| Last night, I stayed up to watch the House of Representatives take a vote to "End" a battle that's been going on for a while -- a battle to "Reform" health care. I watched from BOTH SIDES of the issue, both as a REPUBLICAN, and a man with a condition that is now called "Pre-existing". My wife's diabetes is now called "Pre-existing". If she has any more heart problems, THAT will be called "Pre-existing." My Asthma? Same. It's a catch-22 situation, a Kobayashi Maru, (For Trek fans) Is the Government really providing health care? No, not for the vast majority of Americans who are under 65. All they have done is make insurance available to everyone. "Pre-existing" conditions will not be allowed to keep people off of insurance. Caps on "lifetime" amounts will be abolished. While I agree, in principle, to those parts, it's the rest of bill to which I object. We will NOT have a choice on insurance. You'll have it. It's required, now. You'll still have to pay a premium, and a deductible. What deductible? Who knows? Maybe it's been set at 300, maybe 7500. How much will your premiums be? I fear that they will be more than they are now. If you are generally healthy male, no smoking, 30, you'll probably be paying 300/month. Have a family? Triple it. Figure, a family of 3, no smokers -- you'll be paying about 1000 a month. If you're not healthy (Let's say diabetic, asthma) your rate will be more like 1500-2000 a month. I can't afford that! Thing is, if you don't have insurance, now, you can be FINED $700 each year. The IRS has been given the right to invade your privacy, to demand to know if you have insurance or not. If you lie on the tax form, it's perjury, a big fine, jail time, and a criminal record. I'm sorry to say I have not read the entire bill... It's heavy reading, almost to the point of WAR AND PEACE. There are stories and rumors of "Death Panels," being forced to change doctors, Long waits, and medicine rationing. TRUE: Insurance companies, Pharmaceutical companies, Medical device companies will have to pay increased taxes... 60 BILLION in new taxes, which will come right back to the consumer in the form of increased premiums. Probably true: Medicines are likely to get rationed. The higher taxes on Pharmaceutical companies will force them to cut costs, make few drugs--which will, eventually cause shortages. Pharmacies in Washington State (Walgreens) have already begun warning people that they will no longer take new medicare/medicaid patients effective 4-16. This warning was issued before the Health-care scam which has been passed was law. Possible: Switching doctors, longer waits. While I doubt you'll have to go across country to see a doctor who would send you across country to another specialist, I suspect that you'll probably have little say in your doctor. If you're in Brainerd, you may have to travel to Duluth. Or if you're in Ocala, you might wind up in Tallahassee, or Tampa. If you're in Alaska, you might wind up in Canada...but that's speculation. "Death Panels" I suspect is an exaggeration, but I really need to review the full bill. But everything IS going to get reviewed by the GOVT. That means IRS, Bureaucracies, waits. And NO PRIVACY. How are we going to pay? Increased premiums. HIGHER MEDICARE/MEDICAID taxes. Probably higher deductibles. Money will be taken away from Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security (As if they didn't have enough problems as it is) To make matters worse, ILLEGALS will still get it all for FREE. Why should we, as Americans, have to subsidize a bunch of criminals? This WILL affect Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security...probably with lower payments. Doctors will stop taking Medicare/Medicaid. Since they won't be able to call their own shots (pun not intended), many medical professionals will leave the field, and nobody will be coming in. This WILL result in even longer waits than we have now. What bugs ME is that we have NO CHOICE in the matter. NONE. The Government (BIG BROTHER OBAMA and his LACKEYS, plus some of his communist puppets in Congress) is forcing the matter. And already the states are fighting back. I say, folks, be prepared. Stock up on your meds, as you may never get a chance to renew them again, reasonably, if at all. I can't imagine an auto mechanic doing open heart surgery...but it's looking more and more like that could happen. It's a frightening Scenario: AS I SEE It! | 
