Answers To My Health Care Pop Quiz
EmailIf you missed yesterday's quiz, you can take it HERE. My answers follow:
Question 1: Toughest Issue to Solve?
a) Public Option
b) Abortion Funding
c) Surtax v Cadillac Tax
Answer: C – Surtax verses cadillac tax…especially after GOP forces Dems to walk the plank on Obama campaign pledge ruling out any tax increases on families making under $250K.
Question 2: Senator Who Will Have to Swallow Hardest to Vote Yes?
a.) Blanche Lincoln
b.) Sherrod Brown
c.) Olympia Snowe
Answer: B — Sherrod Brown…won't like what he sees on public option or affordability, but won't vote no.
Question 3: Outside Issue Most Likely to Imperil Passage?
a.) Afghan Troops
b.) Debt Limit Extension
c.) Second Stimulus
Answer: B — Debt Limit Extension…won't Dems have to pass this by themselves? Maybe not if attached to defense spending. But that will make the choice even more painful.
Rick Santorum Sweeps 3 States 
Pentagon to Open Additional Jobs to Women
The goal of the bill is to insure the uninsured/ under-insured, and lower costs. These bills do not do that. They do not remove anti-trust exemption from the insurance industry; they do not address the high cost of prescribed drugs; they do not address the high cost of medical devices; and they do not address the huge disparity between what insurance will pay for treatment and what “cash payees” have to pay for services. The public option will individuals / businesses more than that of private insurance. The bills do not address extremely high malpractice insurance fees (200-250K / year for OB/GYNs). So, where exactly do these bills help us?
Posted by: tired of it all | November 24, 2009, 9:08 am 9:08 am
@GStephanopoulos “Walk the plank”? Dems & O relied on no new tax under $250K/yr to win office – They asked for the shovel to dig this hole
Posted by: N2vip | November 24, 2009, 9:42 am 9:42 am
I HATE that they tack issues onto other bills when they know something will not pass but if they put it on something that WILL pass and tack it on it flies. This is just wrong…And it seems to me that the DEMS are “hell bent” on passage of the health care bill..I wonder if they think it really is that helpful, even though most people I have talked to are against it, Or thsy just want to show the Republicans they can do it..I am just sick of the people up there and it seems more party than country. Too much power and not enough common sense.
Posted by: Jane | November 24, 2009, 6:07 pm 6:07 pm
In addition to the 3 big issues listed by George, the “Medicare cuts” topic is likely to be a hot rock.
Posted by: TravisTorm | November 25, 2009, 3:05 am 3:05 am
George,
The public option in the current bill has as high or higher premiums than a private plan and is a budget buster to boot with massive subsidies. It won’t pass the smell test when the Blue Dogs are pushed to support or oppose.
Will the Democrats who have pledged to vote against anything without a public option actually follow thru when the public option is removed?
Posted by: Joe White | November 25, 2009, 1:10 pm 1:10 pm
If I lived in a small village and the people in the village took care of someone in the village who was sick, would we pay for the neighbor on the right who drank Vodka all day to get a liver replacent? If he ate doughnuts all day would the village pay for a heart by-pass? What about the villager who eats fresh fruit and vegetables and rides his bike? If my husband and I started a jewelry business and if we made $10,000 profit we would keep it, but if we made $20,000 it would go for our employee’s insurance, we would stay small and not hire anyone? Do the math. Large companies can afford to pay health insurance and hold on to their employees, small comanies not taxed can grow into large companies who can afford to pay insurance for their employees. If the employee wants to work for a company that offers insurance he can. Reward success and employment will soar. We are a free country.
Posted by: Sarah Betts | November 27, 2009, 11:17 am 11:17 am
SO SIMPLE WHY WE NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT IT?
Health care! My INSURANCE Co has raised my rate from $220 to $600 in 4 yrs. So I checked the P/L ratio & out ITS of sight! Have all insurance company’s pay for health care, if they do busi in USA, THEN watch costs go down! INS. co. control all payments Doctors charge less to them & charge more for people without Ins, why? Again,SADLY,INS Co. create the rate of pay for Doc!
Posted by: Frank B Gabry | November 29, 2009, 10:19 am 10:19 am
Insurance Co. is like cotton candy! Pay alot for fluf.They can abandon anyone after yrs of paying in, they can choose to pay or change their minds & not payout. I’ve become handicaped because my insurance company I pay into won’t pay to help me get fixed. They say I can’t be in business without insurance. I feel insurance company’s should be paying for everyones health care for every 1 person that pays in another poor person should be added on & watch health care costs go down!!Since ins co create the rate Doctors charge!
Posted by: Frank B Gabry | November 29, 2009, 10:34 am 10:34 am