No Mental Health Coverage for the Politically Minded

I received an email today from the Harford County Republicans regarding the health care bill.

Not being a person to believe much of what I am told by third parties, such as the Harford County Republicans, I really wanted to get a look at the bill for myself, so I was grateful that a link was provided to the full version of the bill. And since I was pressed for time, I was also grateful that the Harford County Republicans were gracious enough to provide me with a list of what they regarded as some of the more troubling passages.

I randomly picked just a few of these pages to read, and I have to say that honestly, what I found most troubling was that the Harford County Republicans who wrote this email either didn’t read the bill, or read it and didn’t understand it, or were simply counting on people such as myself to believe what they were told by a third party, such as the Harford County Republicans.

Here, for your reading pleasure, by someone who actually took the time not only to read at least PORTIONS of the bill, but who also got through the purple book in the 4th grade SRA reading comprehension series, is a translation of just a few of the more juicy tidbits:

PG 429 Lines 10-12 "advanced care consultation" may include an ORDER for end of life plans. AN ORDER from the Government to end a life!

What I read was that the plan would cover "Advanced Care Planning" to advise citizens of their options regarding wills, advanced directives, etc. When a citizen has of his own free will created appropriate legal documentation (aka, "orders") they would be made available to health care providers so that such providers would know the wishes of their patients. Yes, the "order" may include a directive that the citizen does not want to be kept alive by machines, but this "order" would have come from the citizen, NOT the government.

Pg 58 HC Bill - Government will have real-time access to individual's finances and a National ID Health Card will be issued!

First, this section isn't even referring to public or government health insurance. It is referring to private insurance companies that offer group and individual coverage (Pg 54, Line 2-4). Pg 58 states that the insurers must give the patient notice at the point of service (aka "real-time”) as to whether they are eligible for the service, and what the patient's "financial responsibility" (Line 6-7) will be if they choose to proceed with the service even though their plan does not cover it. The "machine readable health plan beneficiary card"(which by the way, would be issued by the insurer) would enable the provider to gain real-time access to the patient’s plan in order to access this information. NOWHERE does it say anything about the government having real time access to an individual’s finances, and nowhere does it mention a National ID Healthcard.

Pg 59 HC Bill lines 21-24 Government will have direct access to your bank accts for election funds transfer.

Again, this section pertains to private insurers, and the word used is "electronic” funds transfer, not "election” funds transfer. I believe the technology actually already exists for this kind of thing; I think they call it a debit card, or a credit card? Something like that. Anyway, this page says that private insurers must accept payments from either of these little wonders. And I don’t really think the Harford County Republicans have anything to be afraid of because I heard that even places like Dairy Queen and Target are accepting payments from these cards now, even right here in Harford County.

Pg 241 Line 6-8 HC Bill - Doctors - doesn't matter what specialty - will all be paid the same.

What it actually says is that a specialist can't call it "intramuscular immune therapy" and charge five times the rate that my GP would charge me for my annual flu shot.


PG 425 Lines 22-25, 426 Lines 1-3 Government provides approved list of end of life resources, guiding you in how to die.

Do you know how many people die without wills? Do you know what happens to their estate if this happens? If you are in a car accident and are being kept alive by life support, do you really want your spouse or adult child to have to make the decision as to whether to pull the plug or keep you in this state indefinitely? Is there really anything bad about the government wanting the citizenry to be informed about these issues and to want them to make informed decisions for themselves? Actually, this one made me laugh: “guiding you in how to die”. I love that. “Hi, I’m from the government and I’m here to show you how to die. Alrighty then. First, I need you to lie down on the floor in a crumpled heap…”

If there is legit concern over potential legislation I'm all for being informed. But what the Harford County Republicans are doing is not informing. They are misinforming, and I don’t see what good this does. If anything, they are setting themselves up to be an easy target for anyone who has real information and half a brain, regardless of whether they agree with the actual political philosophy of the Harford County Republicans or not.

When someone distorts the truth they are usually hiding something that would either make them look bad, or would make someone they are opposed to look good. And, they are playing anyone who would believe them for fools.

So what is it, Harford County Republicans? What are you afraid of? Are you afraid that the Democrats might solve a problem that you wouldn’t even approach? Are you hiding the fact that this bill might be just the thing that keeps your people out of office for years to come? One thing is for sure: you certainly don’t think much of your party members, as you obviously don’t expect them to be able to read, comprehend, and think for themselves.

I’ll tell you what: It’s a damn good thing I don’t trust Democrats either or I wouldn’t even bother reading the rest of the bill, which I will do in the coming days, and which is probably more than most congress people and/or political activists from either party have done.

Oh, and by the way…anyone who is actually dumb enough to believe that there is, ever has been, or ever will be, a bill in congress of the United States of America that contains “AN ORDER from the Government to end a life!” as proclaimed by the Harford County Republicans, deserves to live in whatever emotional discomfort such a belief provides them. And a health care plan (public OR private) that doesn’t provide for mental health counseling.