Town Hall Questions

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Town Hall Questions

Last Updated on 07/31/2009 Page 1 of 14

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Town Hall Questions


Questions for Town-Hall

Meetings and Forums

Make Him Reveal His Position

1. John Conyers is on film [1] stating that it is ridiculous to expect aCongress Person to read and understand the bill without two lawyersto interpret it. Yet you and your other legislators may approvesomething that changes the lives of all Americans. Have you read the

entire HR3200 bill yourself, with or without the help of lawyers, andnot just being briefed by your staff, and if you have not read it, willyou pledge here and now to vote no on it until you do completereading it?

2. How have you learned about all of the provisions in this bill?

3. What provisions in that bill do you oppose?

4. What provisions in that bill do you agree with?

5. What changes in that bill have caused the Blue Dogs to now supportit?

6. Do you agree with all of those changes? If not, which do you not agreewith?

Spending and Costs

7. Claims are being made that an acceptable plan must be revenueneutral or deficit neutral, meaning costs are balanced by revenues.If the plan is supposed to Save Money or Reduce Costs, then whydo you not claim that the plan or plans will be revenue positive orshow a surplus?


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Town Hall Questions


8. The Joint Committee on Taxation has estimated that the Health CareProposals would have no impact on 96% of small business owners(Center for Budget and Policy Priorities). Given that the committeenever provides the basis for their estimates, and given that a majorityof Democrats make up the Committee, is it not true that this assertion

is a politically derived one, and not one based on facts?

9. The Joint Committee on Taxation proclaims that the proposedsurcharge is reasonable and well-targeted. Given that the wealthiest1% of the population earn 19% of income but pay 37% of the incometax, and thus show us that the Committees statements are biased,why should we believe that placing a surtax of the magnitudesproposed, is fair? And further, why should we believe that the smallbusiness owners on whom this surtax will fall, will not cut backemployment, thus causing job losses at a time when our economy

needs job creation not job losses?

10. The costs of this plan over the next 10 years have been estimated atover $1 trillion by the Congressional Budget Office and from $1.2 to $6trillion by independent healthcare research organizations (LewinGroup, Health Systems Innovation, Brookings Tax Policy Center). Thisis supposed to be paid for by a combination of higher income taxes,new taxes on small business, and cuts in funding for Medicare. In spiteof all that funding, the actual costs are still expected to add over $200billion to the national debt. How can our weakened financial systemsurvive yet another new source of burgeoning national debt?

11. Billions of dollars could be saved by tort reform that caps the awardsfor malpractice suits. Wouldnt that money be better spent on payingto cover the uninsured, than lining the pockets of wealthy lawyers?Will you demand that tort reform be a part of any bill that you wouldvote for?

12. It is clear that the complex rules and many offices and commissions to

administer the Health Care Plan will produce a huge increase in thesize, cost, and bureaucracy of the Federal government. Wont this justadd to the unproductive real costs of healthcare? When has anygovernment bureaucracy gotten smaller and more efficient over time?


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Town Hall Questions


13. Governors of both parties have said the changes to Medicaid in thisplan will put additional strain on already overwhelmed State budgets.What will the impact of this plan be on Ohios budget?

14. Tracking stimulus money spending is inadequate say many experts [2],

the Recovery.gov website not withstanding. How do you think theState of Ohio should track Health Care spending, and what specificallywill you advocate to minimize corruption and fraud in the system?

Workability

15. The Massachusetts Health Care Plan is proving to be much moreexpensive than first predicted when it was sold to the public, and iscausing state deficits [3] and doctor shortages [4] leading to rationedcare [5]. Because advocates of the National Health Care plan say thatthe Massachusetts plan is a model, dont you agree that thisexperience proves that a National Plan will be a disaster for theCountry, and if you do not, be specific why not?

16. The 1974 Hawaiian experience with Universal Health Care for Children(which lasted only 7 months) showed that the pool of eligible patientsswelled beyond expectations as people dropped private plans for thecheaper government plan [6]. If the Government Option is adopted,dont you agree that this will happen to the currently debated Health

Care program, and why wont you oppose such a program?

17. Research about socialized health care plans in Britain, Canada, NewZealand, and Australia [7] show link after link describing the shortagesof doctors, the long wait times to see specialists (including lotteries inseveral countries), and the lower percentages of successful treatmentof common diseases. Why would you support a system that mimics orduplicates systems with proven (repeat proven) track records ofnegatives?

18. Because some believe that costs will be partly managed by reducing

payments to doctors and hospitals, is it not reasonable to expect thatmany will leave the medical field or stop offering services, and the neteffect will be longer wait times to see the shrinking pool of remainingdoctors and hospitals? If you do not think this conclusion isreasonable, explain specifically why it is not?


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Town Hall Questions


19. On July 30, the cash for clunkers program, after being in operationonly days, was already in trouble by being severely under funded (theWhite House was assessing its options) [8] How can you claim that thegovernment can estimate accurately much less administer agovernment controlled Health Care program when it can not accurately

estimate something as small as this cash for clunkers program? If yousay it can, why should we believe you and dont you worry about yourcredibility?

Limited Government and Entitlements

20. News reports indicate that the House bill would make health care aright. Arent you concerned about growing government intrusionbeyond what is mandated by the Constitution (Amendment 10) by

conferring a so-called right, and if you are not concerned, why not?Do you support the 10th Amendment of the Constitution?

21. The Health Care Plan gives government officials authority to determinebenefit packages, copayments and deductibles, relative premiums, aswell as health plan expenses and profits. The government would, ineffect, control health insurance, [9] thus adding additionalbureaucracy, inefficient extra costs, and systemic delays. Why cantyou support an approach which reduces growth in government? Whywould you want even bigger government?


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Town Hall Questions


Loss of Freedom Under Health Care Plan

22. The Health Care Bill as currently written, will limit your freedom tochoose what is in the health care plan you choose because thefederal government will impose a minimum list of benefits that each

plan is required to offer.[10] While we understand that certainstandards are required on some issues, what can you suggest differentthan the language in the bill, such that companies have more flexibilityin what they offer to people?

23. The Health Care Bill as currently written, has language that mandatescommunity rating which attempts to level the playing field but inreality causes distortions and penalizes young people and givesdiscounts to older people, and in fact de-incentivizes healthy living bynot rewarding it.[11] Can you agree here to work against community

rating where such an approach raises costs and discourages healthyliving?

24. The Coburn Amendment to require everyone in Congress to enroll inwhatever Health Care Plan that is enacted, passed in Committee.[12]Do you support the Coburn Amendment, will you vote yes on a Billthat includes it, and why would anyone in Congress oppose the intentand the language of this Amendment? (Reference question 40 and 42)

Small Business / Entrepreneurs

Penalties

25. Subsidies would be available for individuals with incomes within fourtimes the poverty level ($88,000 for a family of four). Why are thesubsidies set where they are?

Impact on job creation/loss

26. What will you say if studies after the Health Care Bill is enacted show

that jobs are lowered in your district specifically traced toimplementation of the Bill?

27. Why would you not support a plan or plan features that minimize thechanges that small business owners will have to reduce jobs in orderto afford the mandates in this bill?


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Town Hall Questions


28. The National Federation of Independent Business and theCongressional Budget Office both say that the new taxes on smallbusiness will result in job losses. Considering the high rate ofunemployment we have now and the shaky economy, isnt that thewrong direction to be going? How many businesses in Ohio will go

under because of this?

29. For those businesses that do survive, these added costs are likely toresult in either slower wage growth or higher prices (and inflation toothers). These cannot be good for the economy, can they?

30. A number of factors can be identified in the Health Care Plan that willlead to loss of jobs and suppression of job and new businessgrowth,[13], including rules forcing small companies to restructure tostay below certain minimums, considerations of paying the 8% penaltyrather than actually providing health care benefits, etc. What do yousay about the potential job losses and what do you advocate changingin this bill to minimize these job losses?

Uninsured

31. There is a lot of discussion regarding the misconception of having 47million uninsured. 43% of the 47 million are not even citizens; 15million are already eligible for insurance and 8 million earn enough to

afford some type of insurance.[14

] The facts according to the 2007census are really only 8-10 million are truly uninsured. Arent theremore efficient ways to provide insurance for the true uninsured?(Reference Question 43)

32. In analyzing the so-called uninsured, studies (see endnote 14 above)say that 15 million of the uninsured are illegal immigrants. Do yousupport paying for illegal immigrant participation in the health caresystem?


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Town Hall Questions


Medicare

33. I understand that one of the provisions in the health care bill is a $500billion cut in Medicare benefits. The President justifies these cuts asWe have to avoid illness and disease in the first place.

Unfortunately, most prevalent diseases of agingcancer and heartdiseaseare largely caused by genetics and their occurrence increaseswith age. These are unavoidable. Given this is such a huge part of thefunding plan wont the only alternative be rationing care?

34. Various proposals, particularly from the White House, claim so-calledsavings from reducing reimbursement rates to doctors servingMedicare patients. [15], yet doctors are complaining rates are alreadytoo low and many are cutting back on Medicare patients or are leavingthe field by retiring early. Do you agree that reducing doctors already

low reimbursement rates will make shortages and wait times evenworse than they are today, and if not, specifically why not?

35. Since some of the funding comes from cuts in Medicare and Medicaid,doesnt this guarantee that the care seniors receive will have to bereduced? How could it be otherwise?

Health Care End of Life

36. The bill as currently written in section 1233(p.425-429) refers to endof life discussions. So, if my 85 year old mother goes in the hospitalfor testing and it is determined that she has breast cancer will thegovernment approved end of life resource counsel my mother on

how to end her life or will they simply deny care?

37. The bill as currently written in section 1233(p.425-429) refers to endof life discussions. At what age will these discussions start? Iunderstand that as my health deteriorates the frequency of the end oflife discussions will increase. So, at what age do these discussionsstart and what if I do not want to participate?


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Town Hall Questions


38. At an AARP-sponsored town-hall meeting, when asked about a clausein there [the Health Care Bill] that everyone thats Medicare age willbe visited and told to decide how they wish to die..., the Presidentsaid that the intent of the amendment was mainly aimed atpromoting advance planning and living wills...to make sure youve got

more information and that Medicare will pay for it. [16] The Presidentreferred to the intent of the clause but did not say that it specificallysaid that in legal terms. Will you state unequivocally right now thatthe legal language says that it is only to provide information andnothing else, and if you can not because you do not know, will yousupport such language?

39. Betsey McCaughey, former lieutenant governor of New York Stateconcluded that the law, as written, requires mandatory counseling forMedicare patients every five years or more frequently on options ofhow to end their life. The St Pete newspaper states, in its Fact-o-meter, that her statement is a distortion (but not wrong). [17] Iopened and tried to read the actual language in HR 3200 to see what itsaid, and it is incomprehensible to a regular person, much less alawyer. Have you read this bill and can you assure us that mandatorycounseling on options of how we can end our lives is not the legallanguage and requirement of the bill? If you have not read the bill,why not? If you can not say whether it says this, why not?

Federal Employees Health Care

40. The Federal Government employees currently have access to menu ofhealth care choices. When the new National Health Care Plan goes intoeffect I assume all of the members of Congress will move over to theNew Health Care Plan. Will you be forced, like the rest of us, to sign-up with the New Health Care Plan? (Reference Question 24)


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Town Hall Questions


41. The President has said that if you like your current plan you can keepit, but the current bill (p.16-17) is written such that changes to yourcurrent plan (altering co-pays, deductibles, or even switching coveragefor this or that drug) will void your plan and you will be forced to thepublic health care plan. If choice drives competition, and competition

reduces cost while improving quality, why are we legislating amonopoly?

Gotcha Questions

42. I understand that Congress wanted to exempt its members from beingforced into the proposed plan. If this plan is so great, why would theydo this? Why would they need to have some different system forthemselves at taxpayer expense? (Reference Question 24).

43. I understand this plan would cover illegal aliens. Why should I beforced to pay for people who should not be here in the first place? Whycant we require proof of citizenship for eligibility, just like a driverslicense? I would not receive free health care if I got sick in some othercountry, even if I were there legally. Why should they?

44. Wouldnt it encourage illegals to return home if they did not receivefree healthcare? And might that not help reduce some of the seriousunemployment problems in this country? Will you oppose a plan if itincludes coverage for illegals?

45. Do you understand that a majority of the people do not support theplan and will long remember how their Congressman votes on theissue? Will that have any effect on what you decide to do? If not, why?(Recent New York Times/CBS poll shows 69% believe their health carewill decline if forced into a government plan but only 33% believe anoverhaul of the current system is required. Source: New York Times,July 29)

46. I understand the plan allows insurance plans bargained by unions to

continue unchanged. Why are they exempted when the plans of non-union workers are not? Isnt this a clear case of unions getting paid offfor political support and blatant vote buying? Are you going to opposethis?


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Town Hall Questions


47. Why do we not tax pharmaceuticals produced by US companies thatare shipped to other countries, so people in those countries must paytheir fair share for these drugs? Wouldnt that lower our drug costsand provide another source of funds to cover the uninsured? Wouldyou support such a tax? Why not when other governments force our

drug companies to sell there at lower prices?

Make Him Address Specific Personal Situations

48. I am fortunate to have healthcare partially covered by my employer.Nevertheless I pay about $5000 a year in premiums, co-pays,deductibles and other costs so that I can have an excellent plan andfreedom to choose doctors and hospitals. If the government sets up a

public plan that competes with my private plan, my freedom to chooseand pay for my choice could be taken away. Why should I have toforfeit my rights to life and liberty, by being forced into a lesserstandard of care by a government that is supposed to protect myrights?

49. I dont understand why the government cannot just set up a publicplan which people who have no coverage could get into and pay someof the costs through premiums just like I do. It would be less costly intotal, would help the people who need it, and would allow me to keepmy freedom of choice. Why dont you support a simple plan like that?

50. This plan would implement a system in which a persons age is used asone factor that would determine if some types of care are allowed.Isnt that blatant age discrimination and unconstitutional under theequal protection clause? Are you going to oppose provisions like this?


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Town Hall Questions


51. I understand that elective abortions will be covered under this plan.My religion considers the murder of a child of any age to be a mortalsin. Since some of my money will ultimately pay for this, I am beingforced into a morally corrupt position of supporting this murder. Isntthat a blatant disregard for my basic freedom of religion? Are you

going to oppose any provisions that would cover elective abortions?Why not?

52. When you call 911 and EMS arrive, they ask for insurance. In theObama Health Care plan, how are emergency services covered, whohas to approve them, who reimburses who?


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Town Hall Questions


Research

CBO Cost Analysis

Costs of expanding Medicaid and maintaining the Children's Health

Insurance Program until it is terminated in 2013; providing subsidiesto help people buy care; associated effects on tax revenues; andproviding tax credits to small employers who provide care: $1.28trillion. (Source: CBO)

New costs in Medicare, including for reforming payments tophysicians: About $370 billion. (Source: CBO)

TOTAL PROJECTED OUTLAYS: $1.65 trillion

The bill's costs are partially offset by savings and new revenue sources within the health care systemincluding:

Fees paid by uninsured individuals and employers that don't offerqualifying insurance, or whose workers take other coverage: $237billion. (Source: CBO)

Medicare savings, including payment reductions to private insurers andmore money provided by drug makers: About $525 billion. (Source:CBO)

Lawmakers are also proposing new tax increases to pay for the bill:

Income tax surcharge on individuals making more than $280,000 and

families making more than $350,000: $544 billion. (Source: Ways andMeans Committee)

Corporate and foreign tax changes: $37.2 billion. (Source: Ways andMeans Committee)

TOTAL OFFSETS AND REVENUE-RAISERS: $1.3 trillion

Net these Revenues Costs = ($0.350 trillion)


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Town Hall Questions


1

Won't Read Bill but Wants Constitutional Amendment for Free Health Care?!;

http://www.thefoxnation.com/politics/2009/07/30/conyers-introducing-constitutional-amendment-free-health-care?page=12 Details thin on stimulus contracts; http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/techpolicy/2009-05-06-stimulus_N.htm3 Advocates promised that the Massachusetts plan would make health insurance more affordable, but according to a

Cato study, insurance premiums have been increasing at nearly double the national average: 7.4 percent in

2007, 8 percent to 12 percent in 2008, and an expected 9 percent increase this year. Health insurance in

Massachusetts costs an average of $16,897 for a family of four, compared to a national average of $12,700.4Mass. Health Care Reform Reveals Doctor Shortage;http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=976205205 Now the state is turning to a variety of gimmicks to try to hold down costs, including possibly cutting payments to

physicians and hospitals by 3-5 percent. However, the Times quotes health reform experts who have studied the

Massachusetts system as warning the state and federal governments may need to place actual limits on

health spending, which could lead to rationing of care.6Hawaii's Universal Health Insurance Lesson; http://www.iwf.org/news/show/21103.html7 The Problems with Socialized Health Care; (i.e., trusting politicians and bureaucrats with your health care);

http://www.liberty-page.com/issues/healthcare/socialized.html#nz8White House reviewing 'cash for clunkers' program; http://finance.yahoo.com/news/AP-sources-Govt-to-

suspend-apf-3529110957.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=1&asset=&ccode=9 http://keithhennessey.com/2009/07/30/health-care-counterpoint/

105 freedoms you'd lose in health care reform;

http://money.cnn.com/2009/07/24/news/economy/health_care_reform_obama.fortune/index.htm

115 freedoms you'd lose in health care reform;http://money.cnn.com/2009/07/24/news/economy/health_care_reform_obama.fortune/index.htm

12The Coburn amendment would force members of Congress to use ObamaCare.;

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124775489445351881.html

13Obama Health Care Will Destroy the Job Market and Private Insurance ;

http://www.notoriouslyconservative.com/2009/07/obama-health-care-will-destroy-job.html14The Uninsured Healthcare Myth; http://freyvsfrey.blogspot.com/2009/07/uninsured-healthcare-myth.html

15Doctors' Payments Snag Health Bill; http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124801397829262869.html16End-of-Life Benefit Ignites Health-Care Rhetoric,

http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/jul2009/db20090730_530683.htm

17McCaughey claims end-of-life counseling will be required for Medicare patients;

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2009/jul/23/betsy-mccaughey/mccaughey-claims-end-life-

counseling-will-be-requi/

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Town Hall Questions