Obesity Rating for Every American Must Be Included in Stimulus-Mandated Electronic Health Records, Says HHS

By Matt Cover, CNSNews.com, 7/15/10
(CNSNews.com) New federal regulations issued this week stipulate that the electronic health records--that all Americans are supposed to have by 2014 under the terms of the stimulus law that President Barack Obama signed last year--must record not only the traditional measures of height and weight, but also the Body Mass Index: a measure of obesity.

The obesity-rating regulation states that every American's electronic health record must: Calculate body mass index. Automatically calculate and display body mass index (BMI) based on a patients height and weight.

The law also requires that these electronic health records be available--with appropriate security measures--on a national exchange.

The new regulations are one of the first steps towards the governments goal of universal adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) by 2014, as outlined in the 2009 economic stimulus law. Specifically, the regulations issued on Tuesday by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Dr. David Blumenthal, the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, define the "meaningful use" of electronic records. Under the stimulus law, health care providers--including doctors and hospitals--must establish "meaningful use" of EHRs by 2014 in order to qualify for federal subsidies. After that, they will be subjected to penalties in the form of diminished Medicare and Medicaid payments for not establishing "meaningful use" of EHRs.

Section 3001 of the stimulus law says: "The National Coordinator shall, in consultation with other appropriate Federal agencies (including the National Institute of Standards and Technology), update the Federal Health IT Strategic Plan (developed as of June 3, 2008) to include specific objectives, milestones, and metrics with respect to the following: (i) The electronic exchange and use of health information and the enterprise integration of such information.(ii) The utilization of an electronic health record for each person in the United States by 2014."
http://capoliticalnews.com/blog_post/show/5698

Wounded Warriors Face New Tax This Independence Day
From John Kartch and Ryan Ellis on Friday, July 2, 2010 12:51 PM

[Printable PDF Version]

As the nation prepares to celebrate Independence Day with parades and barbecues, America’s veterans face a new tax on prosthetic limbs and other vital medical devices.

The health care overhaul passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama earlier this year contains a new tax on medical devices such as prosthetic limbs, pacemakers, and wheelchairs. This tax, which its proponents claim will raise $20 billion over the next ten years, contains no exemption for the nation’s 22 million veterans. In fact, Senate Democrats specifically refused to exempt veterans from the tax.

On March 24 2010, Senate Democrats rejected an amendment offered by Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) to the healthcare bill. This amendment (SA 3644) would have prevented the medical device tax from hitting veterans covered by the Veterans Healthcare Program or TRICARE for Life. This amendment was rejected by a vote of 44-54. All but five Democrat senators voted in favor of retaining the tax for veterans.

The medical device tax was one of over twenty new or higher taxes in President Barack Obama’s healthcare overhaul. This permanent new tax is being collected now.



Read more: http://www.atr.org/index.php#ixzz0sYXVFJ46

 

CBO ups health care cost projections
Congressional Budget Office estimates released Tuesday predict the health care overhaul will likely cost about $115 billion more in discretionary spending over ten years than the original cost projections.
The additional spending — if approved over the years by Congress — would bring the total estimated cost of the overhaul to over $1 trillion.
Republicans pounced on the news, which they called another sign that the Obama administration makes promises it cannot deliver.
“The American people wanted one thing above all from health care reform: lower costs, which Washington Democrats promised, but they did not deliver,” said House Minority Leader John A Boehner (R-Ohio). “It was clearly irresponsible for Washington Democrats to force this legislation through Congress without being truthful about its full impact on the nation’s finances. Republicans are fighting to repeal this job-killing health care law and replace it with reforms focused first on lowering costs and protecting American jobs.”
But a Democratic leadership aide on Capitol Hill said the Congress will have to stay within the budget.


Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0510/37081.html#ixzz0njbu2url

3/22/2010

HOW THE VOTED...

http://www.opencongress.org/articles/view/1752-How-They-Voted-on-Health-Care-Reform

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3/10/10

TARGETED HOUSE MEMBERS!

Please contact the following members of Congress and tell then "NO" on the government takeover of healthcare. It's time to scrap the "plan" and start over with real reforms! We only have until the 18th to get this done!!

ALABAMA

ARIZONA

ARKANSAS

CALIFORNIA

COLORADO

FLORIDA

GEORGIA

IDAHO

ILLINOIS

INDIANA

KENTUCKY

LOUSIANA

MAINE

MARYLAND

MASSACHUSETTS

MICHIGAN

MINNESOTA

MISSISSIPPI

MISSOURI

NEW JERSEY

NEW MEXICO

NEW YORK

NEVADA

NEW HAMPSHIRE

NORTH CAROLINA

NORTH DAKOTA

OKLAHOMA

OHIO

OREGON

PENNSYLVANIA

RHODE ISLAND

SOUTH DAKOTA

TENNESSEE

TEXAS

UTAH

VIRGINIA

WASHINGTON STATE

WEST VIRGINIA

WISCONSIN

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stephen Frank's California
Political News and Views 
Frank Discussion Not Lecture For Conservatives
www.capoliticalnews.com

Canadian Leader Runs to US for Quality Health Care
February 04, 2010, 01:44 PM
Pesky Reminder:

"I have talked with friends in Canada and I will tell you there is no one in Canada that I have ever talked to that would change their system for ours. They are on the whole extremely happy with it." (Democrat State Senator Loni Hancock, 1/28/10 Senate Floor Session, 1:28:14) Obamacare, SB810 by Leno, all mean the same thing--Canadian heath care, which forces their leaders to come to the United States for serious procedures.

Here is what Senator Aanestad had to say: He wonders why Canadian Premier Danny Williams would choose to undergo heart surgery in the United States, when the universal health care system in Canada is touted as the best in the world? It's further proof that the standard of care in California is the best the world has to offer.

In Canada, private-sector doctors, private hospitals, and private clinics are a growing industry because they offer shorter wait times and greater access to doctors than the countries government-run program. The United States health care already has this feature that would be undercut by the Democrats plan for socialized medicine.

In what also seems to be a growing trend, this week another Canadian government official, Premier Danny Williams, will undergo heart surgery in the United States, not Canada.

We cannot be fooled by Democrats who are attempting to use this flawed argument to push for socialized medicine in California, especially when the costs are so high and the source of funding is merely an illusion. As Governor Schwarzenegger recently noted, Our wallet is empty. Our bank is closed. Our credit is dried up. We cannot afford government-financed, government-run healthcare. The costs are far too high.

If we cannot afford what government already promises, why would we promise even more and risk dismantling a working private sector service most Californians are happy with?

California is quickly moving down the road to failure under the leadership and direction of the Democrats.

This column originally appeared in The Wall Street Journal on January 2, 2010.

President Obama's health-care bill is now moving toward final passage. The policy issues may be coming to an end, but the legal issues are certain to continue because key provisions of this dangerous legislation are unconstitutional. Legally speaking, this legislation creates a target-rich environment. We will focus on three of its more glaring constitutional defects.

First, the Constitution does not give Congress the power to require that Americans purchase health insurance. Congress must be able to point to at least one of its powers listed in the Constitution as the basis of any legislation it passes. None of those powers justifies the individual insurance mandate. Congress's powers to tax and spend do not apply because the mandate neither taxes nor spends. The only other option is Congress's power to regulate interstate commerce.

Congress has many times stretched this power to the breaking point, exceeding even the expanded version of the commerce power established by the Supreme Court since the Great Depression. It is one thing, however, for Congress to regulate economic activity in which individuals choose to engage; it is another to require that individuals engage in such activity. That is not a difference in degree, but instead a difference in kind. It is a line that Congress has never crossed and the courts have never sanctioned.
READ MORE:
http://www.theacru.org/acru/orrin_hatch_ken_blackwell_and_ken_klukowski_why_the_healthcare_bills_are_unconstitutional/

Mandatory purchase of health insurance becomes an issue
ShareThis

Buzz up!By Bobby Caina Calvan
bcalvan@sacbee.com
Published: Monday, Jan. 11, 2010 - 12:00 am | Page 1A
Last Modified: Monday, Jan. 11, 2010 - 8:07 am
Michael Sertic, a college senior studying economics, is young and healthy, and he doesn't want the government forcing him to buy health insurance.

He is among a group of people on both the right and the left ends of the political spectrum who object to proposals in Congress that would compel nearly every American to buy health insurance or face a fine.
http://www.sacbee.com/topstories/story/2452096.html

12.26.09- So now that the government has passed some sort of Bill in each House why do you think they would put their plans to continue on hold until February? hmmm http://hotair.com/archives/2009/12/23/wh-putting-health-care-off-until-february/

Commentary
Health Reform's Hidden Catch
Gary Sutton, 11.16.09, 06:00 AM EST
A dangerous hand out to labor lurks in the health care bill.

http://www.forbes.com/2009/11/14/healthcare-nurses-training-unions-intelligent-technology-sutton.html?partner=email

11.20.09

**ALERT: Wanted to give you all a heads up about how the next few days will play out.
This is straight from Sen. McConnell’s office:
Sen. Reid just filed cloture on the motion to proceed to HR 3590, the Service Members Home Ownership Tax Act. Remember he is using HR 3590 as a “shell” to offer his 2,074 page health bill as a substitute amendment. The cloture vote on the motion to proceed will be Saturday evening at 8:00 pm. Remember Democrats need 60 votes to achieve cloture.

On Friday, the Senate will convene at 10:00 am and debate the merits of Sen. Reid’s 2,074 page bill until 11:00 pm on Friday evening.

On Saturday, the Senate will convene at 10:00 am continuing the debate leading up to the vote at 8:00 pm on cloture on the motion to proceed. Under the agreement, if cloture is invoked (they get 60 votes) all post-cloture time will be yielded back, the motion to proceed to the bill will be agreed to and the bill will be reported. Once the bill is reported Sen. Reid will be recognized to offer up his substitute amendment.


We are going to stop this Bill in the Senate and this is how; we need to keep the pressure on the Senators listed below especially Landrieu, Lincoln and Ben Nelson (NE). These three are very vulnerable, Nelson has stated that he will not vote for the Bill if it has the public option and he wants to see the abortion issue language.
The abortion issue will be a sticking point for the Senate as we have many moderate DEMS who are Pro-Life; they will not vote the bill without some sort of language to the issue.
While you are calling the Senators to vote tell them to VOTE NO to cloture please also call the Congressmen who didn’t vote for the Bill in the House as this is expected to help push them to get their colleagues from their state in the Senate to not vote for cloture.

*** According to an analysis conducted for this office by the non-partisan Congressional Research Service, between the 106th and 110th Congress, there were 41 cases in which the Senate approved the motion to proceed to a bill that the Senate eventually held a vote on final passage. Of those 41, 40 of the bills received Senate approval (S. 1805 in the 108th Congress was the lone exception). Based on these numbers, when the Senate votes to invoke cloture on a motion to proceed to a bill, that bill has a 97.6 percent chance of inevitably passing the Senate.

*This analysis excludes any bill that may have been pulled from the floor for whatever reason after the initial cloture votes or that may have passed by unanimous consent or a voice vote.

We need the Senate to Vote NO on Cloture. I vote YES for this will be a vote for the Bill.
We need 41 NO votes on cloture!
We need to lean hard on the below Senators, they are our best chance of this getting this stopped in the Senate:

Mark Begich-AK- phone. (202) 224-3004, , toll free. (877) 501 – 6275* fax. (202) 224-2354,
email(http://begich.senate.gov/contact/contact.cfm_)

Blanche L. Lincoln –AR-Office: 202-224-4843; Fax: 202-228-1371, email(http://lincoln.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm)

Mark Pryor-AR Phone: (202) 224-2353, Fax: (202) 228-0908
Email(http://pryor.senate.gov/contact/)

Joseph Lieberman- CT-(202) 224-4041 Voice,(202) 224-9750 Fax
Email (http://lieberman.senate.gov/contact/)

Thomas Carper-DE Phone: (202) 224-2441, Fax: (202) 228-2190
Email (http://carper.senate.gov/contact/)

Bill Nelson- FL- Phone: 202-224-5274, Fax: 202-228-2183
Email (http://billnelson.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm)


Even Bayh-IN (202) 224-5623, (202) 228-1377 fax
Email (http://bayh.senate.gov/contact/email/)

Mary Landrieu- LA Voice: (202)224-5824,Fax:(202) 224-9735
Email (http://landrieu.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm)

Susan Collins –( R ) ME-Phone: (202) 224-2523, Fax: (202) 224-2693
Email(http://collins.senate.gov/public/continue.cfm?FuseAction=ContactSenatorCollins.EmailIssue)

Olympia Snowe-( R ) ME – Phone: (202) 224-5344,Toll Free: (800) 432-1599
Fax: (202) 224-1946
Email (http://snowe.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactSenatorSnowe)

John Tester-MT Phone: (202) 224-2644, Fax: (202) 224-8594
Email (http://tester.senate.gov/Contact/index.cfm)

Kent Conrad-ND-Phone: (202) 224-2043, Fax: (202) 224-7776
Email(http://conrad.senate.gov/contact/webform.cfm)

Ben Nelson-NE- Tel: 1-202-224-6551, Fax: 1-202-228-0012
Email (http://bennelson.senate.gov/contact-me.cfm)

Ron Wyden-OR Phone: (202) 224-5244, Fax: (202) 228-2717
Email (http://wyden.senate.gov/contact/)

Robert Byrd-WV- Telephone: (202) 224-3954,Fax: (202) 228-0002
Email (http://byrd.senate.gov/contacts/)

Mark Warner- VA- Phone: 202-224-2023, Fax: 202-224-6295
Email (http://warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Contact)

Bob Bennett- UT-Phone: (202) 224-5444 (no fax)
Email: http://bennett.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=ContactForm

Byron Dorgan- ND Phone (202) 224-2551 , Fax (202) 224-1193
Email: http://dorgan.senate.gov/contact/contact_form.cfm

Max Baucus-MT (202) 224-2651 (Office),(202) 224-9412 (Fax)
Email: http://baucus.senate.gov/contact/emailForm.cfm?subj=issue

11.20.09

First mammograms and now Pap smears will be off the table for women in this new era of health care for all.

http://capoliticalnews.com/blog_post/show/3606

11.02.09

Friends,
I just got off a conference call with Congressman Cantor and Senator Price and they said the following regarding the health care bills; The Senate doesn’t have the votes to bring this to cloture and the House will probably bring their Bill to the Floor first.
As it sits right now Pelosi’s doesn’t’ have the votes, she’s under 200 votes, we can’t let her get to 218.
They didn’t envision this coming to a vote this week but maybe the first part of next week but we must remain vigil in our pressure.

Join those people going to DC at Michelle Bachman’s call to action on Thursday and we will all call, fax and email those Senators and Congress people at the same time, 12: 00 noon Thursday or 9:00 am PST on Thursday Nov.5, 2009, for us in CA.


What you need to know about the Health Care Bill:
On October 29, 2009, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and congressional Democrats released their latest version of a government takeover of America’s health care system. These are the cold hard facts that conservatives need to know about this proposal.

∙ The Democrats’ Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962) is the antithesis of patient-centered reform that empowers Americans to truly own and control their health coverage and provides more choices, more competition, more innovation, higher quality and lower costs.

∙ In deciphering the ins and outs of the new health care system, Americans will have to get familiar with a host of new czars and bureaucrats, including the Health Benefits Advisory Committee (Sec. 223), the Health Choices Administration and the Health Choices Commissioner (Sec. 241).

∙ Americans can say goodbye to personal, private insurance as individual health insurance coverage is grandfathered out of existence (Sec. 202) and more limitations are added to health savings accounts (Sec. 531 & Sec. 533).

∙ Fears of government-run health care are alive and well with experts saying the government health insurance plan (Sec. 321) will force tens of millions out of their existing coverage.

∙ The U.S. Constitution and the principle of limited government are tested as never before by forcing Americans to purchase “acceptable” health care coverage or face a tax of 2.5% of modified adjusted gross income (Sec. 501).

∙ Trial lawyers get off scot-free as Democrats pay lip service to real medical malpractice reform, opting to hand over money for lawyer-friendly “alternatives” (Sec. 2531) instead of limiting attorneys’ fees or capping damages.

∙ Washington goes after employers, by mandating they provide health care coverage or pay a tax equal to 8 percent of wages (Sec. 512), and S Corp filers, by instituting a 5.4 percent surtax on taxpayers (Sec. 551).

∙ More low-income individuals (now up to 150% of the federal poverty level) will be pushed onto the rolls of Medicaid (Sec. 1701) leaving already over-stretched State Governments to pick up the tab.

∙ Future costs will be borne by your children and grandchildren. A preliminary analysis by the Congressional Budget Office estimates that the true cost of the bill is $1.055 trillion.

∙ It permits federal funds to be spent on abortion services (Sec. 222).

∙ Community organizations like ACORN may assist the Health Choices Commissioner in enrolling individuals in the Health Insurance Exchange (Sec. 305).

∙ Members of Congress are not subject to the same health care system Americans will have to live by under the public health insurance option (Sec. 330).

November 1, 2009

Just wanted to let ya'll know, I've added quite a few updates, including several video clips to the blog on Pelosi's Health Care bill today. Check out all the updates here:
http://www.gop.gov/blog/09/10/30/fact-check-and-details-about

Additionally, we wanted to highlight this piece of information specifically, as it pertains to health insurance possibly covering illegal immigrants in the future. See here:

From the CBO score of the latest Pelosi bill: In 2019 there would be "about 18 million nonelderly residents uninsured (nearly one third of whom would be unauthorized immigrants)."

From CBO score of H.R. 3200: In 2019 there would be "about 17 million nonelderly residents uninsured (nearly half of whom would be unauthorized immigrants)."

In other words, the number of projected uninsured who are also undocumented immigrants declined from about 8 million under H.R. 3200 to 6 million under the latest Pelosi bill.

This begs the question --Why?

Blue Dogs to Hammer this week...let's shut this thing down!!

Mark Begich-AK- ph 202-224-3004,

email(http://begich.senate.gov/contact/contact.cfm_)



Blanche L. Lincoln -AR-ph -202-224-4843, email(http://lincoln.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm)



Mark Pryor-AR ph 202-224-2353

Email(http://pryor.senate.gov/contact/)



Joseph Lieberman- CT-202-224-4041

Email (http://lieberman.senate.gov/contact/)



Thomas Carper-DE ph 202-224-2441

Email (http://carper.senate.gov/contact/)



Bill Nelson- FL- ph 202-224-5274

Email (http://billnelson.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm)





Even Bayh-IN 202-224-5623

Email (http://bayh.senate.gov/contact/email/)



Mary Landrieu- LA ph 202-224-5824

Email (http://landrieu.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm)



Susan Collins -( R ) ME-ph 202-224-2523

Email(http://collins.senate.gov/public/continue.cfm?FuseAction=ContactSenatorCollins.EmailIssue)



Olympia Snowe-( R ) ME - ph 202-224-5344

Email (http://snowe.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactSenatorSnowe)



John Tester-MT ph -202-224-2644

Email (http://tester.senate.gov/Contact/index.cfm)



Kent Conrad-ND-202-224-2043

Email(http://conrad.senate.gov/contact/webform.cfm)



Ben Nelson-NE- ph 202-224-6551

Email (http://bennelson.senate.gov/contact-me.cfm)



Ron Wyden-OR 202-224-5244

Email (http://wyden.senate.gov/contact/)



Robert Byrd-WV- 202-224-3954

Email (http://byrd.senate.gov/contacts/)



Mark Warner- VA- 202- 224-2023

Email (http://warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Contact)



Bob Bennett- UT-Phone: (202) 224-5444,

Email: http://bennett.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=ContactForm



Joe Lieberman-CT-(202) 224-4041, Fax(202) 224-9750





More health care news:



Nancy Pelosi said today the House will vote on this Bill next Friday.


HR3200 Healthcare Bill (1990 Pages) Some Light Reading=)

http://www.politico.com/livepulse/1009/House_bill_is_online.html

House version HR3200 and Senate Version S1776 Healthcare Bills (1502) available here

http://thomas.loc.gov/



*Updated HR3200 Healthcare Bill

*Implementatin Outline

*Detailed Summary

*Immediate Investment on Rd. to Reform

*Section By Section Analysis

Found Here: http://fixhealthcarepolicy.com/

Doctors Speak Out Against Government Controlled Medicine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOH1Uk-5o01

Nineteen States Move to Defend Individual Healthcare Choice

http://cnsnews.com/news/article/56144

Constitionality of Healthcare Overhaul Questioned

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/oct/28/constitutionality-of-health-overhaul-questioned/

Fox Business News: Why Union Bosses are pushing for Government Run Healthcare

http://www.nrtw.org/en/blog/why-are-union-bosses-pushing-10162009

Healthcare Reform: Biggest Winners and Losers

http://freedomworks.org/blog/mclemente/health-care-reforms-biggest-winners-and-losers

New Front On ObamaCare: The Young

http://www.dickmorris.com/blog/2009/10/20/new-front-on-obamacare-the-young/

Sarah Bond

Dawn Wildman

http://www.socaltaxrevoltcoalition.org/

From Investors' Business Daily


Health Reform Is Just Subterfuge; Dream Is Democratic
Dictatorship
By JOHN F. GASKI
Posted Tuesday, September 22, 2009 4:20 PM PT

By now the realization should be taking hold that the Democrats' health care plan has been exposed as a hoax. And it was the Democrats themselves who discredited and exposed it, but in a very ironic way. Of course, you won't hear this bombshell news reported by Democrat partisans Katie Couric, Charles Gibson and Brian Williams.

As for the substance, remember the Democrats' original rationale for their national health care takeover scheme? They wanted all uninsured Americans to be covered, right? Remember?

But now they concede that their mega-upheaval of a plan would still leave about 15 million without medical insurance. Yet they still advocate the plan! Why? First, a digression: Don't believe that "47 million uninsured" number. That canard is beyond a hoax. It is a fraud and a lie.

For example, it includes at least 10 million illegal aliens (yes, that is the right term for those who enter our country by violating American law) and an additional five million or so legal foreign residents. Those categories are not "uninsured Americans" because they are not Americans.

The notorious 47 million also includes millions of wealthy people who do not purchase medical insurance — rendering themselves self-insured, not uninsured.

The biggest deceptions of all may be counting a large cohort of the young and vigorous who make the rational cost/benefit decision not to buy medical insurance yet, and several million others who qualify for free insurance and just don't bother to sign up!

Bottom line, subtract out the un-uninsured and other inapplicable categories and the true number of Americans
without health insurance is somewhere around 7 million, maybe 10 million conservatively (compared with 15 million after Democrat "reform"?). Google the issue for about 10 minutes to verify.

Another way the Democrats inadvertently reveal their own national health insurance dishonesty is through infidelity to a second objective — cost control. Remember that one? They are hoping you don't, especially since the Congressional Budget Office has reported that the Obama-Democrat scheme would add $1 trillion to the national health tab over the next decade. Yet the Dems still want their plan. Why?

Why, indeed? It must be something else, therefore. If their own action undermines their stated aims, and still they desperately favor the action, then the Democrats' real purpose must be something different, something they will not reveal. But what? Simple: Have you noticed how the Washington Democrats like to take
control of things, particularly big things in the economy such as the major banks and the auto industry, as well as health care?

(Obama has realized he doesn't have to literally own the banks to control them. He can, instead, achieve control through bank dependence on TARP money and through his own coercion and intimidation. Step out of line, that is, and a bank will be publicly vilified by Barney Frank and other operatives, and maybe even have its executives prosecuted.)

When American business, American jobs and the American people become totally dependent on Obama and the Democrats for money and credit, including student loans for good measure, how much power will that give the Obama Democrats over our country? The portrait coming into focus is one of either totalitarian socialism or an unholy socialist hybrid with fascism. And when you are dependent on the decision of a Democrat bureaucrat for crucial medical treatment, how much power does that give the Democrats over you? (Do you suppose party registration or political contributions might enter the bureaucrats' calculus? Recall how, in the GM reorganization, the Dems axed profitable dealers who were known to be Republican.)

When the Democrats achieve literal death-grip power over the lives of all our people, that is when they also achieve their long-cherished dream of absolute power and a Democrat dictatorship. Dictatorship in a virtual one-party state is the correct forecast because our present rulers can never be voted out of national power after they grant amnesty to the millions of illegal aliens, who would promptly be registered as mostly Democrat voters by Acorn!

Now do you see what the real scheme is? Now does it all make sense? This is not your father's Democrat party. This is also not about health care, ultimately. It's about raw political power and the long-promised socialist takeover of the United States. No public option, they now suggest? Don't believe it. They'll create a public option, soon to become the only option, by stealth — a kind of Fannie-Freddie co-op, because government control, in this case medical dictatorship, is an article of theology for the lib Dems.

We do not have a health care crisis in this country — because everyone already gets health care. It is just that some rely on the emergency room as their private medical services provider, so the system is inefficient and definitely too expensive overall. We do have a health insurance problem, and a health care cost crisis, but not a national health care crisis. And both real problems are readily manageable if the Dems would only allow it.

We need to permit and foster interstate insurance competition, medical savings accounts and tort reform to help reduce costs, and tax credits for health insurance purchase to expand coverage — from about 98% of the
population, in reality, to closer to 100%. Those numbers also help punctuate, and puncture, the true nature of the liberal Democrats' health hoax.

Incidentally, or not, despite the Democrats' fumbling of this whole issue, the Republicans are succumbing to their opponents' red herring, straw man, jiu-jitsu diversionary misdirection on the "death panels" matter. It is not those prospective end-of-life counseling "services" that are the real death panels, although that is a fair term for them. The real Democrat death panels would be the thousands of politically appointed bureaucrats wielding life-and-death power over our citizenry through their decisions concerning whether to bestow or withhold lifesaving treatment.

This is it, America. This isn't really about a health policy issue; it is about the survival, or takeover, of our nation. If the Dems succeed in cramming their bitter medicine, actually poison, down your throat, the country is finished. It is the town hall protestors who seem to sense this most clearly. I hope the preceding diagnosis and prognosis help, too.

Gaski, an associate professor at the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame, has been a registered Democrat for more than 20 years. He is also author of the recently published "Frugal Cool: How to Get Rich — Without Making Very Much Money" (Corby Books, 2009).

Senate Finance Committee HR 3200
The names highlighted in Blue are the ones that are vulnerable, we must hit them harder.
Democrats
Max Baucus (MT)- 202) 224-2651(Office), (202) 224-9412 (Fax)
John D. Rockefeller IV (WV)- (202) 224-6472, (202) 224-7665 (fax)
Kent Conrad (ND)- Phone: (202) 224-2043, Fax: (202) 224-7776
Jeff Bingaman (NM)- (202) 224-5521, No fax
John F. Kerry (MA)- (202) 224-2742, no fax
Blanche L. Lincoln (AR)- Office: 202-224-4843; Fax: 202-228-1371
Roy Wyden (OR)- Phone: (202) 224-5244, Fax: (202) 228-2717
Charles E. Shumer (NY) 202-224-6542, 202-228-3027
Debbie Stabenow (MI)- 202) 224-4822, e-mail: senator@stabenow.senate.gov
Maria Cantwell (WA)- 202-224-3441 , 202-228-0514 – FAX
Bill Nelson- (FL)- Phone: 202-224-5274, Fax: 202-228-2183
Robert Mendendez (NJ)- 202.224.4744, 202.228.2197 fax
Thomas Carper (DE)- Phone: (202) 224-2441, Fax: (202) 228-2190

Republicans
Chuck Grassley (IA)- (202) 224-3744 (O),(202) 224-6020 (F)
Orrin Hatch (UT)- (202) 224-5251 - Fax: (202) 224-6331
Olympia Snowe (ME)-(202) 224-5344, 202) 224-1946 (fax)
Jon Kyl (AZ) -Phone: (202) 224-4521, Fax: (202) 224-2207
Jim Bunning (KY)- Main: 202.224.4343, Fax: 202.228.1373
Mike Crapo (ID)- Phone: (202) 224-6142, Fax: (202) 228-1375
Pat Roberts (KS)- Phone: (202) 224-4774, Fax: (202) 224-3514
John Ensign (NV)- (202) 224-6244, Fax: (202) 228-2193
Mike Enzi (WY)- (202) 224-3424,Fax: (202) 228-0359
John Cronyn- (TX)- Main: 202-224-2934, Fax: 202-228-2856

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Below is a summary of this Bill:

Summary of HR 676 United States National Health Care Act

This Bill aims to give comprehensive health insurance to all US residents, not citizens, residents. There is no qualified explanation of a resident; this has yet to be determined by the government. Each resident would be given a card for insurance purposes based on filling out a 2 page application.

Coverage under this Bill would be allowed for visitors to the Untied States who seek premeditated non-emergency surgical procedures.

All “medically necessary” services will be providing under this Bill:
Dental, vision, long term care, mental health and prescriptions included too. There is no qualification yet for what the government considers "medically necessary".

The USNHC program will have no payments expected for any of this care. Residents would not pay for anything, no co-payments or any bills.  (TAX HIKES)

No Institution may be a participating provider unless it is a public or not for profit institution. No investor owned facilities will be allowed.

Funding for the USNHC program will be authorized by the Treasury.

It will be unlawful for a private health insurer to sell health insurance coverage.

Congress will appropriate amounts for the annual budget for the USNHC program and the Director of Health and Human Services will allot the funds.

Each provider will get a monthly lump sum to cover all operating expenses under a “global budget”. A global budget will be set by providers, State Director and regional director subject to the approval of the Director. Budget will be negotiated annually.

Migrants Health Centers will be set up.

Funding for the USNHC program will come from:

- Existing sources of Federal government revenues for health care (TAXES)
- Increasing the personal income taxes of the top 5 percent of income earners, (TAXES)
- A modest and progressive excise tax on payroll and self- employment income (TAXES)
- Tax on stock and bond transactions (TAXES)

More bureaucracy will be built to implement and service this program.

If you lose your job due to the implementation of this program you will be given 2 years of salary benefits and retraining and be eligible for Federal and state unemployment .

The VA health benefits and services will disappear after 10 years and be absorbed by the USNHC program. The Indian Health programs will be absorbed in 5 years.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Democrats to Push Through Health care Bill without 60 votes

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/aug/24/1n24health232325-simple-majority-planned-health-bi/?uniontrib

This is a letter written to MoveOn.org members:

Dear MoveOn member,

It's getting ugly out there.

All across the country, right-wing extremists are disrupting
congressional town-hall meetings with venomous attacks on President

Obama's plans for health care and clean energy.
* Last night in Tampa, Florida, a town hall meeting erupted into
violence, with the police being called to break up fist fights and
shoving matches.1 * A Texas Democrat was shouted down by right-wing hecklers, many of whom admitted they didn't even live in his district.2 * One North Carolina representative announced he wouldn't be holding any town-hall meetings after his office began receiving death threats.3 * And in Maryland, protesters hung a Democratic congressman in effigy to
oppose health-care reform.4

We've got a plan to fight back against these radical right-wingers.
We've hired skilled grassroots organizers who are working with
thousands of local volunteers to show Congress that ordinary Americans
continue to support President Obama's agenda for change. And we're
building new online tools to track events across the country and make
sure MoveOn members turn out at each one. 

But we need to scale up our efforts quickly to make sure this plan works.
To really swing into action during this month's congressional recess,
we need to raise at least $250,000 immediately. Can you chip in $25 to
support our work?

https://pol.moveon.org/donate/august.html?id=16748-11558820-nGE7c8x&t=7

If the shouts of the right-wing mobs are the only voices our senators
and representatives hear over the recess, we'll have a hard time
passing health care and clean energy legislation.

That's why we're launching our Heat Up Congress campaign so quickly to
fight back, using new technology to implement rapid response town hall
turnout, organizing personal phone calls from small business leaders
and donors to their representatives, running new ads, and activating an
energized network of on-the-ground organizers and volunteers.

This month could decide the future of health care and clean energy in
America--and we're already one week in. If you've been sitting on the
sidelines, now's the time to get involved. Talk to your neighbors, go
to a town hall meeting--and today, please chip in $25 to support our work:

https://pol.moveon.org/donate/august.html?id=16748-11558820-nGE7c8x&t=8


Thanks for all you do.
--Justin, Matt, Nita, Kat and the rest of the team

Sources:
1. "Tampa Town Hall On Health Care Reform Disrupted By Violence," The
Huffington Post, August 6, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51727&id=16748-11558820-nGE7c8x&t=9
2. "Local Fox Reporter Attends Town Hall And Finds 'Some Attendees
Admit They Don't Live In The District,'" Think Progress, August 4, 2009
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/08/04/gene-green-townhall/
3. "Dem Congressman's Office: His Life Has Been Threatened Over Health
Care Bill," Talking Points Memo, August 5, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51724&id=16748-11558820-nGE7c8x&t=10
4. "The Danger Over the Right's Anger," Politico, August 3, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51726&id=16748-11558820-nGE7c8x&t=11
Want to support our work? We're entirely funded by our 5 million
members--no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our
tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.

References
Visible links
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https://pol.moveon.org/donate/august.html?id=16748-11558820-nGE7c8x&t=8
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51727&id=16748-11558820-nGE7c8x&t=9
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/08/04/gene-green-townhall/
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51724&id=16748-11558820-nGE7c8x&t=10
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51726&id=16748-11558820-nGE7c8x&t=11
http://political.moveon.org/donate/email.html?id=16748-11558820-nGE7c8x
&t=12

PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/.
Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email
was sent to ...on August 7, 2009>.
To change your email address or update your contact info, visit:
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

VIDEO

A video you will all love, Here's to the best dressed activists out there!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfdZMrHOldI

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TOWNHALLS

TOWNHALLS

 Here are a few tips for attending a Town Hall:

1.Don't bunch up ,scatter yourselves through out the audience so if one of you is kicked out the whole group won't be removed.

2.Be vocal, state your concerns with full voice, don't yell just be assertive.

3. Bring a camers and or video and please film the whole town hall, that way we have a record of what actually happened and not the "made up"version by the press or Administration.

4. Ask tough questions, bring your facts and don't be afraid to ask the hard truth questions.

5. Let the person speak after you have asked your question, chances are, given enough rope they will hang themselves with thier own words!

6. If they don't answer your question or try to give you "political  speak" walk out. This evidently makes a good showing to them. We won't take the same old , tired , answers we hold them responsible for thier decisions and their votes! Let them know that!

Please sign the petition at FreeOurHealthCareNow.com, we are trying to get  1 million signatures!

CONGRESSWOMAN DAVIS AUGUST EVENTS IN SAN DIEGO

None of her events specifically address healthcare, but we need to be there to bring it up. She helped vote HR 3200 out of committee
http://www.house.gov/susandavis/iss_health.shtml

The following can change at any time...especially as her staff gets wind of our efforts, so please check her calander and our updates regularly:
http://www.house.gov/susandavis/events.shtml

Consumer Credit and Identity Theft Workshop
DATE: Monday, August 24, 2009
TIME: 6:00pm - 7:00pm
LOCATION: Bayside Community Center, 2202 Comstock St., San Diego, CA 92111

** (LET'S HIT CAP & TRADE AT THIS ONE!) Water Workshop
DATE: Tuesday, August 25, 2009
TIME: 6:00pm – 7:00pm
LOCATION: USD Joan Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice, 5998 Alcalá Park, San Diego, CA 92110

Grants Workshop
DATE: Wednesday, August 26, 2009
TIME: 12:30pm – 2:30pm
LOCATION: NTC Promenade Command Center, 2640 Historic Decatur Road, San Diego, CA 92106
*Parking is available in lots adjacent to the Command Center

** (LET'S HIT CAP & TRADE AT THIS ONE!) Green Jobs Forum
DATE: Saturday, August 29, 2009
TIME: 12:00pm – 1:30pm
LOCATION: San Diego Workforce Partnership, 3910 University Ave., San Diego, CA 92105

**** (LET'S MAKE HIT THIS ONE HUGE!!) ****
Lemon Grove/La Presa Neighborhood Day
DATE: Saturday, August 29, 2009
TIME: 1:00pm – 2:00pm
LOCATION: Spring Valley Branch Library, 836 Kempton St., Spring Valley, CA 91977
http://www.facebook.com/events.php?ref=sb#/event.php?eid=110563324500

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LISTED BELOW ARE THE TOWN HALLS PLANNED BY THE OPPOSITION. PLEASE ATTEND THESE EVENTS AND ASK THE HARD QUESTIONS! IF YOU WOULD LIKE TALKING POINTS PLEASE LET US KNOW.

August 15, 2009
San Leandro City Hall
San Leandro, CA 94577
10:30 am
In attendance: Congressman Fortney Stark (D) District 13

August 15, 2009
Alameda City Hall
Alameda, CA 94501
12:00 pm
In attendance: Congressman Forney Stark (D) District 13

August 15, 2009
Fremont Senior Center
Fremont, CA 94538
9:00am
In attendance: Congressman Fortney Stark (D) District 13

August 18, 2009
Citrus Heights City Hall
Citrus Heights, CA 95624
7:00-8:30 pm
In attendance: Congressman Dan Lungren (R) District 3

August 22, 2009
Jackson City hall
Jackson, CA 95642
10:00am- 12:00 pm
In attendance: Congressman Dan Lungren (R) District 

August 26, 2009
Rancho Cordova City hall
Rancho Cordova, CA 95670
7:00-8:30 pm
In attendance: Congressman Dan Lungren (R) District 3

September 12, 2009
Ruggieri Senior Center
Union City, CA 94587
9:00-10:00 am
In attendance: Congressman Fortney Stark (D) District 13

September 12, 2009
Hayward City Hall
Hayward, CA 94541
10:30-11:30 am
In attendance: Congressman Fortney Stark (D) District 13

September 12, 2009
Alameda City Hall
Alameda, CA 94501
12:00-1:00 pm
In attendance: Congressman Fortney Stark (D) District 13

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY OF HR676 - UNITED STATES NATIONAL HEALTH CARE ACT

This Bill aims to give comprehensive health insurance to all US residents, not citizens, residents. There is no qualified explanation of a resident; this has yet to be determined by the government. Each resident would be given a card for insurance purposes based on filling out a 2 page application.

Coverage under this Bill would be allowed for visitors to the Untied States who seek premeditated non-emergency surgical procedures.

All “medically necessary” services will be providing under this Bill:
Dental, vision, long term care, mental health and prescriptions included too.

The USNHC program will have no payments expected for any of this care. Residents would not pay for anything, no co-payments or any bills.

No Institution may be a participating provider unless it is a public or not for profit institution. No investor owned facilities will be allowed.

Funding for the USNHC program will be authorized by the Treasury.

It will be unlawful for a private health insurer to sell health insurance coverage.

Congress will appropriate amounts for the annual budget for the USNHC program and the Director of Health and Human Services will allot the funds.

Each provider will get a monthly lump sum to cover all operating expenses under a “global budget”. A global budget will be set by providers, State Director and regional director subject to the approval of the Director. Budget will be negotiated annually.

Migrants Health Centers will be set up.

Funding for the USNHC program will come from:

- Existing sources of Federal government revenues for health care (TAXES)
- Increasing the personal income taxes of the top 5 percent of income earners, (TAXES)
- A modest and progressive excise tax on payroll and self- employment income (TAXES)
- Tax on stock and bond transactions (TAXES)

More bureaucracy will be built to implement and service this program.

If you lose your job due to the implementation of this program you will be given 2 years of salary benefits and retraining and be eligible for Federal and state unemployment .

The VA health benefits and services will disappear after 10 years and be absorbed by the USNHC program. The Indian Health programs will be absorbed in 5 years.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SENATOR LIST FOR HR 676/ HR 3200 BLUE DOGS AND UNDECIDEDS

Mark Begich-AK- ph 202-224-3004,
email(http://begich.senate.gov/contact/contact.cfm_)

Blanche L. Lincoln –AR-ph -202-224-4843, email(http://lincoln.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm)

Mark Pryor-AR ph 202-224-2353
Email(http://pryor.senate.gov/contact/)

Joseph Lieberman- CT-202-224-4041
Email (http://lieberman.senate.gov/contact/)

Thomas Carper-DE ph 202-224-2441
Email (http://carper.senate.gov/contact/)

Bill Nelson- FL- ph 202-224-5274
Email (http://billnelson.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm)

Johnny Isakson-(R)GA ph 202-224-3643
Email (http://isakson.senate.gov/contact.cfm)

Even Bayh-IN 202-224-5623
Email (http://bayh.senate.gov/contact/email/)

Mary Landrieu- LA ph 202-224-5824
Email (http://landrieu.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm)

Susan Collins –( R ) ME-ph 202-224-2523
Email(http://collins.senate.gov/public/continue.cfm?FuseAction=ContactSenatorCollins.EmailIssue)

Olympia Snowe-( R ) ME – ph 202-224-5344
Email (http://snowe.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactSenatorSnowe)

Max Bauchus-MT- ph 202-224-2651
Email (http://baucus.senate.gov/contact/emailForm.cfm?subj=issue)

John Tester-MT ph -202-224-2644
Email (http://tester.senate.gov/Contact/index.cfm)

Kent Conrad-ND-202-224-2043
Email(http://conrad.senate.gov/contact/webform.cfm)

Ben Nelson-NE- ph 202-224-6551
Email (http://bennelson.senate.gov/contact-me.cfm)

Ron Wyden-OR 202-224-5244
Email (http://wyden.senate.gov/contact/)

Herb Kohl-WI- 202-224-5653
Email (http://kohl.senate.gov/contact.cfm)

Robert Byrd-WV- 202-224-3954
Email (http://byrd.senate.gov/contacts/)

Mark Warner- VA- 202- 224-2023
Email (http://warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Contact)

Tim Johnson-SD 202-224-5842
Email (http://johnson.senate.gov/contact/)

Group of 7 Senators Who may vote Yes on HR 676, they have been working together on the bill to make it more palatable for the people. We do not want their government run plan in any from!

Democrats

Max Baucus-MT: Washington D.C.
511 Hart Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-2651(Office)
(202) 224-9412 (Fax)

Ken Conrad-ND Washington DC
202-224-2043
Fax: 202-224-7776

Bingaman-NM Washington DC
DC Office: (202) 224-5521
http://bingaman.senate.gov/contact/

GOP

Chuck Grassley-IA-Washington DC
202) 224-3744
http://grassley.senate.gov/contact.cfm


Orin Hatch-UT- Washington DC
202) 224-5251
http://hatch.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Offices.Contact

Michael Enzi-WY-Washington DC
202) 224-3424
http://enzi.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactInformation.EmailSenatorEnzi

Olympia Snowe-ME-Washington DC
202) 224-5344
http://snowe.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactSenatorSnowe.Email

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HR 2520 - PATIENT'S CHOICE ACT (Republican "alternative")

• Encourage increased coordination of federal prevention efforts and bring long-overdue accountability to
these programs
• Require CDC to undertake a national campaign highlighting science-based health promotion strategies
• Equip recipients of Supplemental Nutritional Benefits with easily understandable information about
nutritious food options and target the use of food stamps to healthy food choices
• Invest $50 million annually for increased vaccine availability and bonus grants to states that achieve
90 percent or greater coverage of CDC-recommended vaccines
• Provide incentives for states to reduce rates of chronic disease like heart disease and diabetes
• Creates State Health Insurance Exchanges to give Americans a one-stop marketplace to compare
different health insurance policies and select the one that meets their unique needs
• Gives Americans the same standard health benefits as Members of Congress, so all Americans have a
wide range of choices
• Protects the most vulnerable Americans to ensure that no individual would be turned down by a
participating Exchange insurers based on age or health
• Creates a non-profit, independent board to risk adjust among participating insurance companies to
penalize companies that “cherry pick” health patients and reward insurers that encourage prevention/
wellness and cover patients with pre-existing conditions
• Expands coverage through auto-enrollment at state and medical points of service, for individuals who do
not select a plan at the beginning of the year
• Gives states the ability to band together in regional pooling arrangements, as well as the creation of
robust high risk pools, reinsurance markets, or risk adjustment mechanisms to cover those deemed
‘uninsurable’
• Providing an advanceable and refundable tax credit of $2,300 per individual or $5,700 per family
• Improving the operation of Health Savings Accounts [HSAs] by allowing health insurance premiums to
be paid with HSAs without a tax penalty
• Allowing preventative services to be covered by High Deductible Health Plans
• Increasing the amount of money an HSA owner may annually contribute to their account
• Integrating low-income families with dependent children into higher-quality private plans through direct
assistance
• Removing the stigma of Medicaid and providing access to the same coverage options available to all
Americans
• Realigning responsibility between federal and state governments in order to better coordinate benefits
by requiring the Medicare program to assume Medicaid responsibility of premiums, cost-sharing, and
deductibles for low-income seniors
• Rebalancing long-term care services to ensure choice between institutionalized and home-based care
• Empowering Medicare beneficiaries with more choices and more power by reforming Medicare
Advantage
• Allowing for the creation of Medicare Accountable Care Organizations that would improve payment to
physicians, hospitals, pharmacists, and nurses for demonstrable improvements in quality and patient
satisfaction while reducing costs
• Requiring wealthy Medicare beneficiaries to contribute a little more for their care under Medicare Part D
• Encouraging states to adopt a number of legal alternatives entirely run by the state that would include
the establishment of expert medical panels to resolve disputes, creation of health courts, or a combination
of both
• Creating a Healthcare Services Commission that relies on a public/private partnership to enhance the
quality, appropriateness and effectiveness of health care services through the publication and
enforcement of quality and price information
• Empowering the private sector – rather than Washington bureaucrats – to set standards on price and
quality with the input from all major stake holders in health care, as well as the general public
• Ensuring that measures of effectiveness keep pace with innovation