So it begins…

I just received this info from Jane Hamsher of FDL. She is asking that I sign a petition to 'Kill the Bill' and I'm certainly thinking about doing just that. Especially when I heard read that the stock prices for the various health insurers has risen dramatically since it became obvious that the bill would pass.

1. Forces you to pay up to 8% of your income to private insurance corporations -- whether you want to or not
   
2. If you refuse to buy the insurance,  you'll have to pay penalties of up to 2% of your annual income to the IRS
   
3. After being forced to pay thousands in premiums for junk insurance, you can still be on the hook for up to $11,900 a year in out-of-pocket medical expenses.
   
4. Massive restriction on a woman's right to choose, designed to trigger a challenge to Roe v. Wade in the Supreme Court
   
5. Paid for by taxes on the middle class insurance plan you have right now through your employer, causing them to cut back benefits and increase co-pays
   
6. Many of the taxes to pay for the bill start now, but most Americans won't see any benefits -- like an end to discrimination against those with preexisting conditions -- until 2014 when the program begins.
   
7. Allows insurance companies to charge people who are older 300% more than others
   
8. Grants monopolies to drug companies that will keep generic versions of expensive biotech drugs from ever coming to market.
   
9. No re-importation of prescription drugs, which would save consumers $100 billion over 10 years
   
10. The cost of medical care will continue to rise, and insurance premiums for a family of 4 will rise an average of $1,000 a year -- meaning in 10 years, you family's insurance premium will be at least $10,000 more annually than it is right now.
    

 

I added all the emphasis above. I don't know about you, but I'm really tired of this (and I suppose the health insurance companies are counting on that as well)…but how hard should it be for the 100 wise women and men that we elected to come up with a bill that would restore America's prominence in health care for its citizens? And why is it that the Republican Party has no bill of their own? Was the status quo just OK with the Republicans'? They saw no need to bring us up from 37^th place among the nations when it comes cost/performance? They were satisfied that we are losing ground on our life expectancy and now rank 42^nd in the world? Are they not unhappy about the fact that we rank 33^rd among the nations for infant mortality? That was OK? And the fact that we already pay the highest prices for drugs in the whole wide world? And they are going to go up? What's the matter with these 100 wise women and men? Are they blind or are they…?