Before today’s show began, I spent some time listening to the House Energy & Commerce Committee hearing on Healthcare.gov’s problems. Today, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius was in the hot seat.
When I tuned in, she was being questioned berated by TN Representative Marsha Blackburn who couldn’t have been any more shrill or nasty if she tried.
I’m pissed about the problems too, and I think that Sebelius should probably be fired for the disaster. But that doesn’t excuse the lack of civility displayed, not only by Blackburn but by her GOP colleagues on the committee as well.
They bitched (and shut down the government, costing taxpayers $24 billion) because they don’t like the law. They bitch because the site doesn’t work and they bitch because it’s being fixed. They bitch and moan about everything, but have done nothing to make things better.
They complain, with help from the media, about President Obama’s repeated admonishments that “If you like your insurance plan, you’ll keep your insurance plan.” Sure, it was a stupid statement since the plans are offered by private, for profit health insurance companies, and the government has no input into whether or not they’ll change their offerings from year to year.
What he should have said is “If your current policy is actually insurance and offers the minimum coverage as mandated by law, AND if your insurance company decides to keep your current plan among their offerings, then you can keep your current plan.”
But what they’re complaining about is that junk plans that didn’t provide basic coverage, let along comprehensive coverage, that do more harm than good, are no longer permitted to be sold! That’s consumer protection. That’s the part of the law that protects stupid people from themselves.
Unfortunately CBS News seems to be more concerned with fear-mongering than actual reporting, as they perpetrated a hoax on the American people with this story about the 56-year old Florida woman who’s so upset that her junk policy isn’t available any more, even thought the most it would pay out if she ever needed health care is $50!
NBC, not to be outdone, put forth their own bullshit story, not bothering to check facts – or see if their “victim” was truly a victim or not…
Here in Florida, even with a criminal governor who wouldn’t opt-in to the Affordable Care Act so we have to use the Federal Exchange (and didn’t take the Medicaid Expansion either), and a legislature that made it illegal for the insurance commissioner to negotiate with the insurance companies for lower premiums (!), I’ve been able to get through on the exchange, find a plan that suits my needs and will save me almost $800 a month and $1400 on my deductible.
So much for the naysayers.
But this state just never seems to learn its lessons. The main reason we have that criminal in the governor’s office is that the previous governor, Republican Charlie Crist, decided to run for the US Senate instead of a second term as governor. Now he says he’s a Democrat and it looks like he’ll announce a new run for his previous office as soon as next week. This morning, I spoke with Susan Smith, president of the Democratic Progressive Caucus of Florida about the conundrum, and the Florida Democratic Convention that was held last weekend at Disney World.
And in the second hour, Crooks & Liars‘ Susie Madrak joined in. Today, she brought this story from yesterday’s House hearing on the Affordable Care Act when NJ Rep Frank Pascrell stood up and said what the rest of us were thinking!
