Who really read HB 3200 proposal?

Carl Palash wrote a response to my recent Fence Post letter challenging me on the facts of the proposed health care legislation HR 3200. He suggested that I read the bill.

He goes on to cite several examples that are devoid of the facts: 1) Page 50, Section 152: Health Care will be provided to all non-U.S. citizens. No, what is says is: Section 152. Prohibiting Discrimination in Health Care: "All health care and related services (including insurance coverage and public health activities) covered by this Act shall be provided without regard to personal characteristics extraneous to the provision of high quality health care or related services." In other words, you cannot deny health care to someone because you don't like the way they look, dress, or speak. You quite simply cannot discriminate against them. There is absolutely no provision to provide health care to noncitizens.

Also, Page 59, lines 21-24: Government will have direct access to your bank accounts. No. What it says is, "The standards under this section shall be developed, adopted and enforced so as to enable electronic funds transfers, in order to allow automated reconciliation with the related health care payment and remittance advice." This allows for timely and safe payments to providers, it has nothing to do with your individual bank accounts.

And, Page 102, lines 12-18: Medicaid-eligible individuals will be automatically enrolled in Medicaid. All this means is that the low-income individuals already on Medicaid will be folded in to the new plan. Medicaid, like Medicare, is a government plan already. What sense would it make to keep Medicaid separate from the public plan?

I suggest that Mr. Palash take his own advice and read the actual HR 3200 proposal, not some right-wing attack summary.

Greg Newlin

Naperville