Happy, Happy, Happy talk!
My Congressman Carol Shea-Porter held her Telephonic Town Hall. Although her staffer kept saying that over 13,000 people were on the line, this was an "by invitation only" event – either you got called or you did not. You had no choice over the time at which you were called, or the method by which you were selected to be called. Staffers screened the questions – nothing was "on the fly".
It should be obvious that I do not believe this was such a great idea. Called late, I also got dropped early as well.
Mrs. Shea-Porter, the ‘Grok knows REAL Town Halls – this (along with those other "crafted" ones) was no Town Hall
(trust me – you could learn MUCH from John McCain in this area).
The entire call (such as I was allowed to hear – it was an hour and a half long) is here. I am going to split out the questions – if someone knows how many questions I missed, would you please let me know?
Side Note: do they HAVE to keep taking up time telling people how to contact them?
Questions and answer summaries:
Bonnie from Candia: How are you going to pay for this?
Response: a surcharge!
Jill from Wakefield: An issue of trust – can we trust Obama? He has told the pro-choice folks that abortion would be included and then just told the clergy it would not be. Would you vote for it if it does.
Response: (short answer) Talked about the Hyde amendment (she did not mention that the Hyde amendment only applies that legislation that goes through the Labor / HHS committee. Talks about funding but not that money is fungible. People of conscience will only have 1 option to pick from in the exchanges that would not "support" abortion.
George from Kingston: Concerned about his wife’s medication will be rationed.
Response: will never vote for anything that would cut off medication (the "donut" hole). "We borrowed the money" (re: Part D)
Roger from Laconia: Are you still in favor of a public option and why are you in favor and in more detail than before?
Response: The insurers took on the responsibility on taking care of people and you left lots of people behind (she made it sound like the insurance companies long ago agreed to take everyone and have reneged on the deal – such a crock). Leaves out about the important facts about "competition". Talks about just 2 companies capturing all the business (without stating that Shaheen drove them out with mandates).
Bill from Merrimack: Works in the ER – 1/3 of the work/cost are for illegals and lots of defensive medicine from the nuisance suits. Can’t they cap the lawsuits?
Response: there are going to be clear guidelines and healthcare technologies so that that will no longer be that defensive medicine. Said it didn’t work in Texas (note: NRO said otherwise and brings up HUGE privacy concerns).
Dr. Wakefield adds in.
Bob From Hampstead: Hr3200 and VA – death panels and the VA book on end of life counseling.
Response: She is greatly saddened by members of Congress that there is nothing true about this. This is about choices. This is bipartisan. Nobody will make you do it – it is a choice to discuss options. Talks about her family.
Jeffrey from Barrington: Two part question: Why the Govt thinks it is necessary to revamp the entire system for such a small percentage of people? You have mentioned that there are 47 million people are actual US citizens vs illegal aliens (and do we have to cover them)…
Response: It is in the bill that illegals cannot recieve any subsidies (notice the parsing of "subsidy vs. "coverage") what she doesn’t state is that there is no mechanism in the bill to require solid proof of citizenship). She claims that no one is taking away private insurance. Claims a lot of them have no choice. Claims that this will only be an option (the public option). Goes after insurance "drops". If you like your insurance, keep it.
"People who can be insured but don’t want to pay their fair share it makes them be insured as well. It really is a win-win."
Side note: So much for the land of the Free, eh? Notice the it is always about "fair share" – this will penalize the healthy to subsidize the ill against their will – NOTHING will be voluntary. Yet another tax as the Senate bill calls it a "shared responsibility fee".)
Chris from Farmington: Is there any kind of transparency that the hospitals and doctors are going to have to show instead of having a huge profit margin? How will costs be controlled?
Response: double billing. We will use that technology that we know it exists. There will be guidelines. If you go to another doctor, you might have multiple tests. It will be totally irresponsible and there will be no excuse for that (inference: you will be watched!)
We will put more people on for fraud (note: she did not mention the $80 Billion fraud rate now of Medicare and Medicaid) . They will watch for readmissions. They will remove co-pays for prevention.
Side note: Read here about profits and profit margins (does Chris know the difference? Does CSP?).
John from Raymond: HB 676 – comments please?
Response: "Medicare for all" by John Conyers (D-MI). Her mom gets to choose her doctors and no one gets in the way (note: she didn’t mention that doctors are now refusing to take Medicare patients due to low payments). She does not support it as it eliminates the for-profit providers. The public option will allow this
Laurie in Nottingham: watching what is happening in MA – there are not enough doctors. How can we start this today, we don’t have enough doctors to cover the 47 million people
Response: We (probably meaning the entire US) is a much bigger pool, and this is a "work force investment". We can’t bring people in unless we have people to care for them. Even now you may see their PA or their nurse instead of the doctor. We will make sure that there are incentives for more nurses and PAs. When doctors go through school, they need to service the debt so they go into specialties. Have to redirect back to GPs. Looking for other folks (than doctors) in a shorter time). Dr. Wakefield chimes in – the stimulus bill has money for the next generation for paying back twice as many doctors if they go into government work. Congress is adding to money for healthcare providers..
Barbara in Auburn: Not sure if stay with what she has for self-employment or go with the option. Ten years ago it was $645 and now is $1,700. What will the cost be?
Response: Go into the "exchange" and purchase in a larger pool. Also, there are subsidies:
1 person #14,400 to $43K – eligible for a subsidy
4 people $29 to $88K – eligible for a subsidy
Relates a personal anecdote.
Bill from Manchester: Govt option – for any reason you lose your coverage, you can go into the public option. But you cannot go back to private plans! 14,000/day are dropping out of the private plans.
Response – hope it is not true, believe it is not true. If you get another job, you can go back out under your employer (note: did not talk about disincentives to companies to just drop company paid insurance).
Francis in Seabrook: retired military. Concerned with the VA. What is going to happen with that?
Response: My husband is a vet but is also a federal employee, so uses that plan instead of the VA. VA is so good that we will not touch it – it is a great plan! Wants to get more services out of the VA. THeir medicial records are so efficient and they negotiate drug prices….
And then I got dropped.
Overall impression:
Happy, happy, happy thoughts! I’m from the Government and I’m here to help you! You’ll love what we have today: Obamacare – it will be just like the Post Office! By the way, have I got a deal for you on Clunkers…
BTW, she didn’t mention that the IRS is going to be the collection agency for this whole thing (after all, the Government will get theirs!) – we have to look at your financial records to see if you DESERVE that subsidy, right?
