page bill-as well as a separate 13-page bill (H.R. 3961) that would increase the deficit by more than $200 billion-are details that will see a massive federal involvement in the health care of every American, including the following: - Creation of a government-run insurance program that could cause as many as 114 million Americans to lose their current coverage;
- Abolition of the private market for individual health insurance, forcing individuals to purchase coverage in a government-run Exchange;
- Stifling insurance regulations that would raise premiums and encourage employers to drop coverage;
- Trillions of dollars in new federal spending that will exacerbate the deficit and imperil the nation's long-term fiscal solvency;
- Taxes on all Americans-individuals who purchase insurance, individuals who do not purchase insurance, and millions of small businesses-that will kill jobs and raise health care premiums; and
- Cuts to Medicare Advantage plans that will result in higher premiums and dropped coverage for more than 10 million seniors.
SUMMARY OF KEY PROVISIONS The Government Takeover Creation of Exchange: The bill creates within the federal government a nationwide Health Insurance Exchange. Uninsured individuals would be eligible to purchase an Exchange plan, as would those whose existing employer coverage is deemed "insufficient" by the federal government. Once deemed eligible to enroll in the Exchange, individuals would be permitted to remain in the Exchange until becoming Medicare-eligible-a provision that would likely result in a significant movement of individuals into the bureaucrat-run Exchange over time. Employers with 25 or fewer employees would be permitted to join the Exchange in its first year, with employers with 25-50 employees permitted to join in its second year. Employers with fewer than 100 employees would be permitted to enroll in the third year, and all employers would also be eligible to join, if permitted to do so by the Commissioner. Many may note the limits on employer eligibility in the first several years are significantly higher than in H.R. 3200, thus expanding the scope of the government-run Exchange. Exchange Benefit Standards: The bill requires the Commissioner to establish benefit standards for all plans. These onerous, bureaucrat-imposed standards would hinder the introduction of innovative models to improve enrollees' health and wellness-and by insulating individuals from the cost of health services with restrictive cost-sharing, could raise health care costs. Government-Run Health Plans: The bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to establish a "public health insurance option" through the Exchange. The bill states the plan shall comply with requirements related to other Exchange plans. Empowered to collect individuals' personal health information, with access to federal courts for enforcement actions and $2 billion in "start-up funds"-as well as 90 days' worth of premiums as "reserves"-from the Treasury, the bill's headings regarding a "level playing field" belie the reality of the plain text. In addition, the bill requires the Secretary to establish premium rates that can fully finance the cost of benefits and administrative costs, but there would always be the implicit backing of the federal government. The bill provides that the government-run plan shall enlist all Medicare providers unless physicians affirmatively decide to opt-out of the program. While the Secretary will be required to "negotiate" reimbursement rates with doctors and hospitals, nothing in the bill prohibits the Secretary from using such negotiation to impose Medicare reimbursement levels on providers as part of a government-imposed "negotiation." Should such a scenario occur, the Lewin Group has estimated that as many as 114 million individuals could lose access to their current coverage under a government-run plan-and that a government-run plan reimbursing at the rates contemplated by the legislation would actually result in a net $16,207 decrease in reimbursements per physician per year, even after accounting for the newly insured. The bill requires the Secretary to "establish conditions of participation for health care providers" under the government-run plan-however it includes no guidance or conditions under which the Secretary must establish those conditions. Many may be concerned that the bill would allow the Secretary to prohibit doctors from participating in other health plans as a condition of participation in the government-run plan-a way to co-opt existing provider networks and subvert private health coverage. "Low-Income" Subsidies: The bill provides subsidies only through the Exchange, again putting employer health plans at a disadvantage. Individuals with access to employer-sponsored insurance whose group premium costs exceed 12 percent of adjusted gross income would be eligible for subsidies. The bill provides that the Commissioner may authorize State Medicaid agencies-as well as other "public entit[ies]"-to make determinations of eligibility for subsidies and exempts the subsidy regime from the five-year waiting period on federal benefits established as part of the 1996 welfare reform law (P.L. 104-193). The second provision would give individuals a strong incentive to emigrate to the United States in order to obtain subsidized health benefits without a waiting period. Despite the bill's purported prohibition on payments to immigrants not lawfully present, and the insertion of a citizenship verification provision, some may be concerned that the provisions as drafted would not require individuals to verify their identity when confirming eligibility for subsidies-encouraging identity fraud while still permitting undocumented immigrants and other ineligible individuals from obtaining taxpayer-subsidized benefits. Premium subsidies provided would be determined on a six-tier sliding scale, such that individuals with incomes under 133 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL, $29,327 for a family of four in 2009) would be expected to pay 1.5 percent of their income, while individuals with incomes at 400 percent FPL ($88,200 for a family of four) would be expected to pay 12 percent of their income. Subsidies would be based on adjusted gross income (AGI), meaning that individuals with total incomes well in excess of the AGI threshold could qualify for subsidies. The bill further provides for cost-sharing subsidies, such that individuals with incomes under 133 percent FPL would be covered for 97 percent of expenses, while individuals with incomes at 400 percent FPL would have a basic plan covering 70 percent (the statutory minimum). These rich benefit packages, in addition to raising subsidy costs for the federal government, would insulate plan participants from the effects of higher health spending, resulting in an increase in overall health costs-exactly the opposite of the bill's purported purpose. Medicaid Expansion: The bill would expand Medicaid to all individuals with incomes under 150 percent of the federal poverty level ($33,075 for a family of four). Under the bill, the bill's expansion of Medicaid to more than 10 million individuals would be fully paid for by the federal government only through 2014-thus imposing billions in unfunded mandates on States, which would be expected to pay nearly 10 percent of the cost of the expansion beginning in 2015. Benefits Committee: The bill establishes a new government health board called the "Health Benefits Advisory Committee" to make recommendations on minimum federal benefit standards and cost-sharing levels. The Committee would be comprised of federal employees and Presidential appointees. The bill eliminates language in the discussion draft of H.R. 3200 stating that Committee should "ensure that essential benefits coverage does not lead to rationing of health care." Many view this change as an admission that the bureaucrats on the Advisory Committee-and the new government-run health plan-would therefore deny access to life-saving services and treatments on cost grounds. As written, the Committee could require all Americans to obtain health insurance coverage of abortion procedures as part of the bill's new individual mandate. Funneling Patients into Government Care Abolition of Private Insurance Market: The bill imposes new regulations on all health insurance offerings, with only limited exceptions. Existing individual market policies could remain in effect-but only so long as the carrier "does not change any of its terms and conditions, including benefits and cost-sharing" once the bill takes effect. With the exception of these grandfathered individual plans subject to numerous restrictions, insurance purchased on the individual market "may only be offered" until the Exchange comes into effect, thus abolishing the private market for individual health insurance and requiring all non-employer-based coverage to be purchased through the bureaucrat-run Exchange. Employer coverage shall be considered exempt from the additional federal mandates, but only for a five year "grace period"-after which all the bill's mandates shall apply. By applying new federal mandates and regulations to employer-sponsored coverage, this provision would increase health costs for businesses and their workers, encourage employers to drop existing coverage, and leave employees to access care through the government-run Exchange. "Pay-or-Play" Mandate on Employers: The bill requires that employers offer health insurance coverage, and contribute to such coverage at least 72.5 percent of the cost of a basic individual policy-as defined by the Health Benefits Advisory Council-and at least 65 percent of the cost of a basic family policy, for full-time employees. The bill further extends the employer mandate to part-time employees, with contribution levels to be determined by the Commissioner, and mandates that any health care contribution "for which there is a corresponding reduction in the compensation of the employee" will not comply with the mandate-which would encourage them to lay off workers. Employers must comply with the mandate by "paying" a tax of 8 percent of wages in lieu of "playing" by offering benefits that meet the criteria above. In addition, beginning in the Exchange's second year, employers whose workers choose to purchase coverage through the Exchange would be forced to pay the 8 percent tax to finance their workers' Exchange policy-even if they offer coverage to their workers. The bill includes a limited exemption for small businesses from the employer mandate-those with total payroll under $500,000 annually would be exempt, and those with payrolls between $500,000 and $750,000 would be subjected to lower tax penalties (2-6 percent, as opposed to 8 percent for firms with payrolls over $750,000). However, these limits are not indexed for inflation, and the threshold amounts would likely become increasingly irrelevant over time, meaning virtually all employers would be subjected to the 8 percent payroll tax. The bill amends ERISA to require the Secretary of Labor to conduct regular plan audits and "conduct investigations" and audits "to discover non-compliance" with the mandate. The bill provides a further penalty of $100 per employee per day for non-compliance with the "pay-or-play" mandate-subject only to a limit of $500,000 for unintentional failures on the part of the employer. The employer mandate would impose added costs on businesses with respect to both their payroll and administrative overhead. An economic model developed by Council of Economic Advisors Chair Christina Romer found that an employer mandate could result in the loss of up to 5.5 million jobs as employers lay off employees to avoid providing costly, government-forced health insurance. Individual Mandate: The bill places a tax on individuals who do not purchase "acceptable health care coverage," as defined by the bureaucratic standards in the bill. The tax would constitute 2.5 percent of adjusted gross income, up to the amount of the national average premium through the Exchange. The tax would not apply to dependent filers, non-resident aliens, individuals resident outside the United States, and those exempted on religious grounds. "Acceptable coverage" includes qualified Exchange plans, "grandfathered" individual and group health plans, Medicare and Medicaid plans, and military and veterans' benefits. For individuals with incomes of under $100,000, the cost of complying with the mandate would be under $2,000-raising questions of how effective the mandate will be, as paying the tax would in many cases cost less than purchasing an insurance policy. Despite, or perhaps because of, this fact, the bill language does not include an affordability exemption from the mandate; thus, if the many benefit mandates imposed raise premiums so as to make coverage less affordable for many Americans, they will have no choice but to pay an additional tax as their "penalty" for not being able to afford coverage. Then-Senator Barack Obama, pointed out in a February 2008 debate that in Massachusetts, the one State with an individual mandate, "there are people who are paying fines and still can't afford [health insurance], so now they're worse off than they were. They don't have health insurance and they're paying a fine." Medicare Advantage: The bill reduces Medicare Advantage (MA) payment benchmarks to levels paid by traditional Medicare-which provides less care to seniors-over a three-year period. This arbitrary adjustment would reduce access for millions of seniors to MA plans that have brought additional benefits. The bill imposes requirements on MA plans to offer cost-sharing no greater than that provided in government-run Medicare, and imposes price controls on MA plans, limiting their ability to offer innovative benefit packages. This policy would encourage plans to keep seniors sick, rather than manage their chronic disease. The bill also gives the Secretary blanket authority to reject "any or every bid by an MA organization," as well as any bid by a carrier offering private Part D Medicare prescription drug coverage, giving federal bureaucrats the power to eliminate the MA program entirely-by rejecting all plan bids for nothing more than the arbitrary reason that an Administration wishes to force the 10 million beneficiaries enrolled in MA back into traditional, government-run Medicare against their will. Tax Increases Government-Forced Insurance Penalties: Offsetting payments to finance the government takeover of health care would include taxes on individuals not complying with the mandate to purchase coverage, as well as taxes and payments by businesses associated with the "pay-or-play" mandate. Taxes on Small Businesses: The bill also imposes a new 5.4 percent "surtax" on individuals with incomes over incomes over $500,000 and families with incomes greater than $1 million. The tax would apply beginning in 2011. As more than half of all high-income filers are small businesses, this provision would cripple small businesses and destroy jobs during a deep recession. Taxes on Health Plans: The bill prohibits the reimbursement of over-the-counter pharmaceuticals from Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), Medical Savings Accounts, Flexible Spending Arrangements (FSAs), and Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs), and increases the penalties for non-qualified HSA withdrawals from 10 percent to 20 percent, effective in 2011. Because these savings vehicles are tax-preferred, adopting this prohibition would raise taxes by $8.2 billion over ten years, according to the Joint Committee on Taxation. H.R. 3962 would place a cap on FSA contributions, beginning in 2012; contributions could only total $2,500 per year, subject to annual adjustments linked to the growth in general (not medical) inflation. Members may be concerned that these provisions would first raise taxes, and second-by imposing additional restrictions on health savings vehicles popular with tens of millions of Americans-undermines the promise that "If you like your current coverage, you can keep it." At least 8 million individuals hold insurance policies eligible for HSAs, and millions more participate in FSAs. All these individuals would be subject to additional coverage restrictions-and tax increases-under this provision. The bill also repeals the current-law tax deductibility of subsidies provided to companies offering prescription drug companies to retirees. Many may be concerned that this provision would lead to companies dropping their current coverage as a result. Taxes on Health Products: Finally, H.R. 3962 would impose a 2.5 percent excise tax on medical devices, beginning in 2013. Many may echo the concerns of the Congressional Budget Office and other independent experts, who have confirmed that this tax would be passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices-and ultimately higher premiums. Budgetary Gimmicks Unpaid-For Doctor Fix: While the Democrats claim their bill is now deficit-neutral, the majority also introduced a separate piece of stand-alone legislation (H.R. 3961). The more than $200 billion cost of this legislation is not paid for, thus adding hundreds of billions of dollars in deficit spending and interest costs to the federal debt. Many may also note that the Congressional Budget Office recently analyzed similar legislation (S. 1776) as raising Medicare premiums by $70 billion. Long-Term Care Program: The bill includes a new program for long-term care services that provides a benefit of at least $50 per day to individuals unable to perform certain functions of daily living. As the long-term care program requires individuals to contribute five years' worth of premiums before becoming eligible for benefits, the program would find its revenue over the first ten years diverted to finance other spending in Democrats' health care "reform." However, the Congressional Budget Office, in analyzing similar provisions included in Section 191 of legislation considered by the Senate HELP Committee, found that "if the Secretary did not modify the program to improve its actuarial soundness, the program would add to future federal budget deficits in a large and growing fashion beginning a few years beyond the 10-year budget window." As even Democrats such as Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-ND) have called the program a "Ponzi scheme," many may find any legislation that relies upon such a program to maintain "deficit-neutrality" fiscally irresponsible and not credible.
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Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA), Vice-Chair of the House Republican Conference, has been a strong leader on the health...
November 02, 2009
It is 1,990 pages long so House Republicans and GOP leadership are still reading through the many details included...
November 02, 2009
The Republican Conference has compiled a list of important numbers relevant to Speaker Pelosi's 1,990-page health care bill:...
November 02, 2009
The House Republican Conference has compiled a list of all the new boards, bureaucracies, commissions, and programs...
November 02, 2009
The Republican Conference has compiled a list of provisions in the Pelosi health care bill that would harm young...
November 02, 2009
The Republican Conference has compiled a list of provisions in the Pelosi health care bill that would harm...
November 02, 2009
The Republican Conference has compiled a list of provisions in the Pelosi health care bill that would harm State...
November 02, 2009
The Republican Conference has compiled a list of provisions in the Pelosi health care bill that would harm American...
November 02, 2009
The Republican Conference has compiled a list of provisions in the Pelosi health care bill that would harm rural...
November 02, 2009
The Republican Conference has compiled a list of provisions in the Pelosi health care bill that would harm American...
November 02, 2009
The Republican Conference has compiled a list of provisions in the Pelosi health care bill that would harm individuals...
November 02, 2009
The Republican Conference has compiled a list of provisions in the Pelosi health care bill that would harm American...
November 02, 2009
In order to assist Members, staff, and interested parties seeking to read and review Speaker Pelosi's government takeover of...
October 31, 2009
House Republican Leader John Boehner gave the Republican radio address today, and in 568 words made a simple and compelling case...
October 31, 2009
We'll be updating you with new finds from the Pelosi health care bill this weekend so stay tuned! Here are...
October 30, 2009
Many may find the release of House Democrats' health "reform" legislation the week of Halloween particularly apt, as the...
October 30, 2009
Today, we will continue to update and inform you about the facts inside House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's government-run health...
October 29, 2009
In order to assist Members, staff, and interested parties seeking to read and review the health “reform” legislation (H.R....
October 29, 2009
We will keep you updated with the latest facts and finds about the Democrats' health care bill here. You...
October 29, 2009
House Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence appeared on Fox News, MSNBC and CNN today to discuss the Democrats' health...
October 29, 2009
House Leader John Boehner (OH): The American people have spoken. Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats have ignored them. Through...
October 29, 2009
House Republicans will oppose any effort to pass a sweeping government takeover of health care and are committed to...
October 29, 2009
The text of the Democrats' health care bill can be found here. It is 1,990 pages long -- start...
October 29, 2009
After a widely circulated email from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office announced a health care press conference scheduled for...
October 27, 2009
By Dan Eggen Washington Post Staff Writer Tuesday, October 27, 2009 The nation's preeminent seniors group, AARP, has...
October 21, 2009
Washington, DC - U.S. Congressman Mike Pence, Chairman of the House Republican Conference, made the following remarks regarding the...
October 20, 2009
"There's an inherent conflict of interest....They're ending up becoming very dependent on sources of income."- Former AARP Executive Marilyn...
October 19, 2009
Even as he campaigned on a platform of change and transparency, an examination of Barack Obama's comments during the...
October 15, 2009
Background: As part of spending reforms included in the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, Congress enacted a sustainable growth...
October 14, 2009
The Democrat plan for a government takeover of health care would impose more than $820 billion in new tax hikes.Democrats...
October 14, 2009
Republican Leadership Press Conference October 14, 2009 Participants: - Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) - Republican Whip Eric...
October 13, 2009
"I can make a firm pledge. Under my plan, no family making less than $250,000 a year will see...
October 09, 2009
"But what we will do is, we'll have the [health care] negotiations televised on C-SPAN, so that people can...
October 08, 2009
While the bill produced by Finance Committee Chairman Baucus is being portrayed by some media outlets as a "moderate...
October 08, 2009
"I will not sign [health care legislation] if it adds one dime to the deficit-now or in the future. ...
October 01, 2009
"And one more misunderstanding I want to clear up-under our plan, no federal dollars will be used to...
September 30, 2009
"I mean, if you think about-if you think about it, UPS and FedEx are doing just fine, right? No,...
September 29, 2009
"I will not sign [health care legislation] if it adds one dime to the deficit-now or in the future. ...
September 28, 2009
Even as unemployment approaches 10 percent nationwide, a recent Heritage Foundation analysis found that House Democrats' government takeover of...
September 24, 2009
Even as President Obama promised to address tort claims as part of his health "reform" proposals, House' Democrats' government...
September 23, 2009
While the bill produced by Finance Committee Chairman Baucus is being portrayed by some media outlets as a "moderate...
September 22, 2009
"There's an inherent conflict of interest....They're ending up becoming very dependent on sources of income." - Former AARP Executive...
September 22, 2009
While the bill produced by Finance Committee Chairman Baucus is being portrayed by some media outlets as a "moderate...
September 21, 2009
House Republicans will oppose any effort to pass a sweeping government takeover of health care and are committed to working...
September 21, 2009
In light of proposals being discussed to increase seniors' Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), the Republican Conference has prepared...
September 21, 2009
"I can make a firm pledge. Under my plan, no family making less than $250,000 a year will see...
September 18, 2009
A study recently published in the journal Health Affairs has confirmed what many have feared-that enrollment in a government-run...
September 17, 2009
Washington, DC - U.S. Congressman Mike Pence, Chairman of the House Republican Conference, made the following statement today about...
September 14, 2009
Congratulations. You're about to own $100 billion a year in student loans. The furor over President Obama's trillion-dollar...
September 11, 2009
President Obama promised in his address to Congress that, "There are also those who claim that our reform effort...
September 10, 2009
Transcript below: HOST: Here's what he had to say to his critics this morning. President Obama...
September 10, 2009
President Barack Obama: "Our collective failure to meet this challenge - year after year, decade after decade - has...
September 09, 2009
The Republican Conference has prepared analysis of President Obama's address to...
September 08, 2009
Washington, DC - U.S. Congressman Mike Pence, Chairman of the House Republican Conference, made the following remarks today on...
September 08, 2009
· It is clear from town hall meetings held across the country that the American people are rejecting the...
September 08, 2009
BACKGROUND On July 14, 2009, the Chairmen of the three House Committees with jurisdiction over health care...
September 08, 2009
"I'm appalled by the deal the White House has made with the pharmaceutical industry's lobbying arm to buy...
September 08, 2009
“I’m appalled by the deal the White House has made with the pharmaceutical industry’s lobbying arm to buy...
September 08, 2009
Even as the Administration continues to search for a “compromise” regarding its government takeover of health care, an examination...
September 08, 2009
To view this clip, click here. Excerpts below: "Republicans are ready to work for comprehensive health...
September 02, 2009
Excerpts below: JOE SCARBOROUGH: Do you think health care reform is dead? REP. PENCE: Well, I...
September 01, 2009
"I'm appalled by the deal the White House has made with the pharmaceutical industry's lobbying arm to buy their...
August 31, 2009
Washington, DC - U.S. Congressman Mike Pence, Chairman of the House Republican Conference, made the following remarks on the...
August 18, 2009
Even as President Obama campaigned on a platform of change and transparency, recent dealings between the pharmaceutical industry and...
August 17, 2009
WASHINGTON, DC-U.S. Congressman Mike Pence, Chairman of the House Republican Conference, issued the following statement today regarding the six...
August 10, 2009
If you are an anti-war protestor... According to the San Francisco Chronicle, after meeting with a group of anti-war protestors,...
August 10, 2009
Washington, DC - U.S. Congressman Mike Pence, Chairman of the House Republican Conference, responded today, on Fox News' America's...
August 06, 2009
The House Republican Conference released a new web video today in response to a recent White House video on...
August 06, 2009
In order to assist Members, staff, and interested parties seeking to read and review the health "reform" legislation (H.R....
July 31, 2009
Washington, DC - U.S. Congressman Mike Pence, Chairman of the House Republican Conference, made the following statement today after...
July 28, 2009
Participants: - Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) - Republican Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA) - Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence...
July 23, 2009
"I'm always in favor of Congress sticking around long enough to get the right thing done but if the...
July 22, 2009
"The President of the United States may 'mean it' when he says a government takeover of health care won't...
July 22, 2009
To view this clip, click here. Transcript below: [Clip of Hoyer on the House floor] ...
July 21, 2009
Washington, DC - U.S. Congressman Mike Pence, Chairman of the House Republican Conference, made the following statement on the...
July 17, 2009
During the worst recession in a generation Democrats propose a government takeover of health care that will lead to fewer...
July 14, 2009
Washington, DC - U.S. Congressman Mike Pence, Chairman of the House Republican Conference, made the following statement today after...
July 09, 2009
"It is truly an entrepreneurial kind of system, where there is no coercion in the system. And it is...
July 08, 2009
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Congressman Mike Pence, Chairman of the House Republican Conference appeared on FOXNEWS this...
June 23, 2009
The Republican Conference has compiled a list of important numbers relevant to the House Democrats’ 1,018-page “America’s Affordable Health...
June 22, 2009
Background On June 19, 2009, the Chairmen of the three House Committees with jurisdiction over health care legislation—Education and Labor...
May 21, 2009
Former DNC chair's government-run insurance program is sure to backfire. Just ask his wife the doctor By Phil...
May 15, 2009
by Robert Pear, The New York Times WASHINGTON - Hospitals and insurance companies said Thursday that President Obama...
May 11, 2009
As the American people struggle to make ends meet, too many also live with the challenge of affording basic health...
May 06, 2009
*This post originally appeared on Net Right Nation. by Rep. John Shadegg (AZ)Are you ready for health care rationing? ...
May 01, 2009
http://www.breitbart.tv/html/330913.html Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL): "And next to me was a guy from the insurance company,...
April 03, 2009
"The real problem with our long-term deficit actually has to do with our entitlement obligations...The big problem is Medicare, which...
March 23, 2009
Rep. Jeff Flake (AZ) gets a few words in at the American Spectator this morning, offering insight from the...
March 09, 2009
"What it's supposed to do for people doesn't get done in reality." The speaker criticizing this government program...
March 05, 2009
President Obama said government-run health care was “extreme” and “wrong” but… Then-Candidate Obama said government- run health care was...
March 04, 2009
President Obama's budget proposal includes nearly $1 trillion in new health care spending-a $634 billion reserve fund as a...
February 26, 2009
President Obama's budget includes nearly $1 trillion in new health spending-a $634 billion reserve fund as a "down payment"...
February 23, 2009
"We shouldn't have to do that, because they should know better." So said President Obama in explaining why...
February 10, 2009
In light of the inclusion of $1.1 billion in the Democrat "stimulus" legislation for the Agency for Healthcare Research...
February 04, 2009
In anticipation of a potential vote to reauthorize and expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), the Republican...
January 14, 2009
Congressman Mike Pence (R-IN), Chairman of the House Republican Conference, issued the following statement today regarding House consideration of...
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