Quick! Notify the White House!

I wrote a few weeks back using the title "HeALthanol" to assert that those who are compelling us to use ethanol were a poor prospect for designing and imposing a health plan upon us (but very tellingly, not themselves.)

There's been much discussion about the failure of congress to actually read the bill they are considering, which is in excess of 1000 pages. As someone said, "how can we possibly trust those who won't or can't read and understand the bill to actually design such a system for us?" It's hard to argue that point.

While I haven't read the bill, I am fortunate to have had a friend send me a rundown on bill "highlights" that was compiled by a friend of his who actually did read the entire bill. The list runs about 15 pages and cites points of interest by page and paragraph/line number.

The preamble to the summary by this determined individual reads in part as follows:

Just got this "Cliff Note" outline of the bill the administration wanted congress to pass in a rush without reading. You might now understand why they were in a rush. If you don't like the condensed version, go on line and read the entire bill. Any senator or representative who votes on a bill they didn't read should be impeached. Any administration that insists on passage of legislation before it can be completely read and debated should be run out of office. Any congress that votes legislation they do not have to abide by - deserves to be removed.

I concur with this, and frankly would like to see it stronger. As I see it, federal authorities and congress exempting themselves from this plan is criminal in spirit, if not in the letter of the law.

I will not bore you with the full 15 pages, but I will tell you this: the bill spans way, way beyond what you would think of as "health insurance." It's provisions dictate cradle to grave involvement in nearly every aspect of your life; the sweeping social engineering inherent in the bill is undeniable.

And it calls for creation of centralized information systems for which they are unable to predict costs. On this latter point, you can read about the incredibly fouled up attempt to do the same thing in Great Britain here. This is the article I linked to in the earlier "HeALthanol" Post, and referenced to the costly mismanagement by DHHS here in Maine.

Here are some thrilling highlights to whet your appetite:

• A government committee decides what treatments/benefits you will get.
• Government will have real time access to individual's finances and a National ID Health Care Card will be issued. Government will have direct real time access to your bank account for electronic funds transfer. Will have database including your personal and financial info.
• Congress has no idea what Electronic Medical Records will cost.
• Government will decide how much Doctors can make. Doesn't matter what specialty you practice, you'll be paid the same.
• Government mandates hospitals cannot expand.
• Government can disqualify Medicare Advantage Plans and HMOs.
• In the "end of life" subject area: Government mandates Advanced Care Planning Consultants; will instruct and consult regarding mandatory living wills, etc; provides approved list of end of life resources; establishes program for orders for end of life; consultation may include an order for end of life plan; specifies which Doctors can write an end of life order; decides what level of treatment you will have at end of life; and will publish quality measures for end of life in the Federal Register.
• Privacy of personal records shall not apply for Home Medical Services.
• Government may secure your personal data from any department or agency of the US.
• Government will define what quality means in health care.
• Government will tell Doctors where residency will be, and will regulate residency programs in all hospitals.
• For law enforcement purposes, Secretary of Health and Human Services will give Attorney General access to all data.
• Nurse home visit services will address increasing birth intervals between pregnancies.
• Government implements Home Visitation Program for families with children and expecting children.
• Government takes control of education of medical students. Establishes Public Health Workforce Corps. Includes veterinarians. Commissioned regular and reserve officers.
• Government establishes school based health clinics.
  

As a senior with a Medicare Advantage Plan, I can tell you I'm as happy as a pig in poop about the whole thing. And I'm especially excited about having the Federal Government personally involved, face to face, in my "end of life." This brings new gravity to Reagan's statement that "the scariest words in the English language are 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help you.'"

To conclude, the fact that the politicians refuse to be on the plan they will compel us to join is shameful, and reaffirms that they see themselves not as public servants, but as privileged aristocrats. They steadfastly refuse to subject themselves to the realities foisted upon the little people; their behavior is despicable and their intentions are repugnant.

They won't read it, and they don't want it; but they pronounce "trust us, you don't know what's good for you." What else do you need to know????? How much lower could they stoop? What do they know that they aren't telling us? What are they afraid of?

And for you public watchdogs, please be sure to send an email to the White House about the "fishy" views expressed in this post at Flag@whitehouse.gov .