Comments on: Mitchslapping SCHIP http://www.healthcarebs.com/2007/08/09/mitchslapping-schip/ Cleaning the Augean Stables of the Health Care Debate Thu, 10 May 2012 21:39:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Catron http://www.healthcarebs.com/2007/08/09/mitchslapping-schip/#comment-5286 Catron Sat, 11 Aug 2007 03:17:59 +0000 http://www.healthcarebs.com/2007/08/09/mitchslapping-schip/#comment-5286 <em>Whatever compromise finally gets approved, it’ll be paid for in part or in whole by tobacco taxes.</em> The tobacco tax is a PR gimmick, Morris. It won’t pay for anything. When the increase goes into effect, tobacco sales will decrease (read <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN0927901120070810?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews" rel="nofollow">this</a>). In the end, this new tobacco tax will probably reduce revenue. So we’re back to the MA cuts, and that money would come out of the pockets of the poorest beneficiaries—not insurance profits. That’s why the NAACP <a href="http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/65497.php" rel="nofollow">opposes</a> MA cuts. Whatever compromise finally gets approved, it’ll be paid for in part or in whole by tobacco taxes.

The tobacco tax is a PR gimmick, Morris. It won’t pay for anything. When the increase goes into effect, tobacco sales will decrease (read this). In the end, this new tobacco tax will probably reduce revenue.

So we’re back to the MA cuts, and that money would come out of the pockets of the poorest beneficiaries—not insurance profits. That’s why the NAACP opposes MA cuts.

]]> By: Morris Berg http://www.healthcarebs.com/2007/08/09/mitchslapping-schip/#comment-5277 Morris Berg Fri, 10 Aug 2007 19:24:48 +0000 http://www.healthcarebs.com/2007/08/09/mitchslapping-schip/#comment-5277 One more possibility: (1) SCHIP expands but not as large as House wants; no MA cuts . . . YET. (2) MA cuts used to save the implementation of physician fee cuts (in same bill or different bill). So you'd have AMA v. InsCo. Who'd you side with there? One more possibility:

(1) SCHIP expands but not as large as House wants; no MA cuts . . . YET.

(2) MA cuts used to save the implementation of physician fee cuts (in same bill or different bill).

So you’d have AMA v. InsCo.

Who’d you side with there?

]]> By: Morris Berg http://www.healthcarebs.com/2007/08/09/mitchslapping-schip/#comment-5276 Morris Berg Fri, 10 Aug 2007 19:19:14 +0000 http://www.healthcarebs.com/2007/08/09/mitchslapping-schip/#comment-5276 The down-and-dirty fight re: whether or not they are going to really try to back-door socialize medicine - as the birchers like yourself like to say - is not in the tobacco tax but rather the MA cuts, which were not in the Senate version, but which were included in the House version. So the Senate and House both okay'd tobacco tax funding . . . the House came in later with the MA cuts. Um-kay? These cuts either (a) may get committeed away; (b) will remain in place for the additional funds; or (c) will remain in some modified form. You want your fight for "socialized medicine?" There is your fight. Nobody's fighting over the tobacco tax (except big tobacco). Whatever compromise finally gets approved, it'll be paid for in part or in whole by tobacco taxes. End of story. The down-and-dirty fight re: whether or not they are going to really try to back-door socialize medicine – as the birchers like yourself like to say – is not in the tobacco tax but rather the MA cuts, which were not in the Senate version, but which were included in the House version. So the Senate and House both okay’d tobacco tax funding . . . the House came in later with the MA cuts. Um-kay?

These cuts either (a) may get committeed away; (b) will remain in place for the additional funds; or (c) will remain in some modified form.

You want your fight for “socialized medicine?”

There is your fight.

Nobody’s fighting over the tobacco tax (except big tobacco). Whatever compromise finally gets approved, it’ll be paid for in part or in whole by tobacco taxes.

End of story.

]]> By: Catron http://www.healthcarebs.com/2007/08/09/mitchslapping-schip/#comment-5275 Catron Fri, 10 Aug 2007 18:05:22 +0000 http://www.healthcarebs.com/2007/08/09/mitchslapping-schip/#comment-5275 Morris, they came up with the tobacco tax only after they started getting heat for not showing how they were going to pay for their "new and improved" SCHIP program. Their first response to that pressure was to gut MA, but it soon became clear that this might not fly and that there wasn't enough money there anyway. Morris, they came up with the tobacco tax only after they started getting heat for not showing how they were going to pay for their “new and improved” SCHIP program.

Their first response to that pressure was to gut MA, but it soon became clear that this might not fly and that there wasn’t enough money there anyway.

]]> By: Morris Berg http://www.healthcarebs.com/2007/08/09/mitchslapping-schip/#comment-5273 Morris Berg Fri, 10 Aug 2007 17:23:07 +0000 http://www.healthcarebs.com/2007/08/09/mitchslapping-schip/#comment-5273 Dave [Catron]: Pardon me for not explicating the obvious: the tobacco tax is a GIVEN if it passes. The major funding issue AT PLAY between the two versions as they stand is whether or not they are gonna go after the MA payments and if so, how much. Dave [Catron]:

Pardon me for not explicating the obvious: the tobacco tax is a GIVEN if it passes. The major funding issue AT PLAY between the two versions as they stand is whether or not they are gonna go after the MA payments and if so, how much.

]]> By: Dave http://www.healthcarebs.com/2007/08/09/mitchslapping-schip/#comment-5255 Dave Thu, 09 Aug 2007 22:08:13 +0000 http://www.healthcarebs.com/2007/08/09/mitchslapping-schip/#comment-5255 Ditch Mitch published a fact check of McConnell's oped: http://ditchmitchky.com/719/schip-fact-check-on-senator-mitch-mcconnell/ Ditch Mitch published a fact check of McConnell’s oped:

http://ditchmitchky.com/719/schip-fact-check-on-senator-mitch-mcconnell/

]]> By: Catron http://www.healthcarebs.com/2007/08/09/mitchslapping-schip/#comment-5250 Catron Thu, 09 Aug 2007 15:29:13 +0000 http://www.healthcarebs.com/2007/08/09/mitchslapping-schip/#comment-5250 The only question is how much of those fancy “free-market� advantage “incentive� payments are they gonna cut to pay for it.

Sorry, Morris, there isn’t enough money in the MA program to pay for the SCHIP scam. That’s why they’re floating the tobacco tax.

And, if you need to “feel sorry” for someone, you should focus on all the low-income kids who will do without coverage under the “new and improved” SCHIP program.

]]> By: Morris Berg http://www.healthcarebs.com/2007/08/09/mitchslapping-schip/#comment-5249 Morris Berg Thu, 09 Aug 2007 15:10:25 +0000 http://www.healthcarebs.com/2007/08/09/mitchslapping-schip/#comment-5249 You and Mitch get an "E" for effort perhaps, but this pony's a loser and you know it, Dave. The only question is how much of those fancy "free-market" advantage "incentive" payments are they gonna cut to pay for it. The whole back-door-communism-health-care-like-your-post-office argument is just not gonna play in Peoria, and you (and Mitch and the insurance companies who fund Mitch) know it. Thus, the recent petulance and depseration. I guess you can continue to just call everyone liars. I almost feel sorry for you (I stress "almost"). At least Mikey Moore's hasn't been giving you guys fits lately. You and Mitch get an “E” for effort perhaps, but this pony’s a loser and you know it, Dave.

The only question is how much of those fancy “free-market” advantage “incentive” payments are they gonna cut to pay for it. The whole back-door-communism-health-care-like-your-post-office argument is just not gonna play in Peoria, and you (and Mitch and the insurance companies who fund Mitch) know it.

Thus, the recent petulance and depseration. I guess you can continue to just call everyone liars. I almost feel sorry for you (I stress “almost”). At least Mikey Moore’s hasn’t been giving you guys fits lately.

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