Health insurance bill passes the house

[Fate]

68% of the Connecticut's citizens support the public option, but thank god Leiberman is on the front lines defending the health insurance lobby.

There's always reconciliation. 

[merithyn]

You're obviously not someone in the "in between" if you think that they have a plasma TV or XBox 360. The working poor usually make enough to get by, and not a whole lot else. At the same time, they don't qualify for food stamps, subsidized insurance, etc., because they make too much. Unless the government is very careful about where that cut off is, there is going to be a large group out there with no options.

You have an option. Buy insurance or pay a fine.

And when you can't afford insurance or the fine?

[alfred russel]

You're obviously not someone in the "in between" if you think that they have a plasma TV or XBox 360. The working poor usually make enough to get by, and not a whole lot else. At the same time, they don't qualify for food stamps, subsidized insurance, etc., because they make too much. Unless the government is very careful about where that cut off is, there is going to be a large group out there with no options.

You have an option. Buy insurance or pay a fine.

And when you can't afford insurance or the fine?

Pawn the plasma.

[Neil]

You're obviously not someone in the "in between" if you think that they have a plasma TV or XBox 360. The working poor usually make enough to get by, and not a whole lot else. At the same time, they don't qualify for food stamps, subsidized insurance, etc., because they make too much. Unless the government is very careful about where that cut off is, there is going to be a large group out there with no options.

You have an option. Buy insurance or pay a fine.

And when you can't afford insurance or the fine?

Shoot your president.

[alfred russel]

Meri--first, people at the poverty level aren't (or at least shouldn't) be hit with penalties for not getting private insurance. Second, for people that are subject to the mandate, the fines would just be another part of the taxes the people must pay. I would assume people could plan for the payments just like the they do the rest of their taxes. And if they don't, they get to negotiate with the IRS.

[merithyn]

Meri--first, people at the poverty level aren't (or at least shouldn't) be hit with penalties for not getting private insurance. Second, for people that are subject to the mandate, the fines would just be another part of the taxes the people must pay. I would assume people could plan for the payments just like the they do the rest of their taxes. And if they don't, they get to negotiate with the IRS.

The problem isn't people below the poverty line. The problem is those slightly above it.

We have a requirement in our school district that requires health insurance in order for students to participate in sports. A good number of our athletes' parents came in to complain because they made too much to qualify for state-sponsored insurance, and yet too little to afford private healthcare, since their companies' policies were too expensive.

I had to quit my second job at Borders working 10-15 hours per week so that my kids would qualify for state-assisted insurance. I couldn't afford insurance through the school district because they charged $630/month for the family plan, and the private health insurance providers were worse. (The lowest you could possibly get regardless of number of kids, etc.) It wasn't worth the few extra hundred dollars a month (the money that went toward school activities for the kids, or the occasional night out for Max and me) and lose insurance, especially with two sick kids.

If you're not living on the edge, you don't know what it's like. I saw it every day at the school: the working poor struggling to feed their kids lunches because they didn't qualify for free or reduced lunches, but were struggling to pay their rent, utilities, car insurance, and put food on the table.

It's a nice idea... and if played out right, has potential. The reality, however, is rarely what people think it is. Those just over the poverty line are the most at risk in this.

[Hansmeister]

68% of the Connecticut's citizens support the public option, but thank god Leiberman is on the front lines defending the health insurance lobby.

There's always reconciliation. 

And 74% of polls are made up.

[Grey Fox]

You guys were so close.

[Neil]

You guys were so close.

Not really.  Remember:  Any bill that doesn't eviscerate their current system isn't really much of a step forward.

[DGuller]

And any system that forces insurance companies to provide coverage to anyone without seriously mandating everyone to buy coverage will just makes things much worse.  I cannot comprehend the stupidity of politicians who lower the fines for the mandate to "make it easier on the families", seemingly oblivious to the fact that the two things MUST go together.  The families aren't going to be helped when the premiums skyrocket because insurance would become something you buy when you get sick.

[MadImmortalMan]

Lieberman said the same thing about the Clinton plan in '93 and then still ended up voting for it.



IMO--Joe is stuck and it's our own fault. If we hadn't Lamonted him, his base would not have changed to not include the people who support the plan. By pushing him out of the party, his base of support changed to the moderates and even a lot of Republicans. That's who he's trying to keep happy. In the near future, we might be blaming the failure of universal health care on Ned Lamont.

[alfred russel]

Lieberman said the same thing about the Clinton plan in '93 and then still ended up voting for it.



IMO--Joe is stuck and it's our own fault. If we hadn't Lamonted him, his base would not have changed to not include the people who support the plan. By pushing him out of the party, his base of support changed to the moderates and even a lot of Republicans. That's who he's trying to keep happy. In the near future, we might be blaming the failure of universal health care on Ned Lamont.

I wish Count was still here so he could read this post.

[Alcibiades]

How would I go about paying this for instance?  Full time student, unemployed, no real income.  I don't like it, I never go to the doctor, but if they were making me pay I'd be getting every little ailment checked out, may as well.

[DGuller]

How would I go about paying this for instance?  Full time student, unemployed, no real income.  I don't like it, I never go to the doctor, but if they were making me pay I'd be getting every little ailment checked out, may as well.

One good thing I saw is that children can be on their parents' policy up until 27 (as opposed to until the end of college).  That's a HUGE crack that's being patched up, and one that I was personally in for some time.

[Darth Wagtaros]

How would I go about paying this for instance?  Full time student, unemployed, no real income.  I don't like it, I never go to the doctor, but if they were making me pay I'd be getting every little ailment checked out, may as well.

That's how its worked out hre in Mass. Now that everyone has to have insurance everyone is running to the Doctor whenever something comes up.