April 30, 2010 - 11:55PM
Seniors: Brace Yourselves, Medicare Cuts are Coming
Dems’ Healthcare Takeover Leads To Higher Costs for Older Americans
President Obama Promised Economic Benefits as a Result of His Healthcare Overhaul:
“President Barack Obama used his weekly radio address to tout the economic benefits of overhauling the health care system, saying that reform would help build a ‘new foundation for our economy to create the good, lasting jobs and shared prosperity of tomorrow.’” (Nia-Malika Henderson, “Obama: Health bill will create jobs,” Politico, 1/9/2010)
RED ALERT: Medicare Cuts Will Lead Hospitals to Insolvency and to Higher Healthcare Costs for Senior Citizens:
“But the new law is unlikely to deliver on a second key goal: restraining the surge in health-care costs. And that is likely to get even worse because Medicare cuts included in the new law appear to be unrealistic, according to the report, issued last week by the U.S. Health and Human Services Department. The new law may hit older Americans particularly hard. The report says the Medicare cuts, if enacted as planned, would put about 15 percent of hospitals and other institutional providers on a path to insolvency. Senior citizens, in particular, could lose access to health care as a result. In addition, about half the retirees now enrolled in Medicare Advantage would be pushed out of such plans, forcing them to rely on traditional Medicare while incurring higher out-of-pocket expenses…The federal report is especially bad news for three members of Indiana's congressional delegation -- Reps. Joe Donnelly, Brad Ellsworth and Baron Hill, each of whom is locked in a tough election fight this year…And the reality is that the new law is almost certain to cost Americans more money and push the nation deeper into debt.” (“Health-care bill will cause long-term headaches,” Indianapolis Star, 4/29/2010)
April 28, 2010 - 4:43AM
Columbus Dispatch: Healthcare Takeover Amounts to ‘Malpractice’
Dem Healthcare Agenda Looks Worse By the Day
Pelosi: “We Have To Pass The Bill So That You Can Find Out What Is In It”:
“You’ve heard about the controversies within the bill, the process about the bill, one or the other. But I don’t know if you have heard that it is legislation for the future, not just about health care for America, but about a healthier America, where preventive care is not something that you have to pay a deductible for or out of pocket. Prevention, prevention, prevention—it’s about diet, not diabetes. It’s going to be very, very exciting. But we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it, away from the fog of the controversy.” – House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Pelosi Remarks, 03/25/10)
RED ALERT: ‘Flaws Of Health-Care Overhaul Grow More Apparent Every Day’:
“Almost daily, the ill effects of the health-care overhaul passed by Congress last month are becoming apparent. As employers and government bureaucrats analyze the law's effect on bottom lines for the private sector and for government, the alarm bells are ringing. The tragedy is that these ill effects could have been and should have been calculated before the law was passed, not after. In fact, many of them were prophesied before passage of the bill, but the prophets were ignored by President Barack Obama and the Democratic majority in Congress. That's because their uppermost goal was not to pass the best health-care bill possible but merely to pass anything that could be called "health-care reform" and could be claimed as a political victory by a president desperate for one.” (“Editorial: Malpractice,” Columbus Dispatch, 4/28/10)
April 27, 2010 - 5:56PM
Dems’ Shakedown Reveals Healthcare Takeover Really Is Devastating to Employers
Leaders Back Down From Probe As Reality Confronts Their Political Posturing
President Obama Promised Economic Growth And Job Creation In Aftermath Of Dems’ Healthcare Takeover:
“President Barack Obama used his weekly radio address to tout the economic benefits of overhauling the health care system, saying that reform would help build a ‘new foundation for our economy to create the good, lasting jobs and shared prosperity of tomorrow.’” (Nia-Malika Henderson, “Obama: Health bill will create jobs,” Politico, 1/9/10)
RED ALERT: Dems’ Spin Shattered As Investigation Reveals Companies Correctly Reported Devastating Hits:
“When major companies declared that a provision of the new health care law would hurt earnings, Democrats were skeptical. But after investigating, House Democrats have concluded that the companies were right to tell investors and the government about the expected adverse effects of the law on their financial results…Within days after President Obama signed the law on March 23, companies filed reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission, saying the tax change would have a material adverse effect on their earnings…Representative Henry A. Waxman of California and Bart Stupak of Michigan, both Democrats, opened an investigation and demanded that four companies — AT&T, Caterpillar, Deere and Verizon — supply documents analyzing the ‘impact of health care reform,’ together with an explanation of their accounting methods. The documents — hundreds of pages of e-mail messages and financial worksheets — include large amounts of data that substantiate the companies’ concerns. They have reignited a battle over the law in Congress.” (Robert Pear, “Inquiry Says Health Care Charges Were Proper,” New York Times, 4/26/10)
April 27, 2010 - 4:42AM
Dem Pollster: Zero Bounce From Passing Healthcare Takeover
Political Environment Continues to Collapse for Majority as Independents Flee
Top Obama Aide: Dems Will Enjoy Political Benefits From Passing Healthcare Takeover:
“I think as the American people become familiar with what this program is and what it isn't, they're going to be very, very happy with it.” (Rick Klein, “Axelrod: Public Will Grow 'Very, Very Happy' with Health Care Law,” ABC News, 3/30/10)
RED ALERT: Dem Pollster Says The Tailspin Continues, Democrats Saw Zero Bounce In ObamaCare Aftermath:
“Health care’s passage did not produce even a point rise in the president’s approval rating or affection for the Democratic Congress. Virtually every key tracking measure in April’s poll has remained unchanged, including the Democrats’ continued weakness on handling of the economy…With independents even more conservative and Republican-leaning in this survey, the congressional battle in 2010 looks like a dead-heat at best – a 12-point swing in this poll from 2008.” (“Is This the Final Chapter or a New Chapter?” Democracy Corps, 4/27/10)
April 27, 2010 - 4:39AM
Sources: White House Withheld Information to Pass ObamaCare
Obama Administration Knew Healthcare Takeover Would Increase Costs
Pelosi: “We Have To Pass The Bill So That You Can Find Out What Is In It”:
“You’ve heard about the controversies within the bill, the process about the bill, one or the other. But I don’t know if you have heard that it is legislation for the future, not just about health care for America, but about a healthier America, where preventive care is not something that you have to pay a deductible for or out of pocket. Prevention, prevention, prevention—it’s about diet, not diabetes. It’s going to be very, very exciting. But we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it, away from the fog of the controversy.” – House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Pelosi Remarks, 03/25/10)
RED ALERT: HHS Sources: White House Withheld Information To Get Healthcare Votes:
“The economic report released last week by Health and Human Services, which indicated that President Barack Obama's health care ‘reform’ law would actually increase the cost of health care and impose higher costs on consumers, had been submitted to the office of HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius more than a week before the Congressional votes on the bill, according to career HHS sources, who added that Sebelius's staff refused to review the document before the vote was taken. ‘The reason we were given was that they did not want to influence the vote," says an HHS source. ‘Which is actually the point of having a review like this, you would think.’…’We know a copy was sent to the White House via their legislative affairs staff,’ says the HHS staffer, ‘and there were a number of meetings here almost right after the analysis was submitted to the secretary's office. Everyone went into lockdown, and people here were too scared to go public with the report.’ In the end, the report was released several weeks after the vote -- the review by the secretary's office reportedly took less than three days -- and bore a note that the analysis was not the official position of the Obama administration.’” (“What Lies Beneath,” American Spectator, 4/26/2010)
April 24, 2010 - 12:41AM
Tax Relief Coalition: ObamaCare is Bad for Business
Nation’s Largest Business Groups Scream Foul Over Inevitable Tax Increases
President Obama Promised Economic Benefits as a Result of His Healthcare Overhaul:
“President Barack Obama used his weekly radio address to tout the economic benefits of overhauling the health care system, saying that reform would help build a ‘new foundation for our economy to create the good, lasting jobs and shared prosperity of tomorrow.’” (Nia-Malika Henderson, “Obama: Health bill will create jobs,” Politico, 1/9/2010)
RED ALERT: Nation’s Largest Businesses Scream Foul Over Inevitable Tax Increases:
“Vast tax increases will be inevitable under President Barack Obama’s budget blueprint, the nation’s largest business groups complained on Friday. The groups blasted tax increases on businesses and wealthy individuals and families in the budget in a letter to members of the House and Senate, while warning that escalating public debt threatened the underlying economy. ‘If the President’s budget demonstrates the administration’s long-term governing priorities, then it's hard not to conclude that this spending boom is deliberate,’ the letter from the Tax Relief Coalition said. ‘It is an effort to put in place programs and spending commitments that will require vast new tax increases going forward, and give the political class a claim on far more private American wealth,’ it said. Obama’s budget proposal would increase marginal tax rates on individuals whose incomes are above $200,000, and families with incomes about $250,000. It would also raise taxes on dividends and capital gains.’” (Ian Swanson, “Business says vast tax increases 'inevitable' under Obama budget,” The Hill, 4/23/2010)
April 23, 2010 - 7:11PM
Report: ObamaCare “Will Increase Nation’s Health Care Tab”
Dems Face Tough Reelections as Seniors, Families Pay Big for Healthcare Overhaul
President Obama: Elections Have Consequences:
“And if we can't (resolve something), then I think we've got to go ahead and make some decisions, and then that's what elections are for. We have honest disagreements about – about the vision for the country and we'll go ahead and test those out over the next several months till November. Alright?” – President Obama (ABC News, 02/25/10)
RED ALERT: Dems’ Healthcare Takeover Could Become a “Major Political Liability”:
“President Barack Obama's health care overhaul law will increase the nation's health care tab instead of bringing costs down, government economic forecasters concluded Thursday in a sobering assessment of the sweeping legislation…But the analysis also found that the law falls short of the president's twin goal of controlling runaway costs, raising projected spending by about 1 percent over 10 years. That increase could get bigger, however, since the report also warned that Medicare cuts in the law may be unrealistic and unsustainable, forcing lawmakers to roll them back…In particular, the warnings about Medicare could become a major political liability for Democratic lawmakers in the midterm elections. ..The report projected that Medicare cuts could drive about 15 percent of hospitals and other institutional providers into the red, ‘possibly jeopardizing access’ to care for seniors.’” (Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, “Report: Health Overhaul Will Increase Nation's Tab,” Associated Press, 4/23/2010)
April 23, 2010 - 3:22AM
More Tax Hikes: Healthcare Takeover to Slam Four Million with Penalty
Middle Class Takes Another Hit Despite President Obama’s Empty Promises
President Obama Promised Not To Raise Taxes On The Middle Class:
“Obama repeatedly vowed during the 2008 presidential election campaign that he would not raise taxes on individuals making less than $200,000 and households earning less than $250,000 a year.” (Rich Miller, “Obama ‘Agnostic’ on Deficit Cuts, Won’t Prejudge Tax Increases,” Bloomberg, 2/11/2010)
RED ALERT: Four Million Americans Targeted By Penalties In Healthcare Takeover Bill – Most Of Them Middle-Class:
“Nearly 4 million Americans will have to pay a penalty if they fail to get health insurance when that element of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul law kicks in, according to congressional projections released Thursday. The penalties will average a little more than $1,000 apiece in 2016, the Congressional Budget Office said in a report. The vast majority of people paying the fine will be middle class, which would violate Obama's 2008 campaign pledge not to raise taxes on individuals making less than $200,000 a year and couples making less than $250,000.” (Stephen Ohlemacher, “Nearly 4M to Pay Health Insurance Penalty by 2016,” Associated Press, 4/22/10)
April 23, 2010 - 3:18AM
Pro-Life Groups Sound Alarm On Stupak Sellouts
Groups Launch Multimillion-Dollar Offensive Against “Pro-Life” Dems Who Voted for Healthcare Takeover
President Obama: Elections Have Consequences:
“And if we can't (resolve something), then I think we've got to go ahead and make some decisions, and then that's what elections are for. We have honest disagreements about – about the vision for the country and we'll go ahead and test those out over the next several months till November. Alright?” – President Obama (ABC News, 02/25/10)
RED ALERT: Pro-Life Groups Launch Multimillion-Dollar Offensive Against Former Pro-Life Dems:
“Anti-abortion groups are poised to launch a multimillion-dollar offensive against a collection of former allies — House Democrats who also oppose abortion — in an effort to discredit their credibility with anti-abortion voters and oust them from office…Four separate campaigns are in the works, aimed at anti-abortion House Democrats who voted for the health care bill and designed around the notion that those Democrats signed on to legislation that lacked restrictions ensuring that federal funds would not be spent to provide coverage for abortions. Some of the targeted members — largely, though not exclusively, vulnerable and junior Democrats — voted for the bill after Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) cut a deal with the White House that President Barack Obama would sign an executive order ensuring that the bill would not provide such funding.” (Alex Isenstadt, “Abortion foes wage war on old allies,” Politico, 4/22/2010)
April 22, 2010 - 8:59AM
Dem Senator Warns: Doctor Shortage is Going to Sting
Government Takeover Fails to Address Key Cause of Lack of Access To Healthcare
President Obama Promised to Address the Problem of a Doctor Shortage:
“Obama administration officials, alarmed at doctor shortages, are looking for ways to increase the number of physicians to meet the needs of an aging population and millions of uninsured people who would gain coverage under legislation championed by the president. (Mary Whitley, “Obama administration concerned about growing shortage of primary-care doctors,” Cleveland Plain Dealer, 04/26/20009)
RED ALERT: Association Of American Medical College Foresees Shortage Of 150,000 Doctors:
“If everything in the new health care plan works out the way it’s supposed to, over the next decade another 32 million Americans will be trying to get a doctor’s appointment. There could be a line. That’s because even before the new legislation kicks in, the country is facing a medical manpower shortage, especially of primary care doctors. The Association of American Medical Colleges sees a shortage over the next few years of 150,000 doctors, with the situation considerably worse in rural areas…‘The piece I don’t think is addressed to any level is how you produce more doctors,” says Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., a strong supporter of the bill. “We don’t have enough doctors. There are too many baby boomer doctors retiring, and too many baby boomers needing more care.’” (David Sarasohn, “Patients will be in, but the doctors may be out,” The Oregonian, 4/20/2010)