Senate Democrat Health 'Reform' Legislation - Short Summary of the Government Takeover of Health Care

Senate Democrat Health "Reform" Legislation: Short Summary of the Government Takeover of Health Care

DECEMBER 21, 2009

BACKGROUND AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
 
On November 18, 2009, Senator Harry Reid and the Senate Democrat leadership introduced the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act as an amendment to a House-passed bill (H.R. 3590).  The full Senate began consideration of the legislation on November 21, 2009.  Backroom deals produced a manager’s amendment that was introduced early on the morning of December 19, and a vote on final passage of the bill as amended could come as early as December 24, 2009.
 
Buried within the contents of the more than 2,000 page bill—as well as the separate 383-page manager’s amendment, and a 276 page Indian Health Care reauthorization that would be enacted by reference—are details that would see a massive federal takeover of the health care system in America, including the following:

  • A new regime of government-run exchanges that would cause as many as 10 million Americans to lose their current employer-sponsored coverage—thus breaking the central promise of then-Senator Obama’s presidential campaign;
  • An increase in total national health spending, as well as an increase in premiums that could total $2,100 per year—a far cry from then-Senator Obama’s promise to lower costs for families by $2,500 annually;
  • Stifling insurance regulations that would raise premiums and encourage employers to drop coverage;
  • Trillions of dollars in new federal spending that would exacerbate the deficit and imperil the nation’s long-term fiscal solvency;
  • A board of unelected bureaucrats being empowered to re-write Medicare statutes in a way that could well lead to government rationing of health care;
  • Federal funding of insurance policies that cover elective abortion—and an unprecedented federally managed plan that would cover elective abortion procedures;
  • Tens of billions in unfunded mandates in the form of a massive Medicaid expansion that would compel all States—except Nebraska—to dedicate more scarce taxpayer resources to fund government-run health coverage in their States—or alternatively to drop Medicaid entirely;
  • Taxes on all Americans—individuals who purchase insurance, individuals who do not purchase insurance, and small and large businesses alike—that would kill jobs and raise premiums; and
  • Cuts to Medicare Advantage plans that would result in higher premiums and dropped coverage for more than 10 million seniors.

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