The Back Alley Archives

http://www.tenthamendmentcenter.com/2009/07/29/will-florida-ban-national-health-care/

Will Florida Nullify Health Care Bill?

This is interesting because I think a lot of people have an issue with the bill, not on it's own merits but simply because it is unconstitutional...the fed is over stepping it's bounds. And notice at the end they site a Bush law that Maine and Utah nullified.

If this happens the states will give the PEOPLE the power to decide on this issue in a vote in 2010.

I don't think the Obama Administration will roll over on a health care bill like they did on Real ID. The federal government has a long history of ignoring the 10th Amendment, and the courts typically don't do a thing to stop it.

If the courts won't do anything about it then I suppose it will be left to the people to enforce.

Good point Doc...but I appreciate that the states are trying to give us a chance to vote and give our opinion on a highly important bill. I'm not convinced our representatives in congress are truly representing us. I would totally be fine with this if I knew that the majority of the people in this country wanted it (even if I disagreed) but we won't even have a chance to give our opinion and instead have to deal with yet another thing being shoved down our throat whether we like it or not.

By the way Doc...I wonder if you would mind sharing your wife's opinion on this health care bill. I know she is left of center right? I really am trying to gather opinions from everyone because I am very concerned about this issue.

Alli, read the article I posted in this forum. It's long but a pretty good article IMO.

Yes...I was going to do that! Thanks!

My wife is WAY left of center. She thinks we need to implement a single-payer system yesterday. But she's always distrusted doctors, for some reason, so I think that's coloring her opinions.

I don't think she's read the current House bill, so I don't know if she's got an opinion on it.

^^^Really? Even looking at other country's single-payer systems? I guess she thinks it's worth the collective good to get SOME health care for all rather than worry about quality for anyone?

So she must be loving what Obama's been doing? Is he not far left enough for her?

Anyway, that article that Todd posted is good. Although who knew Tex Mex cuisine would be THAT bad for you!

A couple more governors standing up for states' rights, albeit on a different issue:

A bipartisan pair of governors is opposing a new Defense Department proposal to handle natural and terrorism-related disasters, contending that a murky chain of command could lead to more problems than solutions.

Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas (R), chairman of the National Governors Association, and Vice Chairman Gov. Joe Manchin (D) of West Virginia penned a letter opposing the Pentagon proposal, which they said would hinder a state's effort to respond to a disaster.

Current law gives governors control over National Guard forces in their own states as well as any Guard units and Defense Department personnel imported from other states.

The letter comes as the Pentagon proposes a legislative fix that would give the secretary of Defense the authority to assist in response to domestic disasters and, consequently, control over units stationed in an affected state.

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/governors-oppose-dod-emergency-powers-2009-08-10.html

^^^Really? Even looking at other country's single-payer systems? I guess she thinks it's worth the collective good to get SOME health care for all rather than worry about quality for anyone?

So she must be loving what Obama's been doing? Is he not far left enough for her?

Anyway, that article that Todd posted is good. Although who knew Tex Mex cuisine would be THAT bad for you!

My wife has a lot of ideas. Some, she's to the right of me; others, she's to the left of Karl Marx.

Let me add: my wife's opinion on "universal health care" may have been colored by our recent experience with Blue Cross / Blue Shield of Florida.

Jon Robert broke his toe a few months ago. We went to two doctors: an "urgent care" center and an orthopedist. Both were on our list of accepted providers.

A little while ago, we started getting bills from each and every person Jon Robert saw (the doctor, the radiographer, the orthopedist, the technician who put on his cast, the technician who took off his cast, etc.). These bills reflected amounts that our insurer has refused to pay. So far, we've ended up with over $500 out of pocket. Honestly, we might as well not have any insurance at all.

Contrast this with our experience with Aetna in Maryland. My wife developed her diabetes during pregnancy and as a consequence, we were at the doctor twice a week, every week during the last 3 months of her pregnancy - including 3 days in the hospital when she was diagnosed as well as several failed inductions. Our total out-of-pocket? About $50 in copays.

The only calls we got from Aetna were from a nurse checking up on my wife's health. Thousands upon thousands of dollars were paid with no bills sent to us, no paperwork to fill out, nothing.

That plan is not available in Florida - I'm not sure what the deal is, but for some reason, insurance companies are different in every state. Blue Cross / Blue Shield is supposed to be one of the better companies. So why are we getting so much hassle over what should be a relatively routine matter, whereas another company handled a complicated and expensive pregnancy without batting an eye?

Doc, I hope you called the docs. Often they just need to resubmit to BCBS. If that has been done a call to BCBS is in order. We occasionally have to go through this but usually the call to the doc and asking him to refile it with BCBS will get it taken care of.

I'm covered by BCBS of Mass since that's where our headquarters is even though I'm in VA. I know Mass is way different than most states wrt to health insurnace.

Most definitely insurance reform and/or regulation is needed and one of the good ideas is around being able to get insurance from other states, etc. I don't know the answer and don't even claim to. I don't know why I'm so nervous about this as I'm not having a baby again and the only real "condition" in our immediately family is Bill's high cholesterol.

Plus, we've gotten more serious about starting our own reconditioning plant. I'm not sure if I'll have to quit to help Bill run it but I guess if I do, we will be able to get health care insurance? I always say I only work at Disney for the benefits. But I would really like to keep my job because I don't think the gov't will cover my main gate pass and cast discounts.

Meh. I'm just bothered by all the gov't interference with everything...it has never led to anything but trouble and mosterous plans that we can never get out of (medicare, social security etc.).

Doc, I hope you called the docs. Often they just need to resubmit to BCBS. If that has been done a call to BCBS is in order. We occasionally have to go through this but usually the call to the doc and asking him to refile it with BCBS will get it taken care of.

I'm covered by BCBS of Mass since that's where our headquarters is even though I'm in VA. I know Mass is way different than most states wrt to health insurnace.

I'll suggest that to the Missus. She's been dealing with BC/BS directly about it. Also, it seems like it makes a difference where the claim is processed. If the claim is processed in Florida, we get shafted. If it's processed in North Carolina, we don't.