Having seen that Democrats Avery, Stillwell, Rieken, and Tiger Van Haaften are now speaking out in favor of a Government takeover of Health Care; I wanted to dedicate numbers 9&10 to all them. Remember if you don’t want to have the Government takeover decisions on your health care than I would suggest calling Senator Bayh and Representative Ellsworth.

Truth #9:  Taxes on Health Benefits

 

What the bill does:  Section 1802(b) of the bill includes provisions that would finance a new Comparative Effectiveness Research Trust Fund.  The bottom of page 835 of the bill makes clear the funding source: “CHAPTER 34—TAXES ON CERTAIN INSURANCE POLICIES.”

 

What this means for Americans:  The American people will see their health insurance taxed for the first time ever, breaking two central campaign promises made by then-Senator Obama—not to raise taxes for individuals with incomes under $250,000, and not to tax individuals’ health benefits.  The language also breaks a promise by Speaker Pelosi that, “We will not be taxing [health] benefits in any bill that passes the House.”

 

Truth #10:  Taxpayer-Funded Research Could Deny Patients Needed Health Care

 

What the bill does:  Section 1401 of the bill establishes a new multi-billion dollar Center for Comparative Effectiveness Research, so that the federal government can compare various health care treatments.  However, the bill contains no prohibitions on government-run health programs using such research to deny patients access to life-saving treatments, and a draft House Committee report earlier this year noted that such research funding meant that “more expensive [treatments] will no longer be prescribed.”

 

What this means for Americans:  The billions in federal taxpayer dollars spent on comparative effectiveness research could be used by federal health programs to deny patients access to life-saving treatments.