Health Care Reform You Can Cry Over

Arkansas Congressman Mike Ross, chair of the Blue Dog Democrats said recently, "We cannot create a public option that puts all the other private insurance companies out of business." The compromise was announced Wednesday, and it is one that will be loved by the health insurance industry.

The Blue Dog Bandits struck hard at the American people. For example:

Employers with a payroll of less than $500,000 will not be forced to offer health insurance to their employees nor will they pay a fine. Before the compromise, the figure was $250,000.

Need help paying your health insurance premiums. Under the compromise, the government will help IF your premium exceeds 12% of your income. In other words – if your total family income is $50,000, the government will help you if your health insurance premium is more than $500.00 per month. How many uninsured Americans will jump on that? Yeah, right!

Bandalero Ross said this would save $100 billion to the government. Sure it will, and that $100 billion will either come out of the pockets of the lower and middle classes, or it will stay in their pockets (if they have any) and they will remain uninsured.

Threats from the Health Insurance Industry

Wendell Potter is a former executive at CIGNA, a major health insurance company. He explained in an interview with Bill Moyer on PBS a simple strategy for dealing with Congress. Members of Congress would simply be told, "we can make things tough for you…by running ads, commercials in your home district when you’re running for reelection, not contributing to your campaigns again, or contributing to your competitor."

Here’s a portion of the PBS interview when Moyer questions Potter about the Michael Moore movie, Sicko.

I would recommend you visit Bill Moyer’s page and see the whole interview with Wendell Potter.

The health insurance companies are getting what they paid for. Meanwhile in America…

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