For Halloween, a Real-Life Fright Show: Speaker Pelosi’s Government Takeover of Health Care
Special Interest Groups Get Treats—While the American People Get Tricked
Many may find the release of House Democrats’ health “reform” legislation the week of Halloween particularly apt, as the legislation includes several “monstrous” provisions likely to wreak havoc on the American people, their jobs, and their health care:
Werewolf of Government-Run Insurance: Experts agree that this monster would quickly devour the health coverage of millions of Americans—the Congressional Budget Office believes several million, the Urban Institute up to 47 million, and the Lewin Group as many as 114 million will lose their current coverage.
“Count Tax-YOU-la:” This creature would suck the life out of the American economy, by imposing $729.5 billion in job-killing tax increases on all Americans—taxing people who can’t afford to purchase government-forced insurance, taxing businesses who want to hire new workers, taxing small businesses, even taxing health benefits. According to a model developed by President Obama’s chief economic advisor, these new taxes would demolish or destroy up to 5.5 million jobs—and other studies confirm that minority workers would be disproportionately affected.
Weird Scientists: These bureaucrats working for a new a comparative effectiveness institute funded by a tax on health benefits, could publish the protocols needed to deny patients access to life-saving treatments on cost grounds. When Republicans offered an amendment to prevent these scientists from conducting their experiments on the American people, Democrats rejected the idea on a party-line vote.
Frankenstein: Refers to the dozens of bureaucracies created by the legislation—to say nothing of the difficulties for patients to receive actual treatment—all in the name of health care “reform.”
A Ghoulish Czar: The “Health Choices Commissioner” created in the legislation could forcibly enroll individuals in government-run insurance, and would be required to conduct random compliance audits on health benefits plans—allowing the federal government to intervene in the business practices of all employers who offer coverage to their workers.
However, while creating new and frightful government bureaucracies for the American people, Democrats have managed to include sweet treats for their liberal allies:
- ACORN and Planned Parenthood could be eligible for enrollment and outreach grants administered by the Health Choices Commissioner;
- Trial lawyers would receive new “whistleblower” provisions allowing them to bring suit against employers of all kinds—even as Democrats refuse to fund liability reforms that would place any caps on attorneys’ fees; and
- AARP’s popular Medigap policies would not be subject to the same pre-existing condition restrictions or price controls placed on all other private insurance plans—thus allowing the organization to continue to receive hundreds of millions of dollars in “kickbacks” by overcharging seniors for coverage.
While Halloween may come and go, many may be concerned that the monsters created in the bill will stay—causing permanent fright for all Americans forced to live under Democrats’ government takeover of health care.