Not all doctors support Obama’s healthcare reform plan
Today | City Wire staff
Not all doctors support Obama’s healthcare reform plan
by The City Wire staff on Wed, 07/22/2009 - 9:18am.
Two Fort Smith doctors support the survey findings of a group who say a majority of U.S. physicians are opposed to Pres. Barack Obama’s healthcare reform proposal.
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“The AMA does NOT represent any of us, and very few of us are actually members,” Stewart said in an e-mail interview with The City Wire.
Stewart, who says he has read the more than 1,000-page healthcare reform bill, pointed out several areas he thinks are flawed.
“Obama is consistently politicizing two points: (1) If you're happy with your current plan, then we're gonna let you keep it. (2) This healthcare plan is gonna be deficit neutral. I won't sign anything that isn't.
“On (1) — liar, liar. The bill outlaws private insurance within 5 years. On day 1, in order for ANY current plans to remain legal then they have to meet three points: no new enrollees, no benefit changes, no premium changes — if they violate any one of the three, then they are illegal. This system is to ‘grandfather’ them in, but it expires within 5 years. After 5 years, then ALL health plans are required to be in compliance with Federal mandates on "basic" coverage, no exceptions. So, essentially, private contracts between an individual or business and and insurance company will be illegal.
“On (2) — not a lie, but a disaster. He's right, they will ensure that per CBO numbers, it will be deficit neutral ... not that it won't be in deficit, but that it won't INCREASE the deficit. Basically, the Federal government pushes it off onto businesses and the States as a mandate.”