Thanks to Ronni Bennett for the post notice on this New York Times Article, whereby Democrat Senators Baucus (MT) and Harkin (IA) propose:
Congress is seriously considering proposals to provide tax credits or other subsidies to employers who offer wellness programs that meet federal criteria. In addition, lawmakers said they would make it easier for employers to use financial rewards or penalties to promote healthy behavior among employees.
Exactly how does lowering the risks for, loading the dice in favor of, the insurance companies help American citizens? How is this plan, masquerading under “wellness care” and reward or penalty system any different than the time the insurance company came around and checked out our house and sent notice of non-renewal because our house was in the 30 year-old range that statistics said would start having problems that would cost them?
Insurance premiums are no more than regular protection money paid to an industry that is out to make a huge profit and it’s time that something be done about these mobsters. If the government is indeed going to step in, then don’t play with the mob; take care of health services and the patients, not protection money makers. Besides being an invasion of privacy, a huge step by Big Brother, and offering little to the American people as a benefit, providing carriers additional ‘insurance’ against their risk-taking is an asinine way of solving the problem.
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I’m very disappointed in what seems to be passing for a “new” healthcare plan. And the speed with which it’s being pushed through. Big corporate wins again and individuals lose.
I don’t know why I’m surprised.
Barbara, I doubt that they’ll ever come up with a fair and just program. Politicians are almost always wealthy individuals who have excellent government paid insurance coverage themselves and simply do not understand that there are alternate ways of doing things.