Insure TN is Obamacare, period!

Insure Tn is  Obamacare, period!

2/3/15
0802 am

Dress it up anyway you want!

Call it whatever you want!

Lie and deceive your constituency all you want.

Insure TN is Obamacare.

Congressman Scott Dejarlais, TN 4th District had this to say about Insure TN recently. He is a Doctor in the state of Tennessee and I would call him an expert on the subject.

“Governor Haslam’s Insure Tennessee proposal accepts federal funds in exchange for adopting Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion.”

” And while both the governor’s office and the Tennessean editorial board would like to claim Insure Tennessee is not Obamacare, that is simply not true.”

“Think about it: without Obamacare there would be no funding source for Insure Tennessee.” “The two programs are inextricably intertwined.”

“The governor’s proposal relies on the federal government to provide funding through the Affordable Care Act for 100 percent of the program until 2020, when Tennessee will be required to pay for 10 percent.”

“To complicate matters further, our debt is not the only threat to the future of this funding. ”

“My conservative colleagues in Congress are desperately working to abolish the Affordable Care Act – the very program the governor is relying on to subsidize INSURE TENNESSEE.”

“This sets up a situation where if Obamacare is repealed it will essentially be putting our state’s finances in jeopardy.”

“The governor is quick to say INSURE TENNESSEE is merely a pilot program and after two years HHS has assured his administration Tennessee will be able to end the program if we find it is not right for our state.”

“First, HHS is not an agency we should put much faith in as was seen in their complete mishandling of Obamacare’s rollout.”

“Second, it is extremely difficult to name a single government program that once established was eventually repealed.”

“The general rule is that once government establishes a program, it is usually here to stay.” he concluded in a recent interview. (Source below)

Haslam, Kevin Brooks and others have repeatedly said Insure TN is not Obamacare!  

This is a lie!

In an interview Q and A with the Cleveland Daily Banner recently State Representative 24 District Kevin Brooks talked about Insure Tn, defending claims by the Koch Brothers and AFP that he has betrayed Tennesseans by now supporting Obamacare in our state, a claim he denies.

His statements below sure sound like he is sold on Insure Tn, ie, Obamacare. But a vote occurs today and we will see.

Brooks says “I would not be surprised if this is one of at least two special sessions — one to turn the switch on and another to see if we want to continue or flip the switch off,” Brooks said. “That’s why I can say this is not Obamacare. Yes, there’s care, but it’s an attempt to ensure that Tennesseans have a healthy future and it won’t be costly.”

He went on to deceptively say ““This plan is Tennessee-unique and Tennessee-specific. It is not Obamacare,” Brooks said. “You cannot call it Obamacare; it is a health care plan to help these 200,000 Tennesseans that currently do not have health insurance. It is not going to cost Tennesseans any of their state tax dollars.” 

Brooks went on to say support has been overwhelming for him and is taking the AFP/Koch Brothers  attacks on him as personal, like a David and Goliath epic biblical struggle. 

I can assure you this is strictly political. A personal attack makes no sense. What benefit would it be to the Koch Brothers for this to be personal? He voted he did not want Obamacare in the state a few months ago and now it appears he does want Obamacare in the state. This isn’t personal, it’s political. This is strictly a discussion of your voting record.

I predict Brooks will probably go with Haslam and vote for the measure and the deceptive delays and avoidances will be just that.

What does the 24th District Tn State Representative expect will happen to his constituency when and if it passes and then “we” decide we do not “like” it? 

Those 200,000 plus you insured through Obamacare gets dropped and are returned to their previous uninsured status. This will leave veterans, disabled, elderly and poor people without insurance again. Wanna talk about “injury?” Giving, then taking away is pretty harmful to a group of constituents if you ask me. Then let’s not even discuss what it will cost those constituents in the form of higher taxes or what it could do to our budget.

Why not take our state back and find a workable situation to provide healthcare without a 1.4 billion price tag per year? Why not give them some longevity with their care? How about putting a think tank together and come up with solutions outside of Obamacare and the federal government?

To continue to say this is not Obamacare is irresponsible and puts  hundreds of thousands of Tennesseans at a disadvantage.

Attorney General Herbert Slattery was recently asked to give his opinion of the Haslam/Obama Insure plan. I understand Mr Slattery to be a friend and ex co-worker of Bill Haslam. He had this to say about Insure Tn, although, I doubt he knew he was not helping Haslams argument for Insure Tn. With that said, I doubt you will hear Haslam or Brooks reciting this opinion recently provided by Slattery.

In his opinion, Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery says “the state can expand health care coverage through the Affordable Care Act and eventually revoke that coverage if it follows correct procedures.”

“Tennessee may expand its Medicaid program through the Affordable Care Act — also known as OBAMACARE — and discontinue that program in the future.”

He continues on page 5, paragraph 3, Slattery confirmed, although Haslam/Brooks has been denying:  Medicaid expansion as that proposed in Insure TN is, in fact — Obamacare.  

“The authority to create Insure TN is authorized and paid for by the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and is administered under the rules as laid down by the ACA”(Obamacare).

“All states looking to expand their Medicaid coverage in any way using funds made available by the Affordable Care Act must submit a proposal to federal health officials”

“The opinion clearly notes the plan expands coverage through the Affordable Care Act….”the state can expand health care coverage through the Affordable Care Act and eventually revoke that coverage if it follows correct procedures.”

This AG opinion sheds no doubt that this plan expands coverage through the Affordable Care Act, ie, Obamacare.

INSURE TN IS OBAMACARE!!!

Let’s pretend a Doctor who happens to be a Congressman in the 4th District and  true conservative is lying when he says Insure Tn is Obamacare.

Let’s also pretend that AG Slattery who also happens to be a friend and ex coworker of Haslams is also wrong.  We e are left with few options but to look at the plan and see it’s reliance upon Obamacare for it’s existence.

Remember, even Haslam or Brooks doesnt fully know what is in the plan but lets look at what we do know.

 Is this beginning to sound familiar? Let’s vote on it then we read it? Can we channel a little Pelosi anyone?

1) It encourages enrollment of able bodied, childless healthy young people that can sustain health and to focus on preventative health. Basically to consume little healthcare and to pay for those that are sick, just like Obamacare.

2) The Governor cannot unilaterally say Insure Tn can happen, he must have the legislatures approval.

3) “Haslam touts his “verbal agreement” with the Obama administration as a “market-based Tennessee solution”

4) The plan details are not easily accessible.

5) The majority would consume healthcare as a regular Tn Care patient but many could receive federal subsidies to offset employee sponsored healthcare coverage, just like Obamacare.

6) individuals below the poverty line would pay no premium and would pay a nominal co pay for prescription drugs. Sounding familiar?

7) Those above the poverty line would pay nominal co pays. A 20-25 dollar suggestion premium with no teeth or penalty if you don’t pay. Sound like socialism?

8)  Haslam offers a benefit package for those in good health just like managed care organizations have done for years and yes like Obamacare. The real challenge do those at the poverty level have the motivation or means to practice “healthy practices” or do they as witnessed continue to consume non frugally because it’s basically “free healthcare”, like Obamacare?

9) It is subject to the same cost sharing limits as traditional Medicaid, utilizes the same existing Medicaid system to deliver the same services and benefits as Medicaid.

10) The plan would operate under a Medicaid waiver, require an amended state Medicaid plan to implement and would be funded through the Medicaid plan, just like Obama intended from the beginning.

11) Is 100 percent funded through the federal government via the ACA, Obamacare till 2020. What if Obamacare is rescinded, I don’t wanna discuss those ramifications and cost to the state. This is a 100 percent cost to you the TN taxpayer. 

Remember Medicaid expansion in the early 1990s resulted in 300 percent debt above expected costs and enrollment shoving the state into near bankruptcy, a failing credit rating, a near state income tax and consumption of nearly 40 percent of the states total budget? 

The trouble with “free healthcare” under a state plan via Obamacare is exactly that, it’s free!

If you throw out a free state program via the federal government to those who unfortunately have very little, it will be ravenously and uncontrollably consumed. Consumed much like a wild animal being thrown a steak.

Costs will sore, few will restrain. At this point we may very well pull coverage from those who truly need it because we have a plan that does not reward low consumption, but encourages consumption. 

The corporations involved only make money when resources are consumed and believe me this will be encouraged. There is no incentive not to consume or penalty for doing so. The free fall begins!

The recipients of free healthcare see this as an entitlement and under these conditions cost control will not happen nor will over consumption be squelched. Costs will inevitably be beyond state budget restraints.

This formula being devised by Haslam and with the action oriented support of State Representative Kevin Brooks is a recipe for disaster and begs one to ask why would you want Obamacare in TN when just a few months ago you didn’t want it? My guess is follow the money, it may make all this very clear.

Regardless if you believe this blog and it’s culmination of facts, whether you believe Obama, Haslam or Brooks, INSURE TN, ie, OBAMACARE is bad for Tennessee.

INSURE TN IS OBAMACARE!!!

The opposite is being echoed by Haslam and Brooks!

Sources of info: 

I want to thank Forbes, the Cleveland Daily Banner, The Tennessean, all web solutions, Congressman Dejarlais, Rocky Top Politics and all others for their excellent coverage of this subject and the most excellent resource for my talking points. Please support these media outlets and visit their sites frequently. 

http://www.tennessean.com/story/opinion/contributors/2015/01/31/insure-tennessee-funds-linked-obamacare/22596057/

http://www.forbes.com/sites/theapothecary/2014/12/18/insure-tn-will-assure-more-obamacare-in-tennessee/

AG Slattery opinion “it is Obamacare”
http://www.allwebsolutions.net/politics/ag-state-can-expand-medicaid-through-insure-tennessee/

http://rockytoppolitics.com/

Obamacare website dysfunction is least of our worries, the entire system is missing

Obamacare website dysfunction is least of our worries, the entire system is missing

12/04/13

Today ex-President Bill Clinton said that when the healthcare website is fixed in the next few months, few will even be talking about Obamacare.

The ease of this coming out of his mouth is remarkable, for I am sure it was nearsighted and biased based on his support for the president, his plan and his party.

Short term and long term future projections of problems are glaring. Let’s look at a few issues facing the facilitation and implementation of Obamacare.

On January 14, unless something drastically happens the employer mandate will go away. 80 million more Americans will lose their healthcare plans with their employer. Your employer can do away with the shared subsidy that has burdened them for years, essentially putting millions back into the company and shifting the burden to the employee, who is forced to purchase a plan from a government exchange at a higher rate. This simple maneuver by big business and supported by the Chamber of Commerce speaks volumes of their self interest in catering to this plan. It fully explains the deafening silence from big business. Small business, so what, they are an after thought in this process and portray themselves as the red headed step child that has been thrown from the supportive teet.

The newly revealed aggregation rule is going to stifle small business and further place a financial burden on those struggling to survive in today’s economy. For instance, if a small business backs down to 45 employees to dodge the forced purchase of healthcare and hires part-time employees but aggregates or accumulated to an equal of 5 FTEs or full time equivalents they meet the 50 employee threshold and will be forced to purchase insurance for all. 

Young adults are running from Obamacare in droves. Mostly this age group coming out from under the 26 year old protection plan of their parents will soon be out on their own facing huge premiums and less care with extremely high deductibles. So much that many will only pay deductible expenses for their healthcare, essentially seeing no benefit from their plan, assuming they choose to participate.

20 percent of young folks say they are likely to sign up for Obamacare. Which means 80 percent are not going to sign up which spells failure. The young are graduating from school with a burdensome student loan debt, starting a family, buying a home and are in relatively good health. They are not going to be inclined to pay premiums that are 200 to 300 percent more expensive than it was a year ago. 

Less numbers means higher premiums! Fewer people in the share pool will only raise premiums and limit choice. Obamacare reporetdly needs 100 million people enrolled and paying high premiums for the plan to work, to start paying for itself. The risk of less is costly and will drive higher premiums with progressively less and less healthcare choice. If young people dont assume the burden and purchase the insurance, it only makes sense that those enrolled shoulder the burden regardless of their age or ability to pay. This is the death spiral we speak of.

The risk pool is thin. Insuring pre-existing conditions and covering all disease types leaves many layers of risk meaning needs will out live the money pool. Many with disabilities and debilitating pre existing conditions will run to Obamacare because they see it as a bargain, which will drain the system inside a thin risk pool. This measure will drive higher cost and result in higher sharing of that cost on you.

States are not even ready for the onslaught. Tennessee for example, elected not to participate in the federal exchange and opted to allow the government to control the state. Two things stand in the way of this happening. Tennessee is not ready to handle the government enforcing Obamacare and TN has no known plan in place to implement the needed demands of Obamacare. We do not even have a website or a process in place to handle the claims. To complement this statement,  we have to date refused to expand Tenncare, an essential component that could contribute to the success of Obamacare, but remains costly.

When you do sign up there is really nothing more contained within than that. You have signed up. Period! There should really be no discussion beyond this point. But I will digress.

Hospitals are not prepared for implementation of Obamacare. No plans are in place to facilitate the movement of patients through a system designed on Obamacare. No plans whatsoever. Hospitals and providers squawk about the plans but no government sponsored “magic” pill has been delivered. Healthcare providers are moving along the same course and acting as if we are in the same system as before. Nothing had changed that is visible. No education to the public, staff or providers within that system being relied upon to enact and enforce this dreadful system. And this system was accepted in 2010.

Accounting software, enforcement guidelines, payment structure, reimbursement, legal challenges, nothing is in place. The healthcare system is not prepared and things are not in place to get it done.

There is no overseeing authority communicating between the local level, state level or federal level. So far, it’s just been said do it but no one is doing anything, or more accurately no one knows what to do.

The idea of redistributing the wealth on a large scale is not enticing to those having to pay for it. The old saying is that under socialism, you eventually run out of other people’s money. You take from the old, give to the young, wealthy to the poor, those who have to those have not. Many Americans are simply sending a message that we will not continue to pay for someone else or will not participate. Not signing up is a strong message that something is awry.

Small business will take a beating! The concept that large corporations will be protected while small business gets the shaft. This goes in the same vein as redistribution of wealth. This coupled with increasing minimum wage will shut down jobs and businesses all over the nation. Can we see what is happening here folks? The president is implementing the Cloward-Piven strategy that he was mentored to implement. Overwhelm the system till she collapses, then rebuild it, with total dependence on the government.

Just wait till the population that does participate begins to see the problems inside the system and realizes the many promises unkept. A backlash and further dis-enrollment surely to follow.

Out of network caregivers are going to inconvenience and baffle many that are wanting to keep their doctor. Many within the area are and will be seeing a Dr perhaps in Nashville or Memphis. Can you imagine going to see your Dr in Nashville, crossing Monteagle Mountain and hitting the traffic to find your out of network provider for a cold or to refill a prescription.

We do not have a subsidy verification system in place. No computer system that links with our government on any level. There is no communication or grids that can be followed, just a phone call remains as the only way to communicate and if you have ever tried to get a procedure approved or a bill payed by phone you know what a headache that is.

Insurance companies are now going to be given subsidies based on an honor system with insurance companies where insurance companies take taxpayer money to provide healthcare and then settle the difference on the backside. Can you imagine with this fluid reimbursement structure the wide variability in reimbursement causing a great fluctuality in payment and fee schedules? 

Patients are showing up at hospitals with the self conceived concept that they will be turned away or asked to go to another hospital for their care because perhaps this particular hospital didn’t cover their care or they were not covered by Obamacare. As we speak some hospitals are starting to turn patients away based on the demands of Obamacare.

The upwards of 20 or more new taxes made to pay for or fund are not palatable to many folks moving forward. Less money in your pocket is never acceptable.

Doctors are not gonna bother with the insurance obstacles, going to cash for service. Completely bypassing the system. It’s already happening.

The end product is Americans are without more of their hard earned dollars and the government is taking it! 

It does not get more simple than this!  

We are being raped of our healthcare and we are being forced to like it or suffer.
 
We think that fixing the website will fix Obamacare, think again!

This is only a distraction. 

It is not the real issue. The “guts” the “nuts and bolts” are missing. The plan has been spoken but nothing else. 

It has been revealed today that Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of HHS, only met with president Obama one time before the launch of the ACA, ie, Obamacare website. This is somehow not surprising. The whole system is lacking detail. No plan is in place whatsoever!

Obamacare is crumbling, it’s in a death spiral and you are on the receiving end of it.

Contact your elected officials. Your vote and voice is the only one that can change things.

Local “political activist” for Obamacare apparently has glitches of his own

Local “political activist” for Obamacare apparently has glitches of his own

The truth is surfacing about a recent article in the Chattanooga Times Free Press just released.

Many news outlets in just a few hours are reporting on the successes of a young Flintstone Georgia boy Chad Henderson and him overcoming many glitches to become the poster boy for Obamacare and the reasons we all should sign up for it immediately.

Initially, the story reported that Mr Henderson after many attempts had overcome many “glitches” and “obstacles” to finally sign up for 
Obamacare, becoming the only one to do so successfully in the area.

His hard fought battle has a few glitches of it’s own, many sources are revealing.

It appears and the sources are literally minutes old but seem to be credible that this story may not be what it seems.

News of this story is trending on multi media websites and as personal affirmations and investigations are revealing that this story has many holes.

It appears this young man has been duped and made a poster boy by the main stream media and the left to satisfy their desire to advance the healthcare reform message.

 The media seemed to be dead set in being the first to get a story out about the successes of signing up for Obamacare and have fallen short of their own expectations.

According to the sources below and on social media, Chad Henderson was a volunteer for Organized for America, later renamed Organized for Action, a big corporate lobbying group for Obamacare Healthcare implementation.

It is also being reported that in spite how the story is being reported his father, Bill Henderson,states that to his knowledge, his son has not signed up for Obamacare and the only thing he signed up for was Organized for Action.

He has been quoted as saying he has  not signed up for Obamacare but has filled out a questionnaire, but intends to get coverage soon.

My first contact with this story left me thinking, why would a college student, political activist, political analyst of 21 years old be happy about surrendering up to 25 percent of his income to the Obamacare forced mandate in the form of another tax, referring to a 200 dollar a month premium for healthcare coverage. 

A quick glimpse of his social media sites showed this young man has been set up to be a pawn for a while. His appointments by Bob Corker, his voting debut for Obama, his activity with Lead America, Organized for America and his trip to China as a local ambassador to China has set him up for this debacle being played out in the media today.

I find it peculiar and sad that the MSM has apparently used this young man as a poster boy for the argument for and against healthcare implementation. 

The portrayal of this young man as the way we should do things says volumes about the ethics within solid reporting and the responsibility that goes with it.

This boy seems vulnerable and naive to the great big world of media manipulation and the gain they surely hoped to receive from it in the form of selling the news and advancing the message of the left.

I genuinely feel for this young man as he discovers that the people who choose to spotlight him for a news story do not consider the ramifications and downside of a news story perhaps placed in haste fail to see the downside of errant reporting or inaccurate reporting. In the same sense, I feel he has failed to realize that making a political statement without the supporting actions is a dangerous game to play.

I sincerely consider the welfare of this boy and hope he has a supportive and engaging family as his world may change forever as the “big stage” media gets ahold of this an exploits him as a vile person.

Hopefully, the lesson learned for this boy is never step into the spotlight and not realize that the reason you are there is to be a sacrificial lamb of the media to advance a political agenda.

God Bless you Chad, I believe the next few weeks will be tough for you as you step from a political healthcare hero to an unaware, perhaps a somewhat willing participant shill for the Obama Regime.

http://timesfreepress.com/news/2013/oct/04/obamacare-or-bust-chattanooga-area-man-perseveres/?news

http://poorrichardsnews.com/post/63094483333/father-of-obamacare-success-story-says-his-son-hasnt

http://m.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theblaze.com%2Fstories%2F2013%2F10%2F04%2Fnews-outlets-flocking-to-new-obamacare-enrollee-whos-so-freakin-excited-but-theres-a-catch%2F&h=eAQHaIUCS&s=1

http://m.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2013%2F10%2Fsurprise-obamacare-poster-boy-is-an-organizing-for-america-volunteer%2F&h=RAQGMIjBw&s=1

http://m.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Freason.com%2Farchives%2F2013%2F10%2F04%2Fobamacare-chad-henderson-father&h=RAQGMIjBw&s=1

http://m.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fm.washingtonpost.com%2Fblogs%2Fwonkblog%2Fwp%2F2013%2F10%2F04%2Fis-obamacares-celebrity-enrollee-actually-signed-up%2F&h=wAQGAfM2I&s=1

BCN side note:

I am really sorry that this lad has been manipulated in this way. I hope him the best and he truly seems like a great kid. I only wish he had not gotten drawn into this drama.

The article above is only my opinion based on facts reported from other media sites. I have not been able to to contact Mr Henderson as yet but certainly hope too and hear us story directly.

My information is based solely on my skills of observation, personal research and my reliance of the main stream media to form my opinion.

Have a blessed day.

Obama launches 23 executive orders to advance gun control agenda

Hot off the presses: Obama launches 23 executive orders to advance gun control agenda!

The president of the United States just issued 23 new executive orders to push his socialistic agenda of eventually taking your gun rights away from free Americans.

In a press release the White House issued a complete list of orders that will lead to banning guns in the US forever and eroding our constitutional, God given rights.

Our country is in the midst of a complete transition to a socialistic dictatorship. Our forseeable legacy and sadly so we are inevitably going to be known as the generation that let our country and it’s greatness collapse right along with it’s freedoms.

We cannot allow this to happen! Contact your Congress men and women, Senators and Governors and demand they stop this dictator NOW!

We are no longer in a might or conspiratorial mode, we are in it’s happening as you read this. Our country and it’s Socialist Dictator is making his move. We have stood back and observed long enough. We must get our elected body to once again represent the people. We must save this great country! What a shame to see her fold!

Take a look at these extensive executive orders. It seems he is going after our guns with the mental health care issues. Ever had a breakdown? Ever just talked with a psych Dr? Have PTSD? Take psych meds? On Ritalin? Antidepressant? Yeah thats a great deal of Americans. And guess what? He is using Obamacare, aka, the Affordable Care Act to access your records to clear you for your ability to carry a gun!

Concerned now? Best be! Gonna be alot of changes you are not going to like. Going to be a real tough pill to swallow.

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
EMBARGOED UNTIL THE START OF THE PRESIDENT’S REMARKS
January 16, 2013

Gun Violence Reduction Executive Actions
Today, the President is announcing that he and the Administration will:

1. Issue a Presidential Memorandum to require federal agencies to make relevant data available to the federal background check system.

2. Address unnecessary legal barriers, particularly relating to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, that may prevent states from making information available to the background check system.

3. Improve incentives for states to share information with the background check system.

4. Direct the Attorney General to review categories of individuals prohibited from having a gun to make sure dangerous people are not slipping through the cracks.

5. Propose rulemaking to give law enforcement the ability to run a full background check on an individual before returning a seized gun.

6. Publish a letter from ATF to federally licensed gun dealers providing guidance on how to run background checks for private sellers.

7. Launch a national safe and responsible gun ownership campaign.

8. Review safety standards for gun locks and gun safes (Consumer Product Safety Commission).

9. Issue a Presidential Memorandum to require federal law enforcement to trace guns recovered in criminal investigations.

10. Release a DOJ report analyzing information on lost and stolen guns and make it widely available to law enforcement.

11. Nominate an ATF director.

12. Provide law enforcement, first responders, and school officials with proper training for active shooter situations.

13. Maximize enforcement efforts to prevent gun violence and prosecute gun crime.

14. Issue a Presidential Memorandum directing the Centers for Disease Control to research the causes and prevention of gun violence.

15. Direct the Attorney General to issue a report on the availability and most effective use of new gun safety technologies and challenge the private sector to develop innovative technologies.

16. Clarify that the Affordable Care Act does not prohibit doctors asking their patients about guns in their homes.

17. Release a letter to health care providers clarifying that no federal law prohibits them from reporting threats of violence to law enforcement authorities.

18. Provide incentives for schools to hire school resource officers.

19. Develop model emergency response plans for schools, houses of worship and institutions of higher education.

20. Release a letter to state health officials clarifying the scope of mental health services that Medicaid plans must cover.

21. Finalize regulations clarifying essential health benefits and parity requirements within ACA exchanges.

22. Commit to finalizing mental health parity regulations.

23. Launch a national dialogue led by Secretaries Sebelius and Duncan on mental health.