McCollum’s folly: Florida Republicans will try and secede from healthcare reform

March 22, 2010 · Posted in Florida, Healthcare reform, Politics 

First came A.G. Bill McCollum’s announcement that he’ll lead a multi-state lawsuit to try and deprive his state’s residents of the healthcare reforms just passed by Congress. Now, McCollum’s friends in the state legislature are following suit. From a release by House Democrats today:

This afternoon, Florida House Republicans in Tallahassee will promote HJR37, a proposed constitutional amendment to secede from federal efforts to reform the nation’s health care system. Seriously deceptive and flawed in its design, the unconstitutional Republican legislation sets the groundwork for any number of future efforts to cut senior citizens access to health care.

“House Republican leaders are once again siding with special interests and trying to kill major health care reforms approved by Congress,” said House Democratic Leader Franklin Sands. “Floridians will reject any attempt to destroy important federal health programs like Medicare, Social Security, and the changes passed by Congress this week. The Republicans’ scare tactics have failed before and their scare tactics will fail again.”

UPDATE: Marco Rubio gets himself a “repeal the bill” petition, in what I suppose is a send-up to the Meek campaign? I wonder how many Floridians will sign it, and whether Team Rubio will be more forthcoming about the names and totals than they have been with info about his party credit card spending …

Republicans are pushing the bill despite the fact that, according to the release:

·        Two of five Floridians have inadequate access to basic health care;

·        24 Percent of Floridians are uninsured;

·        8 million Floridians are medically disenfranchised;

·        Every Florida county is considered medically underserved.

The proposed bill reads as follows:

JOINT RESOLUTION   by Plakon and Workman and Ray (CO-SPONSORS) Adams; Adkins; Ambler; Bovo; Burgin; Carroll; Coley; Crisafulli; Culp; Domino; Dorworth; Drake; Eisnaugle; Evers; Flores; Ford; Fresen; Frishe; Glorioso; Grady; Hays; Holder; Homan; Hooper; Horner; Hudson; Hukill; Kelly; Kreegel; Legg; Mayfield; McBurney; Murzin; Nehr; Nelson; O’Toole; Patronis; Poppell; Precourt; Proctor; Renuart; Robaina; Roberson, K.; Schenck; Snyder; Stargel; Thompson, N.; Tobia; Troutman; Van Zant; Weatherford; Weinstein; Williams, T.; Wood; Zapata Health Care Services: Proposes creation of s. 28, Art. X of State Constitution to prohibit laws or rules from compelling any person, employer, or health care provider to participate in any health care system; permit person or employer to purchase lawful health care services directly from health care provider; permit health care provider to accept direct payment from person or employer for lawful health care services; exempt persons, employers, & health care providers from penalties & fines for paying or accepting direct payment for lawful health care services; permit purchase or sale of health insurance in private health care systems; & specifies what amendment does not affect or prohibit.

Of course, the problem is that state laws cannot trump federal ones, so such a law would have no effect. Still, for Republicans, this is all about the politics, no matter what Bill McCollum says. So what are they trying to exempt Floridians from? Here’s a summary. The highlights:

  • You can keep your current plan— or —you can buy coverage through new state-run insurance marketplaces, called “exchanges,” starting in 2014.
  • You will pay less for preventive care and prescription drugs. Your benefits might change if you are insured through a private Medicare Advantage plan.
  • If on Medicaid, you and your children can maintain eligibility and receive free preventive services.
  • Young people can remain on their parents’ insurance through age 26.
  • Adults – States cannot cut people from Medicaid until the exchanges start operating in 2014, unless a state faces a budget shortfall. Many preventive services would be offered without cost.
  • Children – States cannot cut children from Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program until 2019.
  • If you are refused coverage because of your health, you can get insurance from a new high-risk pool (or through Medicaid)
  • If your employer does not cover you, and you make too much to qualify for Medicaid, you can buy from private insurers through exchanges starting in 2014.
  • Insurance companies will no longer be able to deny people coverage based on age or health status, nor can they impose lifetime caps on the use of the coverage.

A bit more, courtesy of Organizing for America:

1.      SMALL BUSINESS TAX CREDITS — Offers tax credits to small businesses to make employee coverage more affordable.  Tax credits of up to 35 percent of premiums will be immediately available to firms that choose to offer coverage.  Effective beginning for calendar year 2010. (Beginning in 2014, the small business tax credits will cover 50 percent of premiums.)

2.      BEGINS TO CLOSE THE MEDICARE PART D DONUT HOLE-Provides a $250 rebate to Medicare beneficiaries who hit the donut hole in 2010.  Effective for calendar year 2010. (Beginning in 2011, institutes a 50% discount on brand-name drugs in the donut hole; also completely closes the donut hole by 2020.)

3.      FREE PREVENTIVE CARE UNDER MEDICARE-Eliminates copayments for preventive services and exempts preventive services from deductibles under the Medicare program.  Effective beginning January 1, 2011.

4.      HELP FOR EARLY RETIREES-Creates a temporary insurance program (until the Exchanges are available) to help offset the costs of expensive premiums for employers and retirees for health benefits for retirees age 55to 64.  Effective 90 days after enactment.

5.      ENDS RESCISSIONS-Bans insurance companies from dropping people from coverage when they get sick.  Effective 6 months after enactment.

6.      NO DISCRIMINATION AGAINST CHILDREN WITH PRE EXISTING CONDITIONS-Prohibits new health plans in all markets plus grandfathered group health plans from denying coverage to children with preexisting conditions.  Effective 6 months after enactment. (Beginning in 2014, this prohibition would apply to all persons.)

7.      BANS LIFETIME LIMITS ON COVERAGE-Prohibits health insurance companies from placing lifetime caps on coverage.  Effective 6 months after enactment.

8.      BANS RESTRICTIVE ANNUAL LIMITS ON COVERAGE-Tightly restricts the use of annual limits to ensure access to needed care in all new plans and grandfathered group health plans.  These tight restrictions will be defined by HHS.  Effective 6 months after enactment. (Beginning in 2014, the use of any annual limits would be prohibited for all new plans and grandfathered group health plans.)

9.      FREE PREVENTIVE CARE UNDER NEW PRIVATE PLANS-Requires new private plans to cover preventive services with no copayments and with preventive services being exempt from deductibles.  Effective 6 months after enactment.

10.  NEW, INDEPENDENT APPEALS PROCESS-Ensures consumers in new plans have access to an effective internal and external appeals process to appeal decisions by their health insurance plan.  Effective 6 months after enactment.

11.  ENSURING VALUE FOR PREMIUM PAYMENTS-Requires plans in the individual and small group market to spend 80 percent of premium dollars on medical services, and plans in the large group market to spend 85 percent.  Insurers that do not meet these thresholds must provide rebates to policyholders.  Effective on January 1, 2011.

12.  IMMEDIATE HELP FOR THE UNINSURED UNTIL EXCHANGE IS AVAILABLE (INTERIM HIGH RISK POOL)-Provides immediate access to affordable insurance for Americans who are uninsured because of a preexisting condition through a temporary subsidized high risk pool.  Effective 90 days after enactment.

13.  EXTENDS COVERAGE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE UP TO 26TH BIRTHDAY THROUGH PARENTS’ INSURANCE - Requires new health plans and certain grandfathered plans to allow young people up to their 26th birthday to remain on their parents’ insurance policy, at the parents’ choice.  Effective 6 months after enactment.

14.  COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS-Increases funding for Community Health Centers to allow for nearly a doubling of the number of patients seen by the centers over the next 5 years.  Effective beginning in fiscal year 2010.

15.  INCREASING NUMBER OF PRIMARY CARE DOCTORS-Provides new investment in training programs to increase the number of primary care doctors, nurses, and public health professionals.  Effective beginning in fiscal year 2010.

16.  PROHIBITING DISCRIMINATION BASED ON SALARY-Prohibits group health plans from establishing any eligibility rules for health care coverage that have the effect of discriminating in favor of higher wage employees.  Effective 6 months after enactment.

17.  HEALTH INSURANCE CONSUMER INFORMATION-Provides aid to states in establishing offices of health insurance consumer assistance in order to help individuals with the filing of complaints and appeals.  Effective beginning in FY 2010.

18.  CREATES NEW, VOLUNTARY, PUBLIC LONG  TERM CARE INSURANCE PROGRAM-Creates a long term care insurance program to be financed by voluntary payroll deductions to provide home and community-based services to adults who become functionally disabled.  Effective on January 1, 2011.

That’s what Bill McCollum and the Republicans in the Florida House want to “protect” Floridians from. You’re welcome.

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Comments

One Response to “McCollum’s folly: Florida Republicans will try and secede from healthcare reform”

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