Health Care Reform - Obamacare

The Danger of Obama’s “Pre-Existing Conditions” Ban

What is insurance? I’ll bet you bought insurance for your car, your house, your rental unit, your computer system, or your income (disability insurance) hoping NEVER to use that policy -- but grateful to have it in case the worst happened.

Obamacare’s “Ball and Chain”

Obama knew what he was doing. Before he tackled Obamacare, he signed HITECH into law. The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act – a euphemism if there ever was one – was part of the 2009 Recovery Act (“economic stimulus”).  

Supreme Court Begins Hearing Arguments Wednesday That Could Unravel Obamacare

ST. PAUL, Minn.—On Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court will begin hearing arguments in the landmark case King v. Burwell, which, if found in favor of the plaintiffs this summer, could unravel Obamacare for good.

Do Not Cave on Obamacare

The fear is palpable. It seems many Republicans and conservatives are afraid of winning the King vs. Burwell ACA subsidy care against the Obama administration. I overheard someone saying it might even be better to lose! Not true. If bureaucrats can make the law say whatever they want it to say, we are in deep trouble. 

Obamacare Racks Up More Failures

ST. PAUL, Minn.—The second Obamacare open enrollment period officially ended Sunday—after a week’s extension due to more web site glitches. Meanwhile, late last week the Obama Administration announced it had sent approximately 800,000 Healthcare.gov customers incorrect tax forms and asked them to delay filing their taxes as a result. It also extended enrollment until April 20 to give people penalized for being uninsured in 2014 time to get covered in 2015.

Using Children to Federalize Health Care?

Beware the Advancing Care for Exceptional Kids Act of 2014. Proponents say the ACE Kids Act (H.R. 4930) will improve coordination of care for children with complex conditions on state government programs. Sponsored by Congressman Joe Barton (R- Texas), it has 48 Republican and 56 Democrat co-sponsors.

GOOD NEWS: Obama’s Exchanges are in Trouble

The Obamacare exchanges are in trouble. This is good news. These data-collecting, dollar-distributing structures hold Obamacare together. The exchanges also expand government dependency (Medicaid/Obamacare). The IRS will use the exchanges to enforce the law, track the insured and uninsured, and impose penalty payments from tax refunds -- for which they seek $67 million.

President’s “Precision Medicine” Ploy?

The President wants your genetic code. Mr. Obama has announced a new “Precision Medicine Initiative” (PMI) that includes databasing medical records, genetic blueprints and lifestyles of a million or more Americans. Here are seven disturbing aspects of his initiative:

Meet Your Insurer: Your Doctor

Will patients be unwelcome in doctor’s offices? On January 26, 2015, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced it’s moving away from fee-for-service Medicare payments – the way you pay your plumber, your hairstylist, your photographer – and planning to tie 30% of Medicare payments to “quality” by 2016 and 50% by the end of 2018.

New MN Mandate on Electronic Health Records Spells Danger for Patients

Patient Advocate Says New Mandate Will Harm Doctor-Patient Relationships; Survey Demonstrates Concern 

ST. PAUL, Minn.—When Minnesota rang in the new year, the state also ushered in a new mandate requiring all health providers to utilize an Electronic Health Record (EHR) system that will share their patients’ private data with other entities and greatly impact the doctor-patient relationship.