GOP Gains Democratic Support for Bill to Allow Keeping Insurance

[happyg]

By Audrey Hudson
House Republicans this week are expected to pass with Democratic support legislation that would allow individuals to keep their health insurance plans in spite of new Obamacare rules forcing the cancellation of millions of policies, The Hill reports.

 Authored by Rep. Fred Upton, Michigan Republican and chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, the bill says that individual healthcare policies that were effective as of January 2013 must be grandfathered in the new system.

 "You're not going to be subject to a penalty. You're not going to be forced to find something else," Upton told Newsmax in an exclusive interview.

 The Hill reports that passage of the bill by Friday would be "a potential embarrassment for Obama, as several Democrats are likely to support the measure."

 Although numerous Republican efforts in the House to block Obamacare have failed to gain traction in the Senate, The Hill also reports that four Democrats have introduced a similar measure, "a sign that some Democrats are increasingly becoming convinced of the need to change the law, but it's also a sign that these Democrats feel vulnerable on this issue -- three of the four Senate Democrats supporting the bill are up for re-election next year."

 Upton said the new pressure by the House coupled with significant glitches in the new healthcare system would put pressure on the Senate to "force the president to keep his promise."



Read Latest Breaking News from Newsmax.com http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/upton-democrats-obamacare-insurance/2013/11/10/id/535797#ixzz2kG6AHevN
 

[rangerrebew]

I don't understand this at all, but then I'm not a politician.  Why are republicans bailing out the democrats on anything to do with Obamacare?  The only thing that pops into my mind is the ObamaCare bill will have to be totally restructured to take into account all the money they won't  be getting that they planned on from people losing their insurance which will drive the insurance costs for young people even higher.  If it happens, democrats will be given credit for it by the media so republicans will lose on that.

[Bigun]

I don't understand this at all, but then I'm not a politician.  Why are republicans bailing out the democrats on anything to do with Obamacare?  The only thing that pops into my mind is the ObamaCare bill will have to be totally restructured to take into account all the money they won't  be getting that they planned on from people losing their insurance which will drive the insurance costs for young people even higher.  If it happens, democrats will be given credit for it by the media so republicans will lose on that.

Believe it or not there are still a few people in Washington who will, once in a while, do something for the good of the country without regard to the political implications.

[Chieftain]

Ain't gonna happen.  If it doesn't die in the Senate, Premier Hussein will veto it.

[Bigun]

Ain't gonna happen.  If it doesn't die in the Senate, Premier Hussein will veto it.

Please God! Let that happen!

[rangerrebew]

Believe it or not there are still a few people in Washington who will, once in a while, do something for the good of the country without regard to the political implications.

Do you mean like visiting WWII vets visiting the memorial, Korean vets and their memorial, or Viet Nam Vets at their memorial?  I know you weren't referring to politicians.

[Chieftain]

This is more magical thinking and yet another "promise" that simply cannot be kept.  There is no way to un-ring a bell, just like there is no way to un-cancel 5 million insurance policies, and counting.  This is pure BS, and a good example of Democrats trying to have things both ways. 

All these Dhimmies had to do was read the bill and vote it down in the first place.  As it is, everything is happening exactly the way it was deliberately designed by Congress to work.

You break it, you own it.

[Bigun]

This is more magical thinking and yet another "promise" that simply cannot be kept.  There is no way to un-ring a bell, just like there is no way to un-cancel 5 million insurance policies, and counting.  This is pure BS, and a good example of Democrats trying to have things both ways. 

All these Dhimmies had to do was read the bill and vote it down in the first place.  As it is, everything is happening exactly the way it was deliberately designed by Congress to work.

You break it, you own it.

You are exactly right Chieftain!

 

[Rapunzel]

You are exactly right Chieftain!

 

I was going to say the same thing, it is impossible to just turn around all the cancellations and business decisions which have been made to accommodate this disaster of a bill... and this is why we will end up with single payer...  and why our healthcare system has been destroyed by this government.

[Lando Lincoln]

Passing a bill like that through Congress would put Obama in a hell of a bind - but, everyone is right.  This can't be undone as simply as that.  I suspect the damage to the American people will be epic.

[sinkspur]

Passing a bill like that through Congress would put Obama in a hell of a bind - but, everyone is right.  This can't be undone as simply as that.  I suspect the damage will be epic.

The insurance companies have already factored the new policies into their business plans next year.  And these new plans have been in the works for two years.  Now, to go back to insurers and say they have to be ready, in a very short period of time, to factor old policies into a mix with the new plans and to price them such that they're still profitable (knowing that 80% of the premium must be used to cover health costs) can't be done. 

And the Obama administration knows that.  If they allow old policies to be resurrected, the entire Obamacare business model falls apart. Republicans need to be ready with an alternative (tax credits) because most of any "fix" will have to come through legislation.   Republicans have to be ready to say with credibility that this is what happens when government injects itself into the insurance market.  If anything, there needs to be less government intrusion, not more.

By January 1, lots of Democrats will be running for the tall grass, ready to embrace anything that makes sure people have coverage. Republicans won't vote for single payer, and everybody knows it.

[Lando Lincoln]

sinkspur... I end up agreeing with you far more often than not. 

An outright repeal will be more likely than any fix.  There are too many fatal flaws in the law to be "fixed".  And, the Fed will need to allow provisional exemptions, deductions and credits in the tax code for people getting hurt in very real ways.  Only way...

Then, there will be the problem of supporting a critically injured insurance industry.

My God... what we have wrought.

[Olivia]

My God... what we have wrought.

 We???      I ain't no democrat!