“Healthcare Nationalized and “Tort Reform”
As I said in my previous post, I received a comment on my post dealing with a statement by Congressman Phil Hare. By the way, I sent an edited copy of that post to the Peoria Journal Star as a letter to the editor. As of Monday, it has not been published which certainly is not surprising.
Phil Hare [D] (Illinois—17th District)
428 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
http://www.hare.house.gov/ (Website)
Congressional Aide
Anyway, the comment was as follows:
“Anonymous said …
Great Blog, you should run for office
1:29 PM”
First and foremost, thank you! I always appreciate positive feedback. And I didn’t even have to pay you for the comment!
As far as “you should run for office” is concerned:
I thought so too at one time. And every time an election comes around the political juices start flowing and the same idea, at some point, tends to pop into my head again. Who knows (outside of GOD), some day it might happen. To do so though, it takes time, money, and organization. At this time, it would be too late for this election cycle.
I think I’ve had some impact working behind the scenes though and, in fact, am just getting involved in an attempt to prevent video poker (another really horrendous “idea” from our State government to raise money) within Morton and hopefully throughout Tazewell County. Therefore, that effort, writing the blog to help, in some very small way, prevent the eventual collapse of the nation, and working to get candidates elected in 2010 that understand the issues and support the “correct” policies will keep me occupied for awhile. (I also was hoping to begin writing the second book in The Black Sword series this autumn too!) [Even if it won’t be published until I move from Illinois.]
Realistically, there is also another problem. My premise, in much of what I write, is that it is the fault of the people that the nation is as it is. The nation seems bent upon abandoning the moral principles given by GOD upon which the nation was founded. Thus, we have people claiming the “right” to MURDER our unborn; the “right” to indulge in immoral, perverted homosexual behaviors; the “right” to be sexually promiscuous; the nonsense that GOD must be removed from the public arena; and a whole host of other self-indulgent behaviors that denies any responsibility for one’s own actions. That’s why most of my posts end with GOD’S declaration and promise that we reap what we sow. We have been sowing evil and we are now beginning to reap the results of those evils—and, in many cases, many people including our politicians don’t even recognize it. Mistakenly, they look to the government as our “savior.” It just won’t happen!
People tend not to like being told that they are the cause of the problems that have inflicted the nation. I believe it is not too late. However, instead of changing the system as Barack Hussein Obama wants to do, we the people need to repent and return to GOD’S principles. I’m afraid though that even the church has not yet bought into this needed change—many seem to be too content with their own lives and not willing to sacrifice their comforts for the redemption of the people. As I said, I don’t think it is too late but I think time is running out. (Time, of course, is a concept that GOD gave man so I don’t know how long that time is. It could be short or long in our understanding of time.)
We need a major ATTITUDE adjustment which won’t happen without returning to GOD as the foundation of all things. “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness….” Matthew 6: 33a (NIV) “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” Proverbs 14: 34 (NIV) I’m not sure if even a majority of the people accept the concept of sin anymore. Until we do and that acceptance leads to repentance, we will be treating symptoms rather than the sickness. It doesn’t take a majority, but it does take an active, involved, praying, working, passionate, “going,” bold minority with each doing their part.
Enough of the sermon for tonight. Thanks again for the comment. We all need that type of encouragement occasionally!
Normally, I prefer dealing with only one topic each blog. However, I want to wrap up healthcare this week (I’ll probably return to it again) so that I can discuss gambling/video poker next week. Therefore, I’m continuing my healthcare comments at this time.
On my Thursday post, I said that the Republicans do have alternatives to the Democratic proposals. I’ve been using H.R. 3200 as the Democratic plan for healthcare although it is not the only bill being considered. On my Friday post, I said “Medical malpractice costs: There is little doubt that lawsuits brought against the medical profession increase the costs of healthcare. Malpractice insurance costs thousands of dollars a year even if a practitioner has never been sued. Also, it is claimed that every doctor has practiced defensive medicine ordering more and more tests to protect himself against a possible malpractice suit. The practice of ‘better safe than sorry’ has been taken to extreme lengths to try to avoid a multimillion dollar or even billion plus dollar verdict.” (Don’t you just love the statement on a TV dinner calmly declaring: “Use caution as product and packaging will be hot.” As if people who can read won’t know that a product in an oven for 30 minutes or so at 350° won’t be hot. But such is the state of our society if it isn’t spelled out! Can you say “lawsuit?”) This was written in relation to the rising costs of healthcare. For the reader’s information, medical malpractice reform is sometimes referred to as “Tort Reform” in the news media as well as elsewhere.
Looking at the Democrats’ H.R. 3200 bill, I could not find any information in all 1017 pages that makes any reference to Tort Reform—nothing. But then, attorneys, who greatly benefit from the present system, tend to be major contributors and supporters of the Democratic Party so why would tort reform be considered an important issue? In fact, looking at the seven sponsors of H.R. 3200, six of the seven are attorneys and not one medical professional is a sponsor of the bill.
Healthcare Nationalized by H.R. 3200 and the bill’s sponsors:
1) Mr. DINGELL
John Dingell [D] (Michigan—15th District)
2328 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
www.house.gov/dingell (Website)
Attorney
2) Mr. RANGEL
Charles Rangel [D] (New York—15th District)
2354 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
http://www.rangel.house.gov/ (Website)
Attorney
3) Mr. WAXMAN
Henry Waxman [D] (California—30th District)
2204 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
www.house.gov/waxman (Website)
Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee
Attorney
4) Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California
George Miller [D] (California—7th District)
2205 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
http://www.georgemiller.house.gov/ (Website)
Attorney
5) Mr. STARK
Fortney “Pete” Stark [D] (California—13th District)
239 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
www.house.gov/stark (Website)
Banker
6) Mr. PALLONE
Frank Pallone [D] (New Jersey—6th District)
237 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
www.house.gov/pallone (Website)
Attorney
7) Mr. ANDREWS
Robert Andrews [D] (New Jersey—1st District)
2265 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
www.house.gov/andrews (Website)
Attorney, Professor
In contrast, the Republican bill—H.R. 3400 cited as “Empowering Patients First Act” and sponsored by Mr. Price of Georgia—contains the following beginning at page 175 (of 268 pages) of the proposed Act:
Tom Price [R] (Georgia—6th District)
424 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
http://www.tom.house.gov/ (Website)
MD
TITLE V—MEDICAL LIABILITY AND UNCOMPENSATED CARE REFORMS
Sec. 501. Short title.
*Sec. 502. Findings and purpose.
*Sec. 503. Encouraging speedy resolution of claims.
*Sec. 504. Compensating patient injury.
*Sec. 505. Maximizing patient recovery.
*Sec. 506. Additional health benefits.
*Sec. 507. Punitive damages.
*Sec. 508. Authorization of payment of future damages to claimants in health care lawsuits.
Sec. 509. Definitions.
Sec. 510. Effect on other laws.
Sec. 511. State flexibility and protection of states’ rights
Sec. 512. Applicability; effective date.
Sec. 513. Sense of Congress.
*Sec. 514. State grants to create administrative health care tribunals. (Instead of lawsuits—my addition)
*Sec. 515. Affirmative defense based on compliance with best practice guidelines.
*Sec. 516. Bad debt deduction for doctors to partially offset the cost of providing
uncompensated care required to be provided under amendments made by the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act.
(Each *—my addition) I guarantee that trial attorneys would NOT like to have Title V enacted into law! It would cost them a ton of money! This would, indeed, be real reform and NOT the nationalization of healthcare which is the complete purpose of the Democratic bill.
Who would you rather write healthcare reform—a bunch of lawyers or medical practitioners? There are two Republicans in the Senate who are MD’s. Also, the following lists the members of the House of Representatives Republican Doctors Caucus.
Arkansas
John Boozman [R] (Arkansas—3rd District)
1519 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
http://www.boozman.house.gov/ (Website)
OD (Optometrist)
John Boozman, O.D.
Georgia
Paul Broun [R] (Georgia—10th District)
325 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
http://www.broun.house.gov/ (Website)
MD
Paul Broun, M.D.
Phil Gingrey [R] (Georgia—11th District)
119 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
http://www.gingrey.house.gov/ (Website)
MD
Phil Gingrey, M.D.
John Linder [R] (Georgia—7th District)
1026 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
http://www.linder.house.gov/ (Website)
DDS (Dentist)
John Linder, D.D.S.
Tom Price [R] (Georgia—6th District)
424 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
http://www.tom.house.gov/ (Website)
MD
Tom Price, M.D.
Idaho
Mike Simpson [R] (Idaho—2nd District)
2312 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
www.house.gov/simpson (Website)
DDS (Dentist)
Mike Simpson, D.D.S
Louisiana
Charles Boustany [R] (Louisiana—7th District)
1117 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
http://www.boustany.house.gov/ (Website)
MD
Charles Boustany, Jr. M.D.
Bill Cassidy [R] (Louisiana—6th District)
506 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
http://www.cassidy.house.gov/ (Website)
MD
Bill Cassidy, M.D.
John Fleming [R] (Louisiana—4th District)
1023 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
http://www.fleming.house.gov/ (Website)
MD
John Fleming, M.D.
Pennsylvania
Tim Murphy [R] (Pennsylvania—18th District)
322 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
http://www.murphy.house.gov/ (Website)
PhD (Psychologist)
Tim Murphy, PhD
Tennessee
Phil Roe [R] (Tennessee—1st District)
419 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
http://www.roe.house.gov/ (Website)
MD
Phil Roe, M.D.
Texas
Michael Burgess [R] (Texas—26th District)
229 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
http://www.burgess.house.gov/ (Website)
MD
Michael Burgess, M.D.
Ron Paul [R] (Texas—14th District)
203 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
www.house.gov/paul (Website)
MD
Ron Paul, M.D.
If the Democratic proposals are passed into law, we will eventually have healthcare nationalized. If the Republican proposals are passed into law, there is a real chance of actual reform WITHOUT nationalization. Which would you support? Do the Democrats actually want to “compromise” or do they want to NATIONALIZE? They won’t even recognize or admit that there are Republican alternatives. Just ask Representative Phil Hare of the 17th District of Illinois!
As I said in my previous post, I received a comment on my post dealing with a statement by Congressman Phil Hare. By the way, I sent an edited copy of that post to the Peoria Journal Star as a letter to the editor. As of Monday, it has not been published which certainly is not surprising.
Phil Hare [D] (Illinois—17th District)
428 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
http://www.hare.house.gov/ (Website)
Congressional Aide
Anyway, the comment was as follows:
“Anonymous said …
Great Blog, you should run for office
1:29 PM”
First and foremost, thank you! I always appreciate positive feedback. And I didn’t even have to pay you for the comment!
As far as “you should run for office” is concerned:
I thought so too at one time. And every time an election comes around the political juices start flowing and the same idea, at some point, tends to pop into my head again. Who knows (outside of GOD), some day it might happen. To do so though, it takes time, money, and organization. At this time, it would be too late for this election cycle.
I think I’ve had some impact working behind the scenes though and, in fact, am just getting involved in an attempt to prevent video poker (another really horrendous “idea” from our State government to raise money) within Morton and hopefully throughout Tazewell County. Therefore, that effort, writing the blog to help, in some very small way, prevent the eventual collapse of the nation, and working to get candidates elected in 2010 that understand the issues and support the “correct” policies will keep me occupied for awhile. (I also was hoping to begin writing the second book in The Black Sword series this autumn too!) [Even if it won’t be published until I move from Illinois.]
Realistically, there is also another problem. My premise, in much of what I write, is that it is the fault of the people that the nation is as it is. The nation seems bent upon abandoning the moral principles given by GOD upon which the nation was founded. Thus, we have people claiming the “right” to MURDER our unborn; the “right” to indulge in immoral, perverted homosexual behaviors; the “right” to be sexually promiscuous; the nonsense that GOD must be removed from the public arena; and a whole host of other self-indulgent behaviors that denies any responsibility for one’s own actions. That’s why most of my posts end with GOD’S declaration and promise that we reap what we sow. We have been sowing evil and we are now beginning to reap the results of those evils—and, in many cases, many people including our politicians don’t even recognize it. Mistakenly, they look to the government as our “savior.” It just won’t happen!
People tend not to like being told that they are the cause of the problems that have inflicted the nation. I believe it is not too late. However, instead of changing the system as Barack Hussein Obama wants to do, we the people need to repent and return to GOD’S principles. I’m afraid though that even the church has not yet bought into this needed change—many seem to be too content with their own lives and not willing to sacrifice their comforts for the redemption of the people. As I said, I don’t think it is too late but I think time is running out. (Time, of course, is a concept that GOD gave man so I don’t know how long that time is. It could be short or long in our understanding of time.)
We need a major ATTITUDE adjustment which won’t happen without returning to GOD as the foundation of all things. “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness….” Matthew 6: 33a (NIV) “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” Proverbs 14: 34 (NIV) I’m not sure if even a majority of the people accept the concept of sin anymore. Until we do and that acceptance leads to repentance, we will be treating symptoms rather than the sickness. It doesn’t take a majority, but it does take an active, involved, praying, working, passionate, “going,” bold minority with each doing their part.
Enough of the sermon for tonight. Thanks again for the comment. We all need that type of encouragement occasionally!
Normally, I prefer dealing with only one topic each blog. However, I want to wrap up healthcare this week (I’ll probably return to it again) so that I can discuss gambling/video poker next week. Therefore, I’m continuing my healthcare comments at this time.
On my Thursday post, I said that the Republicans do have alternatives to the Democratic proposals. I’ve been using H.R. 3200 as the Democratic plan for healthcare although it is not the only bill being considered. On my Friday post, I said “Medical malpractice costs: There is little doubt that lawsuits brought against the medical profession increase the costs of healthcare. Malpractice insurance costs thousands of dollars a year even if a practitioner has never been sued. Also, it is claimed that every doctor has practiced defensive medicine ordering more and more tests to protect himself against a possible malpractice suit. The practice of ‘better safe than sorry’ has been taken to extreme lengths to try to avoid a multimillion dollar or even billion plus dollar verdict.” (Don’t you just love the statement on a TV dinner calmly declaring: “Use caution as product and packaging will be hot.” As if people who can read won’t know that a product in an oven for 30 minutes or so at 350° won’t be hot. But such is the state of our society if it isn’t spelled out! Can you say “lawsuit?”) This was written in relation to the rising costs of healthcare. For the reader’s information, medical malpractice reform is sometimes referred to as “Tort Reform” in the news media as well as elsewhere.
Looking at the Democrats’ H.R. 3200 bill, I could not find any information in all 1017 pages that makes any reference to Tort Reform—nothing. But then, attorneys, who greatly benefit from the present system, tend to be major contributors and supporters of the Democratic Party so why would tort reform be considered an important issue? In fact, looking at the seven sponsors of H.R. 3200, six of the seven are attorneys and not one medical professional is a sponsor of the bill.
Healthcare Nationalized by H.R. 3200 and the bill’s sponsors:
1) Mr. DINGELL
John Dingell [D] (Michigan—15th District)
2328 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
www.house.gov/dingell (Website)
Attorney
2) Mr. RANGEL
Charles Rangel [D] (New York—15th District)
2354 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
http://www.rangel.house.gov/ (Website)
Attorney
3) Mr. WAXMAN
Henry Waxman [D] (California—30th District)
2204 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
www.house.gov/waxman (Website)
Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee
Attorney
4) Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California
George Miller [D] (California—7th District)
2205 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
http://www.georgemiller.house.gov/ (Website)
Attorney
5) Mr. STARK
Fortney “Pete” Stark [D] (California—13th District)
239 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
www.house.gov/stark (Website)
Banker
6) Mr. PALLONE
Frank Pallone [D] (New Jersey—6th District)
237 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
www.house.gov/pallone (Website)
Attorney
7) Mr. ANDREWS
Robert Andrews [D] (New Jersey—1st District)
2265 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
www.house.gov/andrews (Website)
Attorney, Professor
In contrast, the Republican bill—H.R. 3400 cited as “Empowering Patients First Act” and sponsored by Mr. Price of Georgia—contains the following beginning at page 175 (of 268 pages) of the proposed Act:
Tom Price [R] (Georgia—6th District)
424 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
http://www.tom.house.gov/ (Website)
MD
TITLE V—MEDICAL LIABILITY AND UNCOMPENSATED CARE REFORMS
Sec. 501. Short title.
*Sec. 502. Findings and purpose.
*Sec. 503. Encouraging speedy resolution of claims.
*Sec. 504. Compensating patient injury.
*Sec. 505. Maximizing patient recovery.
*Sec. 506. Additional health benefits.
*Sec. 507. Punitive damages.
*Sec. 508. Authorization of payment of future damages to claimants in health care lawsuits.
Sec. 509. Definitions.
Sec. 510. Effect on other laws.
Sec. 511. State flexibility and protection of states’ rights
Sec. 512. Applicability; effective date.
Sec. 513. Sense of Congress.
*Sec. 514. State grants to create administrative health care tribunals. (Instead of lawsuits—my addition)
*Sec. 515. Affirmative defense based on compliance with best practice guidelines.
*Sec. 516. Bad debt deduction for doctors to partially offset the cost of providing
uncompensated care required to be provided under amendments made by the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act.
(Each *—my addition) I guarantee that trial attorneys would NOT like to have Title V enacted into law! It would cost them a ton of money! This would, indeed, be real reform and NOT the nationalization of healthcare which is the complete purpose of the Democratic bill.
Who would you rather write healthcare reform—a bunch of lawyers or medical practitioners? There are two Republicans in the Senate who are MD’s. Also, the following lists the members of the House of Representatives Republican Doctors Caucus.
Arkansas
John Boozman [R] (Arkansas—3rd District)
1519 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
http://www.boozman.house.gov/ (Website)
OD (Optometrist)
John Boozman, O.D.
Georgia
Paul Broun [R] (Georgia—10th District)
325 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
http://www.broun.house.gov/ (Website)
MD
Paul Broun, M.D.
Phil Gingrey [R] (Georgia—11th District)
119 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
http://www.gingrey.house.gov/ (Website)
MD
Phil Gingrey, M.D.
John Linder [R] (Georgia—7th District)
1026 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
http://www.linder.house.gov/ (Website)
DDS (Dentist)
John Linder, D.D.S.
Tom Price [R] (Georgia—6th District)
424 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
http://www.tom.house.gov/ (Website)
MD
Tom Price, M.D.
Idaho
Mike Simpson [R] (Idaho—2nd District)
2312 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
www.house.gov/simpson (Website)
DDS (Dentist)
Mike Simpson, D.D.S
Louisiana
Charles Boustany [R] (Louisiana—7th District)
1117 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
http://www.boustany.house.gov/ (Website)
MD
Charles Boustany, Jr. M.D.
Bill Cassidy [R] (Louisiana—6th District)
506 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
http://www.cassidy.house.gov/ (Website)
MD
Bill Cassidy, M.D.
John Fleming [R] (Louisiana—4th District)
1023 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
http://www.fleming.house.gov/ (Website)
MD
John Fleming, M.D.
Pennsylvania
Tim Murphy [R] (Pennsylvania—18th District)
322 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
http://www.murphy.house.gov/ (Website)
PhD (Psychologist)
Tim Murphy, PhD
Tennessee
Phil Roe [R] (Tennessee—1st District)
419 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
http://www.roe.house.gov/ (Website)
MD
Phil Roe, M.D.
Texas
Michael Burgess [R] (Texas—26th District)
229 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
http://www.burgess.house.gov/ (Website)
MD
Michael Burgess, M.D.
Ron Paul [R] (Texas—14th District)
203 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
www.house.gov/paul (Website)
MD
Ron Paul, M.D.
If the Democratic proposals are passed into law, we will eventually have healthcare nationalized. If the Republican proposals are passed into law, there is a real chance of actual reform WITHOUT nationalization. Which would you support? Do the Democrats actually want to “compromise” or do they want to NATIONALIZE? They won’t even recognize or admit that there are Republican alternatives. Just ask Representative Phil Hare of the 17th District of Illinois!
posted by Christian Gunslinger at 4:55 AM
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