Republicans Could Save $2.4 Million A Year

[TampaYankee]

Republicans Could Save $2.4 Million A Year By Forgoing Their Health Care

Sam Stein stein@huffingtonpost.com | HuffPost Reporting

WASHINGTON -- Some progressive organizations have been making a push in recent days for incoming congressional Republicans to drop their government-sponsored health care on the grounds that keeping the plans would be hypocritical.

The incident started after incoming Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.) complained loudly during freshmen orientation that his coverage wouldn't start immediately upon taking office. It took a new turn when Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Penn) and Bobby Schilling (R-Ill.) both said they would, in fact, forgo the coverage. It escalated even further when White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs called out Harris for the "irony," and the municipal workers union AFSCME applied a similar charge to the whole GOP shortly thereafter.

"These Republicans want to repeal health reform, putting the insurance companies back in charge and putting affordable coverage out of reach of millions of Americans," said AFSCME President Gerald W. McEntee. "If they enroll in the taxpayer-funded health care system provided to members of Congress, they deserve to be denounced as hypocrites."

There is an apparent double standard with respect to lawmakers trying to reduce health care for American workers while taking a subsidy for health care for themselves. And in a Public Policy Poll released on Tuesday, a full 53 percent of respondents (and 58 percent of Republicans) said that if a congressman is opposed to the president's health care reform law, he or she should decline to participate in government-sponsored health care.

But another cudgel sits there on the sidelines waiting to be used by trouble-making Democrats. If the incoming Republican Congress is so concerned about the use of taxpayer funds, it could start by foregoing taxpayer-funded health care. How much money that would save is impossible to pinpoint with great accuracy. But it's possible to make some reliable estimates.

According to the Los Angeles Times, "the plan most favored by federal workers is Blue Cross Blue Shield, which covers a family for about $1,030 a month." Of that total, "taxpayers kick in $700." So far there are 242 Republicans set to be seated in the incoming House of Representatives (that could only go higher) and 47 Republicans in the Senate. The taxpayer bill for insuring all those members over the course of a single year comes to just over $2.4 million ($700 X 12 months X 289 members).

Chump change? Yes, it is. That said, chump change seems to always at the heart of the most provocative political battles. During the 2008 presidential campaign, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) made a big issue over the fact that $1 million was being appropriated for a Woodstock museum in upstate New York.

See original article at:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/23/republicans-could-save-24_n_787662.html

[TampaYankee]

Can we say 'hypocrisy'?

I would like to see all members of Congress and all political appointees in the Executive Branch stripped of health/life benefits while in office unless and until basic health care benefits are provided to every legal resident of the U.S as a matter of course. If residents don't have a right to coverage then neither do the politicians. They can buy their own. It would also be illegal for those members and appointees to accept health benefit gifts in kind or cash.

Frankly, if everyone doesnt have access to affordable health care insurance then I would like to see ALL health insurance made illegal until they qualify for Medicare. Everyone would have to pay their own way -- full freight fare. That would change a lot of attitudes among politicians, doctors, hosptals and insurance and pharmaceutical companies, not to mention the comfortable with employer paid benefits, about providing affordable heatlh care coverage to all. Damn quick too, I bet.

That would effect a change among most in the 'I've got mine, fuck you' class. Not the really rich but just about everyone else, me thinks.

[RA1]

You had me at, "everyone paying their full share".

Best regards,

RA1

[MsGuy]

Not to fret, TY, something not unlike what you wished for is aready on the horizon. I figure that as health care costs creep above 20% of GDP in the US, business enterprises will be forced to pull out of providing health insurance for their employees and America's whole weird, Rube Goldberg system will collapse.

FYI, that's sometime toward the end of this decade according to the latest projections, so schedule any elective procedures you may be anticipating accordingly.

[lookin]

Maybe we could outsource to the TSA. They're already doing physical exams and colonoscopies.

[TampaYankee]

Not to fret, TY, something not unlike what you wished for is aready on the horizon. I figure that as health care costs creep above 20% of GDP in the US, business enterprises will be forced to pull out of providing health insurance for their employees and America's whole weird, Rube Goldberg system will collapse.

You are right, it's coming, but not without a lot of unnecessary pain and premature deaths, even among the comfortable of today as their benefits evaporate, the wasting of a lot of money that could have been put to more effective use. It will be interesting to see how the fear mongers sell their story then.

As a first step to my vision, I would like to see all health benefits taxed as regular income of the earners and also as a company perk to be paid by the company. It is time that people who complain about others getting a free ride from the government stop getting a free ride from the government. Seems most logical. That'll help the deficit hawks too.

I was against taxing health care benefits during the legislation developement last year. I accepted the comporomise of taxing the platinum plans. I've come around to my present position in the face of all the pissing and moaning by those who demand that we cannot afford government programs that provide health care. They need dose of what they are preaching. Some will be pleased, many will be pissed.

I may wake up tomorrow and think that today was just a bad dream. Who knows?

On more sober reflection, I really prefer abolishing all health insurance programs in favor of the full freight program. That would bring some quick consenus, maybe unhappy, to lowering the cost of health care delivery in this country and providing access to all.

[BiBottomBoy]

Universal healthcare paid for by the government would save businesses a fortune and free up money to hire new workers. Plus, people would no longer be trapped in jobs they hate just because of the benefits.

[TampaYankee]

Universal healthcare paid for by the government would save businesses a fortune and free up money to hire new workers. Plus, people would no longer be trapped in jobs they hate just because of the benefits.

That's just two of a hundred excellent reasons.