Understanding Health Care Law Is Public Responsibility

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Understanding Health Care Law Is Public Responsibility

July 4th, 2012 12:31 am Gene Lyons

In a sane climate, Mitt Romney would be running for president on his one big success as a politician: achieving something close to universal private health insurance coverage as governor of Massachusetts. Romneycare cut costs, improved health care outcomes and is quite popular there.

Alas, President Obama’s election has driven many Republicans so crazy that the putative nominee makes an unconvincing show of despising his own brainchild.

Has there ever been a more unconvincing faker in American politics? Romney acts as if he thinks voters are morons. But then, right-wing hysteria over the Supreme Court’s upholding “Obamacare” shows he could be correct.

Mandating health insurance wasn’t Romney’s own idea. The conservative Heritage Foundation saw it as a way to realize the practical and moral benefits of a socialized, government-run health care system like Canada’s through private, for-profit insurance companies — the best of both worlds.

Romney even wrote a 2009 USA Today column advising President Obama about the mandate’s advantages: “Using tax penalties, as we did [in Massachusetts], or tax credits, as others have proposed,” he wrote, “encourages ‘free riders’ to take responsibility for themselves rather than pass their medical costs on to others.”

The president put it this way in reacting to the Supreme Court’s validating Obamacare: “People who can afford to buy health insurance should take the responsibility to do so.”

So is it a tax, or is it a penalty?

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Tags: affordable care act, Antonin Scalia, Gene Lyons, health care reform, Individual Mandate, john roberts, Mitt Romney, Obamacare, Supreme Court, supreme court ruling

dtgraham

You’d think that one couldn’t argue with this logic, but many do, and two sentences in this article jump out at me. “You can eat your vegetables or not; it’s entirely up to you.” “But you can’t not get sick or hurt.” Au contraire. Over and over again I’ve read and heard the political right say, oh no your health is your own personal responsibility and I’m not paying for obesity, lack of exercise, poor eating habits, drug use, etc… In short, I’m not paying for poor lifestyle choices. To conservatives, even health is a morality passion play acted out daily. They even turn that into a personal responsibility thing.

Of course, with even a moment of serious thought and reflection, a thousand exceptions and a million contradictions to this right wing health philosophy nonsense would reveal themselves…….but they don’t go there. There’s no limit to the simple minded nuttyness. That’s the way they think and it is what it is.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Michael-Stoll/100000621443352 Michael Stoll

Everyone should be responsible for their own lifestyle choices . The Govt should not dictate what we eat or drink . That is one of the benefits of living in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave . Having said that we all should take care of our own health and be responsible for our own lifestyle choices . If Obama gets reelected ( long shot I know ) and this law gets implemented the way it is ( and you would hope that even the Dems would be feverishly working to amend it ) then we will all have the benefit of paying for the People who get paid to lay up watch Maury and Oprah eating Curly fries coverd in cheese and Bacon while washing it down with Big gulp slurpy’s . Followed up with smoking three packs a day and drinking enough malt liqour to put down a race horse . Yep the way it’s written we all get to pay for other people’s irresponsibkle behavior and this seems to be bothering Libs evem more then Conservatives …Just look at all the new reg Michele and Blomberg want to put in place to curtail bad behavior . What is happening to this country ?

dtgraham

I know I’m supposed to be arguing but I’m laughing too much to formulate a good response. Enjoy your fries, cheese, bacon, and malt liquor Michael. It’s the 4th of July and Barack’s pickin’ up your bypass. On the house. Is this a great country or what?
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_D5HPWVIJUUCDCQIWUV636LNM4A Elsa

Yes and part of that responsibility is to have health insurance so you are not draining the health care system.

http://profile.yahoo.com/6J6SE4LGZ64NBODFC3DLIRUNHQ sanorio

You are wrong. It is your responsibility to pay for that which you use. Irregardless of rather you have insurance or not. It is those who do not pay their bills that are part of what is wrong. And now, we’re going to subsidize them so they don’t have to pay for their own insurance? We’re, by many sources, likely to have a large part of our population without insurance anyway? And how is this supposed to lower the cost of medical care and improve quality?

RUKIDENME

(IN) sanorio-We subsidize the uninsured now! When the uninsured seek treatment (via the emergency room they are not turned away) the government and health ins. companies pay. So you see the hospitals are subsidized by your tax dollars and insurance companies pay more for care. Your not NAIVE enough to think hospitals take loses instead of passing along those costs.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Michael-Stoll/100000621443352 Michael Stoll

Now it seems it’s the workers responsiblity to pay for the lazy entitlement voters ( who vote for Obama ) while they themselves lose their coverage

http://www.facebook.com/people/Dean-Hill/1086842203 Dean Hill

You just don’t get it do you Michael. Because everyone is not responsible for their own health and health care you and I are picking up their health care tab for their irresponsibility. This bill will shift resonsibilty back to those who are irresponsible therefore drving down the costs for you and me who are already responsible unless you are one of those who are living on my responsibility of carrying insurance on me and my family……
rockinthebayinFlorida

Damn, pull your head out of your ass! Even the most athletic and health conscious people have medical issues from time to time. You ARE already paying for other’s health care cost every time you seek medical attention at the emergency room or hospital…YOU ARE PAYING! What do you think, it comes for free? I hope that one day YOU have no health care insurance and see how YOU are treated at the hospital, emergency room, etc…yeah, they might treat you (the key word here is MIGHT) and if you can’t pay your bill, the hospital WILL seize ANY assets (your home, car, bank accounts, stocks/bonds, etc.) to satisfy YOUR bill…they WILL turn it over to a collection agency! Are these 52+ millon AMERICANS-that don’t have, are not given the choice of, can’t afford to pay for because they are working their boney asses off for some rich bitch for $7.25 an hour, health insurance,-just supposed to just lay down on the sidewalk and die? You sound like you are a real great guy…

http://www.facebook.com/people/Michael-Stoll/100000621443352 Michael Stoll

This law is so good that the President exempted himself and the Senate and Congress . There have been over 1400 exemptions given mostly to large Unions who are Dem supprters and fundraisers . 20% of the exemptions have gone to Nazi Pelosi’s 1%er Dem fund raisers and supporters . Have you seen a single Republican ( peopel who didnt vote for these bozo’s or support the Bill ) get one ? Your Hypocrisy is mindboggling

dtgraham

I wasn’t addressing specifics or defending exemptions Michael. Just a comment on the philosophy of the right on health care.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Michael-Stoll/100000621443352 Michael Stoll

Yes it is your responsibility to know the law . It is called personal responsibility. You are going to need it if you work in the Private Sector ..but don’t worry the Private Sector is doing just fine …yeah and Liberals still think he’s smart …yeppers just as smart as the people who trumpet that .Anyway if you work in the private sector get ready to buy your own insurance or pay the TAX Penalty if you can’t afford it . What that means is when you can’t pony up 10 to 30 k ( depending on family size ) you will enjoy paying the TAX penalty .Paying that TAX doesn’t mean you are covered because you won’t be . It means you are too poor to buy insurance but you will still get to pay so lazy people on Entitlements and Illegal Aliens will enjoy a great new free benefit .Thats compliments of the middle class . Remember when “Dear Leader ” Vowed and Promised if you make less then 250 K your taxes won’t go up ? Well like Joe Wilson aptly pointed out.. HE LIED . Enjoy your MIDDLE CLASS TAX INCREASE as 77% of the money collected for ObamaTAX will come from the MIDDLE CLASS ….by the way 47 % of Americans pay no Fed TAX …You will have to pay to ensure these people stay happy and vote Dem ..support your party and enjoy those TAXES . ” Wealth Redistribution for Dummies ” ( Sheeple ) 1st edition due out Nov 6 .

http://profile.yahoo.com/YPI4NVMAWGSK43SFUAL6OUISGA Bunny

Explain how the illegals will enjoy free benefits, Please. Where do you get the 30 k amount? That seems like a lot of money. Please be specific. Thanks.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Michael-Stoll/100000621443352 Michael Stoll

the 30k amount is from the INS co and was well reported in INV Bus Daily . 25k to 30 k for a family of four . How will Illegals enjoy free bennies ???? Do you need me to spell it out ????

http://profile.yahoo.com/7M2DKJ3IACEZW2TKS3DP7F2LHU Lorraine

You really need to read the law or listen to someone other than Fox News the PR firm for the Republican Party.

Where are you getting your data from? Please find sources other than Fox News and perhaps we can take your comments seriously.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Michael-Stoll/100000621443352 Michael Stoll

Lorraine if I were quoting FOX I would be quoting America’s most trusted news Source . Im certainly not quoting NPR the Propaganda wing of the Dem Party . Or NBC which lies to it’s viewers ( Trayvon 911 tapes )and doesn’t retract or apologize to the low information sheeple who watch it . I also am not quoting Misogynist Moron Bill Maher , Whoopie Goldberg , Joy Behar , Jon Stewart , Steven Colbert ,or Al Sharpton as these are the people Liberals and Progressives ( God that term cracks me up ) get their misinformation and Sheep talking Points from . You sheep get your News hahahah and talking points from comedians .No Lorraine the source is the WSJ and Inv Bus daily . Lorraine I dont expect you to take what you dont like seriously as you are a Liberal . You won’t put a Post together yourself but will instead try to marginalize someone elses post . Why dont you read or watch something other then Cartoon News Networks ..Get outside of your comfort zone and learn the truth ? That way someone might take you seriously

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_D5HPWVIJUUCDCQIWUV636LNM4A Elsa

You are a perfect example of someone talking about ACA who should not be – your statement does not make sense, it is full of misinformation. Most people who are having difficulties getting health coverage will be more than happy to pay the premiums that will give them access to healthcare, those who refuse to buy until they are sick should be penalize with an extra tax. Bush did the very same when he enacted the Prescription Drug Act and none of you complained. Was that wealth redistribution as well?

http://www.facebook.com/people/Michael-Stoll/100000621443352 Michael Stoll

You really think that a company with 53 employees is not going to lay off or fire 4 to get under 50 so they dont have to comply with ObamaTAX ? Why do you think Dem employers in Pelosi’s district are all getting exemptions ? You think its because they like the Bill and want to comply and cover their employees ? You really think that because the Dems wrote the bill saying a Co can opt out of ObamaTAX by taking a $750 to $3000 hit on thier Taxes they are going to line up and pay 10 to 30 K to cover their employee’s ? Or do you think they will do the more profitable thing and drop them ?People who can afford 10 to 30 K to buy their own coverage might …How many of us can ? The ones who cant will have to pay the TAX penalty because they cant afford Coverage . These people pay a Penalty so others ( Entitlement And Illegal Alien Voters ) can enjoy a free benefit that those paying the penalty , wont get . What part of this doesn’t make perfect common sense ? What dont you get or are Liberals blind ?

bstockinger

The so-called 47% who don’t pay federal taxes actually do. Almost everyone pays Social Security and Medicare taxes. Last I heard those were Federal taxes. If you mean Federal Income tax then say that.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_B6RROC4IUESHT322QS5VJVPYRM Lynda

Yes indeed nearly everybody pays some sort of taxes. When folks whine about those 47% more or less who don’t pay taxes they mean Federal Income Tax. All working people pay into the treasury with each paycheck. Of course as you’ve pointed out they also pay into Social Security and Medicare, and many also pay state taxes each payday as well. The actual number who pay nothing has been determined to be about 15% and they are mostly elderly and ill people. I suppose those doing the screaming about freeloaders and etc would change places with those unfortunately enough to be poor or ill? I doubt it.

Silly me, I almost forgot about state sales taxes and taxes, both Federal and state, on gasoline everybody pays.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Michael-Stoll/100000621443352 Michael Stoll

Do I need to spell olut everything ? Are Progressives that uninformed ? Seems like you knew what I meant so why make an issue of it ? You knew exactly what I meant but since you cant dispute that you want to debate semantics

ralphkr

Well, Michael Stoll, you can blame that flaming liberal President Richard Nixon for low income Americans not paying income tax (you can also blame him for making it possible for Walmart and others to replace US made products with Chinese because Nixon opened relations with China).

I
ralphkr

Well, Michael Stoll, you can blame that flaming liberal President Richard Nixon for low income Americans not paying income tax. You can also blame Nixon for Walmart and others replacing US made products with Chinese products because Nixon opened relations with China.

I am for the mandate and strongly feel that it should be $1,800 for single and $2,500 for family to encourage those who refuse to get their own insurance because they are immortal and can’t get sick and then expect us to pay for their health care when the unthinkable happens. By the way, I do not know who the Entitlement people are unless you mean those collecting SS and the Illegal Aliens are specifically excluded from Obamacare.

I consider the probable $4,000 increase in my Federal Income Tax to be an excellent investment since it guarantees that my great-grandchildren (and their ensuing progeny) shall have access to health care. The act shall do nothing for me personally since I have private health insurance (do not collect SS or Medicare because of too many years wasted in the military, as a LEO, and other jobs not subject to SS at that time). Unlike Conservatives I was raised a Christian and that automatically makes me much closer to the liberal philosophy of helping all than to the Conservative philosophy of “I’ve got mine and screw you.”

http://www.facebook.com/people/Michael-Stoll/100000621443352 Michael Stoll

Thank You for serving . Most conservatives are Christian also . We believe in being our brothers keeper not his sugar daddy

ralphkr

The problem to me is that most conservatives do believe in being our brothers keeper meaning meaning to keep him under our thumb and scrabbling for crumbs. Many consider that I am a conservative because as an ex LEO I too believe in being my brothers keeper meaning keeping him safely locked up and away from decent society.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_TT6POTCLZCE74T76WAJIIIUAHU frida

No one who is thinking themselves should listen to idiot Sarah. She is the loser and she wants every American be losers like her. It was not by accident majority saw through the lens and trashed her in 2008 election. She has totally nothing to offer to people just making noises only. Nevertheless, she is sailing in the same boat with Rush Limbaugh!

http://www.facebook.com/people/Michael-Stoll/100000621443352 Michael Stoll

What are you smoking and what does hating on Palin have to do with this discussion . Other then doing the same thing Obama does everyday …That is to blame someone else for his shortcomings ? Liberals they repeat any talking point without the least shred of independent thought or concern for their own dignity ..think about it frida . Do you think repeating nonsensical talking points hating on Palin ( who isnt running against anyone ) makes you look smart or bigger ? Or , do you think repeating hateful ignorant talking points that have nothing to do with the topic might make you look Liberally stupid ?

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_D5HPWVIJUUCDCQIWUV636LNM4A Elsa

Great article we need more like it. It was part of my job to understand health insurance too. I had a long career in Healthcare and know firsthand that people do not understand how their medical expenses are paid. Most, until they lose their employer based coverage, take it for granted. They do not understand the difference between Medicare and Medicaid, how to fill out an insurance form, many on Medicare think they have private insurance because they choose one of the Advantage Plans, barely anyone knows how to choose a plan. I get calls from people on a regular basis asking me to help them choose a plan. The whole setup is complicated and confusing, even for the smartest of us.

And you are right; they have to start paying attention. Look we have chosen to go the private insurance route for healthcare and you can bet your bottom dollar they will get away with everything they can. I am not sure I agree on the best of both world’s statement – but it what we have. People need to stop being afraid of what is going to happen, and read the law and find out what in ACA that will make their life better. I say this; if you cannot explain why your premium is going up, how your employer choose the plans you have to choose from, if you think your doctor is not getting approval for every procedure he has ordered for you – then keep your mouth shut, because you do not know enough to talk about the Affordable Care Act or to call anyone without insurance a free-loader.
bigspender7

Ignorance has always been the Tea Party mantra. Republicans feed off it to remain meaningful. If people would make an effort to educate themselves as to ACA and other political issues, the current GOP would fade into obscurity — where it belongs.
http://www.facebook.com/jeffrey.clements.7 Jeffrey Clements

I would like to know how the tax code promotes raising cattle ( since this is the writers favorite) ??????

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_CPJFEYCCS2ACFK4ZFVIN66SJTE Gene

Everything I do related to cows is tax deductible, including the cows themselves, which I can depreciate. Every structure on my place, including fences, hay rings, and stalls can be depreciated. Because I use my horse to move cows around, and my Great Pyrenees dogs to keep coyotes away from calves, their care and feeding are deductible. Because I use my pickup to transport cows, feed and hay, it’s deductible. It’s quite hard to make money on cattle–especially this year of terrible drought when I’m having to feed hay in June–but the predictable losses can be deducted from other income. Taken together, these tax advantages go a long way toward financing a style of life I love. I should probably say that without them, beef would be a good deal more expensive than it already is. So in a roundabout way, the tax code finances cheaper groceries too.

http://www.facebook.com/jeffrey.clements.7 Jeffrey Clements

Is this any different from any other Agri Business ???

onedonewong

Obamacare is a tax that will do nothing to cover any more citizens. The congress won’t fund any $$ increase in Medicare so this issue is just smoke and mirrors
rockinthebayinFlorida

You are another one that doesn’t have a clue as to what is going on…if some one can’t afford it, how in God’s world are they supposed to get insurance, much less PAY for it? I surmise you have health insurance through your employer, and you are in pretty good shape fiancially…that being said, YOU pay for a part of that coverage (in most cases not all of it), the employer pays a sizeable portion. Not everybody is a scholar making $100k a year…that is what this health care bill is all about-covering the little guy who cleans you hotel room, shines your shoes, washes your clothes, cooks your food, buses your table, and wipes your chin in a restaurant! These are the guys in the minimarts that risk their lives to sell you coffee and donuts in the morning. These are the SERVICE people who do the crap jobs most good Americans won’t do…they are human just like you are and they, too, get sick and need health care, but because they make so little money, they have to choose whether to eat, pay rent, and pay the light bill or pay for health insurance (most likely that would be ALL they could pay for and nothing else).

dtgraham

Your post reminds me of the Mahatma Ghandi’s quote of “one can judge a nation by how it treats it’s animals.” Perhaps there’s some human simile to that quote. Maybe Sean Hannity’s measuring stick of the “best nation god has ever given earth” shouldn’t be how fabulously wealthy America’s rich are, compared to other country’s rich, or how few taxes they have to pay compared to the taxes that other country’s rich have to pay. Maybe, just maybe, the measuring stick should be, what kind of a life do the hotel cleaners have, or the shoe shiners, or the clothes washers, or the cooks, or the bus boys. How are they living? Maybe that’s our true success, or lack thereof, as a society.

Thank you for your post rockinthebayinFlorida.

AlphaPlus

The author does a poor job of making the case of the article’s title, that it is the public’s responsibility to educate themselves. Do away with the public education system and see how many people just take it upon themselves to learn math, science, and history. I mean it would be nice if people weren’t apathetic and everyone was as interested in politics and public policy as we are since it does effect every aspect of their lives, but that is an idealistic wish, not reality. This article is just a cop-out to blow off the fact that the Democrats have dropped the ball on PR from the start and let Republican lies go widely unrefuted. How about providing one good source of information that summarizes what benefits are provided by the new law and explains how people who can’t afford insurance now will be able to afford insurance when it is mandated? How about a nice user-friendly website that the White House could refer the public to peruse? Something that would set straight myth vs fact would not be too hard to put together in the internet age. All they had to do from the start was set up a damn web page detailing all the virtues of the new law and this fiasco wouldn’t be so bad. To just expect people to inherently know where to get this kind of information is ridiculous, especially when millions of people still consider Faux News to be a reliable, fair, and balanced source of information.
http://www.facebook.com/rex.fox.73 Rex Fox

This article hit the nail on the head!

I have been in the healthcare field for over 40 years. I currently work a nursing postion to help under-insured or non-insured woman obatain a women’s health exam and get screened for the two most common cancers in woman; breast and cervical. I work with a wonderful team of individuals 50+ in the State of New Mexico who have that same goal. Some of them at the local level, also help men and children.

Our community has created three separate foundations through fundraising, to aid these clients in helping to reduce the personal burden of high medical cost.

People in this country don’t realize how often, non-profit hospital’s write off $1,000.’s to $100,000′s each year for provided healthcare that they will never get a dollar. Non-profit hospital’s can not refuse to care for patients on there ablity to pay or they will lose their Medicaid or Medicare reimbursement privileges. That creates a whole new problem!
That is why Emergency Rooms are used by a large population for non-emergent care. Many private physician’s offices do not care for patients who use Medicaid or Medicare (which most of our older generation depends on). Our hospital went to great lengths to resolve that problen in our community, they created a health partners group. Physicians, PA’s, Nurse Practitioners, Nurse Midwives and etc. became hospital employees and those providers are required to see the Medicaid and Medicare insured patients.

As for the illegal immigrates and healthcare. I don’t know about the other States in the Union, but I do know in New Mexico, that if you don’t have a vaild social security card, a green card, U.S. birth certificate, or U.S. Passport don’t even think about applying for Medicaid. If a citizen applies, then they are required to supply documentation of income and if they are even the slightest bit over the proverty level they are denied medical care, through the State of New Mexico.

You are correct the goverment can not force anyone to change there lifestyle. Another project that was started in our communtiy by a group of dedicated nurses who believe healthcare prevention is your best medicine; have created programs where we go out into the community including High School Health Classes and educate the importance of living or changing you lifestyle.

My favorite saying to these groups “If you chose not to follow our advise and live a healthy lifestyle, don’t expect to come to us with organ damage 20 years from now, that you could have prevented, and demand PLEASE FIX-ME, FIX-ME! ” There will always be responsibilty and consequence for every chose we make in life.
http://www.facebook.com/rex.fox.73 Rex Fox

In not sure how this went to my husband’s account. I think he didn’t log off last night and when I came on this AM this face book was still up. It should have been my account Glenda Allies-Fox
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_MGLVCYHIAE6S2GSKOFAH2XTUQQ guest

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