Romney - Healthcare - 50 States - 50 Different Plans

Today on the radio I heard a snip where Romney was pushing states sovereignty for healthcare – indiovidual state programs are better than Obamacare – that’s basically what he said. 

He even evoked the tenth amendment in the statement – I wish I could have found it.

I couldn’t find the clip – but I did find his annoying web page that makes a beep every time a new tweet comes in.

If you haven’t checked out Romney’s healthcare page on his webpage you should – it’s very interesting.  Won’t give you the link – I don’t connect with repugs

Here’s his conclusion

In place of Obamacare, Mitt will pursue policies that give each state the power to craft a health care reform plan that is best for its own citizens. The federal government’s role will be to help markets work by creating a level playing field for competition.

Interpretation

50 different states, 50 different plans.

Move from one state to the next and you are screwed.

Give a tax deduction to those who buy their own health insurance, just like those who buy it through their employers:

•End tax discrimination

Interpretation

Some part of his plan will make the rich richer - through more tax breaks -  while the rest us of get discriminated against by private insurance companies that don’t like our pre-existing conditions.

Restore to the states the responsibility and resources to care for their poor, uninsured, and chronically ill:

•Block grant Medicaid and other payments to states

•Limit federal standards

Interpretation

State sovereignty reigns supreme – to hell with the UNITED States of America

The FED is no good – we need to get rid of the FED’s interference.

The states can do it better – Anyway – he’s thinks so and is willing to put your life and mine on the line – experimenting with a hope that -  the states MIGHT do a better job.

Reduce the influence of lawsuits on medical practice and costs:

•Cap non-economic damages in medical malpractice lawsuits

Interpretation

How much really is your life worth – your kids life – your wife’s life – your mother’s life.

Better figure it our cause we’re going to put a cap on that!

(Starting to sound like ALEC here - isn't this what Scott Walker did?)

Make health care more like a consumer market and less like a government program:

•Unshackle HSAs—e.g., permit HSA funds to be used to pay insurance premiums

•Promote “co-insurance” products

Interpretations

HSA’s – the tax break for the rich – they don’t get enough of a tax break on this – so we need to give the rich more of a tax break.  (BTW:  High Deductible Insurance policies – that are always connected to HSA’s = NO health insurance for those of us who can’t meet the high deductible.)

Co-insurance products – for what? 

I thought the states were going to put together such great state programs.  

Is he implying here that maybe the states won’t do as good a job as Obamacare?

YES – he is.