[QUOTE=C280 Sport;2365491]sounds like you'd benefit from socialized medicine. no? like every country in europe, as well as canada?

__________________
"The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread."

I couldn't do it either. I used to teach an undergrad college class at night; that was fun but it was all adults.

[QUOTE=tonkovich;2365676]
No way would I benefit. I would be paying for my family and for someone else. If anything I am getting screwed by the Gov. even more because my taxes will go up.

__________________
2015 ML350 4Matic. Wifes DD
2015 GLK350 4Matic. My winter DD
2012 E350 4Matic. Road Trip car
2009 CLK350 Coupe Designo.Kleemann Tune For nice days/DD
2006 CL600. V12.Eurocharged Tune. Enough said
2005 CLK55 AMG Coupe.Kleemann Tune. For the sound and style
2004 CLK320 Cabriolet. 2005+ Interior swap. For the sunny Florida days & beach days

Poli Sci 101:


Harry Reid: "Ben, I'm one short. What's your price?"
Ben Nelson: "Harry, exempt my state from the Medicare cost increases. Make the other 49 states pick up my tab."
Harry: "Done!"

Nebraska insurers benefit from Nelson's compromiseStory Discussion By NATE JENKINS / Associated Press Writer | Posted: Monday, December 21, 2009 5:35 pm |

Nebraska -- never seen as a key player with special needs in the health care debate -- stands to reap millions of dollars worth of financial goodies should the Senate version of the health care bill get final approval.

Not only did Sen. Ben Nelson help cut a deal that covers the state's Medicare expansion cost of $100 million over 10 years -- all other states will have to help bear their own costs -- insurance companies in Nebraska will get tax and fee breaks.

Insurance giant Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Nebraska, for instance, would pay between $15 million and $20 million less in fees under the Senate bill than it would have without a change the Nebraska Democrat helped broker, according to Nelson's office. Another insurer, Mutual of Omaha, won't have to pay taxes on so-called Medigap insurance that buttresses Medicare insurance used by the elderly. (Change we can believe in boys!)

Unlike the Blue Cross/Blue Shield deal, that tax break will be extended to other companies. Mutual of Omaha spokesman Jim Nolan said he didn't "have a figure to share" about how much the company may save.

A Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Nebraska spokesman estimated that the cost-savings figure released by Nelson's office was probably close to accurate and added that the company didn't ask for the break.

The savings will go directly to consumers, said Pat Bourne, the company's vice president of commercial business and government affairs.

Republicans blasted the perks for Nebraska, saying they were a sign the health care bill couldn't stand on its own merits.

"There should be no special deals, no carve-outs for anyone in this health care bill; not for states, not for insurance companies, not for individual senators," Nebraska Sen. Mike Johanns said.

Nebraska Democrats, meanwhile, defended Nelson, saying he did his job by protecting the state's interests.

"Ben Nelson has done his job, and if anyone has a problem with him, maybe they should take a lesson from him on how to protect ... your state," state Sen. Danielle Conrad said during a rally Monday to support her fellow Democrat.

Should the Senate version get final approval, public perception of the plan could determine the political fate of Nelson, who constantly walks a political tightrope in his conservative, Republican-leaning home state. Nelson is up for re-election in 2012.

The senator was only holding out for a compromise on abortion -- not financial perks for Nebraska -- as the overhaul debate dragged on, said Nelson spokesman Jake Thompson. Nelson held out for weeks until giving Senate Democrats the 60th vote they need to advance a historic package of health care reforms.

Under the abortion compromise, insurers participating in new insurance supermarkets called exchanges could cover the procedure. But in plans covering abortion, individuals would have to pay for it separately so government dollars wouldn't be used for it.

Also, individual states would be able to pass laws prohibiting abortion coverage in the exchange plans.

Nelson is catching plenty of heat for the deal from both sides of the abortion debate. But it's the Medicaid and insurance-tax perks for Nebraska that are drawing either praise or political fire.

The senator was an insurance lawyer and consultant before he entered politics, and he served as executive vice president of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. He was also a former Nebraska insurance commissioner.

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, the insurance industry has contributed more money to Nelson than any other industry over the past five years -- about $650,000.

The senator's spokesman contends there are good policy reasons behind the deals.

Mutual of Omaha and other Medigap providers won't see a surge in customers and revenue because of health care reform, Thompson said. So if Medigap plans aren't exempted from the new industrywide tax on health insurance companies, Medigap recipients would see their premiums rise, he said.

The change for Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Nebraska was negotiated because of a state law that inappropriately taxes the company although it is a not-for-profit, Thompson said. The exemption from paying $15 million to $20 million if the change is made wouldn't be automatic, he said -- the company would have to keep spending on overhead at a minimum to obtain it.

Nelson backers will likely talk less about the insurer deals and more about how state government won't have to pick up Medicaid expansion costs in Nebraska. Over the next decade, state officials estimate about 74,000 more Nebraskans will be covered by Medicaid because of health care reforms.

Late last week before Nelson got the concessions, Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman asked him to vote against the bill because it would increase Medicaid costs. After Nelson got assurances Nebraska wouldn't have to pay for the expansion, the Republican governor wasn't satisfied.

Heineman said Monday the Medicaid expansion was one of several problems he has with the overhaul bill and that Nelson's deal doesn't allay his concerns because he believes all states should get the same treatment.

In response to Heineman's opposition, Nelson fired off a letter to the governor saying he's prepared to ask that the provision covering Nebraska's Medicaid share be removed "if it is your desire."
http://www.journalstar.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_796b287c-ee89-11de-a5e7-001cc4c002e0.html

So you do tanning beds?

You were against all of it. You wanted Obama to fail. Even tho your political faction turned it's back on the entire process, you now want to complain about what is in the bill, as if the small details, like the piddling $10 million a year Nebraska will get, ever mattered to you - what really mattered to you was destroying Obama. Your faction offered no amendments, and offered no compromises in return for votes. This is how your strategy worked out: in the end, the bill became a compromise among Democrats, who won an election and according to our Constitution, represented the majority of the people with their vote. You people wanted no part of that. Tough cookies, dude.

The problem with the HC-Fiasco is that the Senate let everyone behind the curtain to see how it's done.

More so than "O" did or allowed...

And the House was nothing more than a bunch of ants on a sugar cube...

Anyway you look at it, the AVERAGE tax-payer is going to take it in the shorts, whether he/she uses the
HC or not...

And, like anything the boobermint is involved in, someone will make millions off of it and the rest of us
will have to pay for the "mistake" - no one, except the little guy, will go to jail.

And the rest of us? The HC we've become accustomed to, will disappear altogether.

We'll end up visiting our neighborhood McPhysician (or McPractiNurse) and go through the "menu of
maladies" 'til we find what ails us, then tell the McWhatevers where it hurts, they'll hand us 2 aspirins and
tell us to "...call someone who cares, in the morning..."

But we'll feel good 'cause we have NATIONAL HEALTHCARE that covers everyone....

BFD...

__________________

M. G. Burg
'10 - Dakota SXT - Daily Ride / ≈ 172.5K
.'76 - 450SLC - 107.024.12 / < .89.20 K
..'77 - 280E - 123.033.12 / > 128.20 K
...'67 - El Camino - 283ci / > 207.00 K
....'75 - Yamaha - 650XS / < 21.00 K
.....'87 - G20 Sportvan / > 206.00 K
......'85 - 4WINNS 160 I.O. / 140hp
.......'74 - Honda CT70 / Real 125
.
“I didn’t really say everything I said.”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ~ Yogi Berra ~

^ like I said, you guys are all about failure.

I'm not a big fan of the plan either, but in reality none of us will notice the difference unless we are uninsured. Some of us will pay more taxes, what else is new?

The boobermint sucks.

__________________

M. G. Burg
'10 - Dakota SXT - Daily Ride / ≈ 172.5K
.'76 - 450SLC - 107.024.12 / < .89.20 K
..'77 - 280E - 123.033.12 / > 128.20 K
...'67 - El Camino - 283ci / > 207.00 K
....'75 - Yamaha - 650XS / < 21.00 K
.....'87 - G20 Sportvan / > 206.00 K
......'85 - 4WINNS 160 I.O. / 140hp
.......'74 - Honda CT70 / Real 125
.
“I didn’t really say everything I said.”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ~ Yogi Berra ~

Conversely, YOU were all so supportive the the previous administration, weren't you.

Its NOT personal this wanting Obama to fail. Its political--I want ALL his extremist policies and redirection of this country to fail. Personally, I hope he lives a long and healthy life outside the political spotlight.

Are you proud that the Senate Bill has provisions buried in it that makes it impossible to repeal certain portions of it? Where is all that openness, that change for the better, that candidate Obama promised?

Enjoy the political victory.

My hope is that it is a short term victory at most. The people will not long tolerate tyranny, once they understand it.

__________________
1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

M. G. Burg,

Do you actally believe any of that, or are you just doing your part to generate FUD?

If you disagree with the bill (either version), take some time to learn what it actally contains and make a rational argument.

The boobermint sucks.

__________________

M. G. Burg
'10 - Dakota SXT - Daily Ride / ≈ 172.5K
.'76 - 450SLC - 107.024.12 / < .89.20 K
..'77 - 280E - 123.033.12 / > 128.20 K
...'67 - El Camino - 283ci / > 207.00 K
....'75 - Yamaha - 650XS / < 21.00 K
.....'87 - G20 Sportvan / > 206.00 K
......'85 - 4WINNS 160 I.O. / 140hp
.......'74 - Honda CT70 / Real 125
.
“I didn’t really say everything I said.”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ~ Yogi Berra ~

If anyone else knows what he's talking about, could they please translate?

What??

__________________
2015 ML350 4Matic. Wifes DD
2015 GLK350 4Matic. My winter DD
2012 E350 4Matic. Road Trip car
2009 CLK350 Coupe Designo.Kleemann Tune For nice days/DD
2006 CL600. V12.Eurocharged Tune. Enough said
2005 CLK55 AMG Coupe.Kleemann Tune. For the sound and style
2004 CLK320 Cabriolet. 2005+ Interior swap. For the sunny Florida days & beach days