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[quote=”philharmonic”]Has anyone read the bill? including Obama and Congress. How about any Senators? Anyone??? I’m one of those Crazies, who wants to know exactly what’s in the bill before it is Law. That would be nice. HOPE and CHANGE and TRANSPARENCY, so nice to have such an Honest Government. Working out real good. Main stream Press are also doing a bang up job, keeping us informed of all the sweet little things that are going on.[/quote]
Well, phil, you’ve had ample opportunity to read the draft legislation online by now. So tell us, please, just which provisions (citing chapter and verse) have your underwear in such a twist? No rants, no generalities . . . just your specific complaints.
[quote=”philharmonic”]Again, It would be nice to have read the bill before it was signed and it would be nice to know what’s really in it before writing an OP-Ed piece on it and even predicting the future on it. Anytime someone hides the true nature of anything it is a pretty good indication that something is amiss and I have a problem with that. So far I haven’t seen anything that would lead me in any other direction than subterfuge and deceit from our elected officals and the press.[/quote]
And you know (know, not guess) that Paul Krugman has not, in fact, read the pending legislation . . . how? Tell us your secret.
By the way, you do understand, do you not, that no legislation has been sent to President Obama for his signature because Congress has not even begun the process of reconciling the House and Senate bills. Once the two are reconciled, you can rest assured that the final draft will be published online and you, phil, will have ample opportunity to review it in its entirety.
Before it is passed and sent to Obama for signature? or after everything is already a done deal? Yes I do understand, you have not read the bill or even a draft. Again, anytime something has to be done right now and in the dead of night so no one has a chance to see (see Stimulus Package), then it is a good indication that something is amiss. Don’t like the fact that the Gov. wants to take over anything. Banks, Car Company’s, Businesses, etc. etc.
David Wrote….
“Well, phil, you’ve had ample opportunity to read the draft legislation online by now. So tell us, please, just which provisions (citing chapter and verse) have your underwear in such a twist? No rants, no generalities . . . just your specific complaints.”
How about directing us to the section that SPECIFICALLY explains how it’s going to be funded? With a cost of between $850,000,000,000 and $1,000,000,000,000 over the next ten years that would seem like the FIRST thing reasonable and intelligent people would be concerned with! The two different proposals from the Senate and House must now be reconciled by the House Ways and Means Committee. If the title of the body is true to it’s word they should be addressing those issues! These are BIG numbers… which are a PRELIMINARY estimate, which we all know will go higher… how about a REAL answer on the cost and impact to Federal and State budgets and taxes…. I don’t think the surcharge on tanning sessions is going to cover it! LOL
Remember it’s the best and brightest that got America into the mess we’re in right now… Nobel prize winners… the best offerings that Princeton, Harvard, and Yale could crank out… this mess wasn’t created by high school drop outs and working folks that KNOW the value of things… this mess was created by the same folks looking to engineer society a bit more.
Just because a cab driver knows your desired destination doesn’t mean he knows how to get you there… or that he’ll deliver you safely… and most importantly… you should know the cost of the ride before you get in!
Cost, cost, cost, cost, cost, cost, cost, Government intrusion into our lives. Real time access to individual and business bank accounts (with the ability to withdraw funds they feel they want). Having to buy insurance or get Fined (tax as they want to put it, without due process) and or imprisonment for not purchasing health insurance. Government intrusion to our lives, Government intrusion into our lives, Government intrusion into our lives. Cost, cost, cost, cost, cost, cost, cost, cost. Higher Taxes for Tanning Bed Facilities Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha ha Ha Ha ha what a joke, and What happens when people actually decide to use the Sun to tan? Where is the money gonna come from then? Oh Yes, TAX THE SUN!!! What are we gonna do with paisty white folks that can’t afford to tan at salons? Paint them?? Good Idea. TAXMAN COMETH!!
how much coffee did you drink before you wrote that?
i don’t disagree with you, they will tax us from the womb to the tomb. as for mandatory health insurance, even in CR you will not be able to renew your residency without proving you have joined the CAJA.
Maravilla brings up an interesting point… How will Uncle Sam be dealing with folks that are enrolled in CAJA as residents of CR (or folks in any other country) but are still U.S. citizens? Seems there might be a little problem there for those in that situation. Is Uncle Sam going to let you off the hook or will you be paying for two plans! And even if you are “let off the hook” as to required coverage (which I don’t see happening)… you’ll still be forced to pay the increase in taxes to fund this plan. Might he require you obtain citizenship rather than just permanent residency to be exempt?
While medical care is excellent in CR… I’m sure the majority of folks when confronted with a serious (life or death) illness will be running back to the states for treatment. I know of two situations… one with Cancer the other with a neurological condition. So for those that are in this situation… what’s your feeling on this?
As for something that Waggoner mentioned earlier… just because we may have “escaped” to CR doesn’t mean what happens back in the states does effect us. We all have family, friends, investments, and other ties to the states that make what’s happening there very important to us! For folks that are able to maintain homes in both… the tax issues and cost will be a nightmare! And remember… no matter where you manage to hide on this plant… Uncle Sam still feels he has the right to keep his hands in your pockets… so don’t think for a moment that what’s going on right now will not effect your slice of paradise or your continued enjoyment of Pura Vida!
Something of interest that I received regarding Medicare coverage for expats from Angela Neal at AARP. Please write your comgressman/woman and senators if you are a US Citizen:
Medicare Coverage for Expatriates
By Keith Lind
AARP Public Policy Institute
April 2006By law, Medicare generally does not pay for the health care services delivered to Medicare beneficiaries in a foreign country. For eligible beneficiaries, Medicare will pay for covered services furnished in the United States, including the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, and within the territorial waters of the U.S. In addition, Medicare will pay for services rendered aboard a ship within six hours of arrival or departure from a U.S. port.
Exceptions to the geographical limits on Medicare coverage are made when a Canadian or Mexican hospital is the closest appropriate facility for (1) emergencies arising in the U.S. or while the beneficiary is traveling between Alaska and the lower 48 states and (2) non-emergencies for U.S. residents.
American expatriates complain that Medicare’s geographic coverage limitations discriminate against them despite eligibility for Medicare by virtue of their contributions to Social Security. Formerly, lack of Medicare portability fell particularly harshly on retired military personnel and their families who lived abroad, because their CHAMPUS/TRICARE benefits ended at age 65. However, since 2001, CHAMPUS for those over age 65, known as TRICARE-for-Life, offers comprehensive fee-for-service benefits at no additional premium for those age 65 and older who are Medicare eligible and enrolled in Part B, regardless of their country of residence.
The number of Medicare eligible Americans living abroad is not known precisely because neither Medicare nor the Census Bureau collects this information; however, independent estimates hover around four million or about 10 percent of the beneficiary population. To some extent, the lack of Medicare portability serves as a disincentive to retiring abroad. In addition, Medicare beneficiaries who want to preserve the option of returning to the U.S. to obtain Medicare-covered services must continue to pay their Part B and Part D premiums or face lifetime premium penalties if they drop out and reenroll later.
Policymakers have resisted extending Medicare portability to beneficiaries living in foreign countries, ostensibly, for two reasons: (1) potential increased costs and (2) administrative difficulties, such as determining appropriate reimbursement rates and ensuring compliance with Medicare conditions of participation.
Advocates for Medicare portability, such as American Citizens Abroad and the Association of Americans Resident Overseas, have criticized this Medicare policy as unfair and discriminatory. Analysts have observed that, while Medicare expenditures might increase as a result of spending for expatriates who are currently paying their health care costs out-of-pocket, the Medicare program would save money to the extent that expatriates could obtain comparable medical services at lower cost in foreign countries, rather than returning to the U.S. for care. This potentially cost saving substitution of foreign services could be obtained for both acute and long-term care services. Advocates point out that allowing Medicare portability would also tend to relieve labor pressures created by shortages of U.S. health care workers.
Additionally, advocates note that administrative obstacles to reimbursement for foreign medical services have been surmounted by the TRICARE program which could serve as a model for Medicare portability. Proponents have also offered a variety of alternatives for expanding Medicare portability, most likely in the form of demonstrations, including the following , :
• Use Part B premiums paid by Medicare eligible expatriates to pay for health care coverage of expatriates in foreign countries, either from the foreign government’s health care program or from private health insurance carriers.
• Allow Medicare eligible expatriates to have Medical Savings Accounts (MSAs) by removing current law requirements which permit only U.S. residents to receive Medicare contributions to MSAs.
• Encourage development of better private health insurance products for Medicare eligible expatriates living in foreign countries where private health insurance and Medigap coverage are either limited or unavailable.
Occasionally, federal legislation has been introduced to expand Medicare portability for expatriates. Currently, a bill is pending in the House (International U.S. Seniors Act, HR 3901) that, if enacted, would provide a special enrollment period in Part B and would waive the late enrollment penalty for expatriate Medicare beneficiaries. This bill also includes an expression of Congressional support for an international convention that would allow foreign governments with reciprocal arrangements to reimburse for the health care costs of their respective expatriates.
AARP does not have policy on whether Medicare coverage should be expanded to include eligible expatriates and has not taken a formal position on proposed legislation that would have this effect.
In the absence of Medicare coverage for services received abroad, most expatriate Medicare beneficiaries need to secure health insurance from another source. Some private insurance companies provide health coverage for people residing abroad but with stipulations, such as requiring the individual to maintain U.S. residency for part of the year or limiting coverage to a certain length of time. Among companies that currently provide expatriate health insurance plans are MediCare International, Lloyd’s of London, and HealthCare International. The cost of a policy that includes hospital inpatient and outpatient physician services is around $8,000 per year in 2006 for an individual age 65-69; similar coverage would cost over $16,000 for someone over age 80. Policies that include coverage for services furnished in the U.S. are more expensive than policies that do not. When checking on whether the coverage offered abroad includes services such as routine care, emergency care, and hospitalization, beneficiaries should consider whether coverage for medical evacuation services is included.
Expatriates may also find it useful to check with organized groups in the American community of their new country of residence to learn about how citizens pay their medical bills and whether the same coverage is available to resident foreigners. In countries where many American expatriates reside, such as Mexico, local private international health insurance companies are more likely to offer coverage to U.S. citizen residents.
Great posting! Thanks for the information… one line did catch my attention… and might be the answer to the question I posed….
“In addition, Medicare beneficiaries who want to preserve the option of returning to the U.S. to obtain Medicare-covered services must continue to pay their Part B and Part D premiums or face lifetime premium penalties if they drop out and reenroll later.”
If the new universal health care bill follows the same logic there’s going to be quite a few unhappy folks now being pushed into CAJA and forced to pay for US universal coverage as well that they can’t, or don’t use. The new proposed plan REQUIRES (with a rather large hammer) that you to be enrolled in some type of medical plan as a US citizen… unlike Medicare which only places penalties should you fail to enroll and attempt to do so later. I’m not so sure Uncle Sam will allow a reciprocal arrangement for care in CR or any other country for that matter. And even if you are enrolled in CAJA… what about those that are forced to head home to the US for specialized care?
It brings up an interesting issue for those that believe they have escaped America… the article is a bit dated (2006)… and things have changed quite a bit on the health care front… and while it brings up some ways of dealing with Medicare eligible ex-pats one would have to wonder how the new proposals will impact not only Medicare recipients but younger escapees that will now be required to enroll in the US universal plan!
Feelings?
i just un-enrolled in medicare part B, because i now have CAJA, and never used part B anyway except maybe 5 times in ten years and that was for very minor issues. if anyone in gringolandia had a working brain, they would establish some kind of reciprocity agreement with a country such as CR, or any country where there is a high percentage of US expats, and allow us to get medical treatment in those countries at a fraction of what medicare would have to pay out if we were in the US. after reading that article, i suddenly wondered if un-enrolling was such a good idea, but wouldn’t being enrolled in Part A still meet the coverage requirement under the new “law”?
Very good information… as stated earlier, the Feds will stop at nothing to get your money. They have intimidated foriegn Banks (Chicago Politics) to give up info on offshore accounts, taxed and penalaized everyone involved that they have found. Health Care Bill will be no different. If your an American citizen you will be either fined (taxed they call it to get around that pesky Constitution) and or jailed if you do not have Health Insurance no matter where you live.
This Bill is far reaching. over 2000 pages of Government Control. When it is finished, America will be.I know you don’t believe me, but the plan is this: The new name says it all:
” The United Socialist States of All the America’s”
NAW:
“The United Socialist States of ALL the Americas”???
Which America? North, Central or South America?? or all of them??
Socialism?? in the USA??
Just look at Social Security, it is for everyone and mandatory if you work, then why is Universal Health coverage not as good an idea??
Just my opinion
and a humble one
Warren
Social Security is Broke or going broke, They won’t say (Ponzi Scheme). It says All the Americas, Cuba included. That’s only part of the plan, The rest is a good movie plot.:lol::lol::lol:
Cuba belongs in the Caribbean not the Americas’ and SS has IOU’s from the US Treasury.
Are the pension plans’ also broke for Federal workers??, IRS, State Dept, Dept. of Defense, etc. then what about being REALLY broke; IE. the State of California, Florida, Michigan and many others.
And who?? is the real USA. Congress the Senate or the President of the USA.
answer: NONE of the above but “We the people”.
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to
ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.You better start thinking about my USA instead of yours since it does not belong to you.
Maybe you will remember this one;
“Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate — we can not consecrate — we can not hallow — this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
Or this one by Sir. Winston Churchill
“We shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and the oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.”
Men make their destiny and not the other way around.
Think about you can do for the future of your children and grandchildren since you lay the future foundation for them TODAY.
Warren
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