Governor Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, writes at Big Government today:
“Today, the Senate Finance Committee is scheduled to vote on Senator Max Baucus’ health care overhaul. Like most Americans, I believe that our health care system needs to be reformed. However, this bill is a tax and spending bill masquerading as a health reform bill. It gives government bureaucrats far too much power and encroaches on freedom more than any legislation since LBJ’s Great Society experiment. It is bad for the country and bad for the economy.”
“Senate Democrats are pushing a vote on the 1,000-page bill now because the Congressional Budget Office recently estimated that the bill cost “only” $829 billion over the next 10 years. In truth, the bill raises taxes immediately, but the benefits do not kick in for another four years, so the 10-year numbers are distorted. This is an expensive experiment that cuts Medicare, and exacerbates state government budget problems by dramatically expanding Medicaid without providing additional funding.”
Pawlenty’s piece comes on the heels of yesterday’s report from Pricewaterhouse Coopers as outlined in this piece from Investor’s Business Daily:
“Some mistakenly think a Senate panel vote scheduled for Tuesday means health reform will soon become law. Is it really that easy to take $26,000 a year away from the average American family?”
“The Finance Committee is set to vote on a bill to have the government effectively take over the private health care industry. The Democratic Congress and White House thought they had the industry securely in their pockets.”
“But now, out of the blue, comes a crippling report on the costs of the legislation from the PricewaterhouseCoopers accounting firm. The analysis was commissioned by America’s Health Insurance Plans, a group representing the industry, and it may just be the monkey wrench that ruins the Democrats’ plans. It warns of:
- An excise tax on employer-sponsored high-value health plans (or ‘Cadillac plans’) that in a few years could also raise premiums for some moderate-value plans.”
- Cuts in payment rates in public programs that could increase cost-shifting to private-sector businesses and consumers.”
- New taxes on health-sector entities that are likely to be passed through to consumers.”
“The study estimates that the average family-coverage cost of about $12,300 could reach $17,200 in 2013 if these provisions were implemented, $21,300 in 2016 and $25,900 in 2019. Meanwhile, average single coverage — $4,600 today — could reach nearly $10,000 in 2019.”
“And you thought health reform was all about saving money.”
October 14th, 2009 at 1:57 am
[...] Riehl World View: Feds Use Intimidation To Silence Critics On Health Care Reform American Glob: Pawlenty Says Baucus Bill is a Tax & Spend Bill Track-A-’Crat: Dick Durbin Killed the Radio Star BBC News: ‘Basic care’ lacking [...]
October 16th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
[...] Riehl World View: Feds Use Intimidation To Silence Critics On Health Care Reform American Glob: Pawlenty Says Baucus Bill is a Tax & Spend Bill Track-A-’Crat: Dick Durbin Killed the Radio Star BBC News: ‘Basic care’ lacking [...]
October 19th, 2009 at 8:14 pm
[...] Glob: Pawlenty Says Baucus Bill is a Tax & Spend Bill Track-A-’Crat: Dick Durbin Killed the Radio Star BBC News: ‘Basic care’ lacking [...]
October 20th, 2009 at 5:41 pm
[...] Klein, American Spectator: Baucus’s Accounting Trick American Glob: Pawlenty Says Baucus Bill is a Tax & Spend Bill Track-A-’Crat: Dick Durbin Killed the Radio Star BBC News: ‘Basic care’ lacking [...]
October 22nd, 2009 at 3:17 am
[...] Klein, American Spectator: Baucus’s Accounting Trick American Glob: Pawlenty Says Baucus Bill is a Tax & Spend Bill FOX News: State Lawmakers Considering Move to Opt Out of Federal Health Care BBC News: ‘Basic [...]
October 28th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
[...] Accounting Trick Publius’ Forum: Democrats Healthcare Behind Closed Doors American Glob: Pawlenty Says Baucus Bill is a Tax & Spend Bill Vigilocanis (Watch Dog): Democratic brain trust holding secret meetings-breaks Obama promises… [...]
October 31st, 2009 at 4:47 am
[...] Glob: Pawlenty Says Baucus Bill is a Tax & Spend Bill Vigilocanis (Watch Dog): Democratic brain trust holding secret meetings-breaks Obama promises… [...]
October 31st, 2009 at 3:15 pm
[...] Glob: Pawlenty Says Baucus Bill is a Tax & Spend Bill Vigilocanis (Watch Dog): Democratic brain trust holding secret meetings-breaks Obama promises… [...]
October 31st, 2009 at 5:14 pm
[...] Glob: Pawlenty Says Baucus Bill is a Tax & Spend Bill Vigilocanis (Watch Dog): Democratic brain trust holding secret meetings-breaks Obama promises… [...]
October 31st, 2009 at 9:47 pm
[...] Glob: Pawlenty Says Baucus Bill is a Tax & Spend Bill Vigilocanis (Watch Dog): Democratic brain trust holding secret meetings-breaks Obama promises… [...]
November 1st, 2009 at 12:13 am
[...] Glob: Pawlenty Says Baucus Bill is a Tax & Spend Bill Vigilocanis (Watch Dog): Democratic brain trust holding secret meetings-breaks Obama promises… [...]
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:55 am
[...] Glob: Pawlenty Says Baucus Bill is a Tax & Spend Bill Vigilocanis (Watch Dog): Democratic brain trust holding secret meetings-breaks Obama promises… [...]