Buried in the Pelosi Bill
Medical liability alternative incentives, BUT “a state is not eligible for the incentive payments if that state puts a law on the books that limits attorneys’ fees or imposes caps on damages.”
Repeal of antitrust exemption for health insurers. CBO: “To the extent that insurers would become subject to additional litigation, their costs and thus their premiums might increase.”
Feds will be able to negotiate Medicare drug prices. Under their deal with Obama, drug makers agreed to give up about $80 billion in revenue over the next 10 years. The House bill — reneging on their agreement — would cost the drug industry about $140 billion over that period.
It doesn’t get any prettier as the details emerge.
111 new agencies? It gives a whole new meaning to the idea of a GOVERNMENT TAKEOVER OF THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.
Ken, it’s how they plan to make the health care system more efficient.
I loved your posting titled Free the Doctors. I used the same title on a posting on my blog a few weeks ago and have added a posting linking readers to your essay. http://www.permanentfixes.com/2009/11/doctors-vs-lawyers-fixed-game-on.html
Um, McDonald’s in my area already post calories in the restaurant. Plus it is on the web.
A Big Mac has 540 calories. And is a good deal if you are hungry and don’t have a lot of money.
The staffers who cobbled this stuff together apparently think that the general population is too dumb to know that two all beef patties, special sauce, etc. doesn’t have more calories than a spinach salad?
They need to read more women’s magazines.
Plus, as you have pointed out before, Linda, calories are not a bad thing. They are a good thing — in moderation. They keep us alive.
Look for what’s not in the bill and you’ll see the revocation of consumers right to hold certain insurers accountable in court. Sovereign immunity is not waived in the legislation, as Congress may per the U.S. Constitution, so the public option insurer will enjoy immunity from litigation. When someone gets sicker or dies because of wrongful decisions, policy and regulations by bureaucrats they will not be held accountable in courts. This is tort reform that gives public insurance protection private insurance companies do not have.