Texans React to Health Care Ruling
The Supreme Court's decision on Thursday to uphold the entire Affordable Care Act is sending tidal waves through Texas — particularly the state's GOP leadership, which has overwhelmingly opposed "Obamacare." Here's a look at what Texas politicos and pundits are saying on both sides of the aisle:
Gov. Rick Perry: “This ruling will be a stomach punch to the American economy. It is a shocking disappointment to freedom-loving Americans desperate to get our country back on track. Obamacare is bad for the economy, bad for health care, bad for freedom. Americans have made clear their overwhelming opposition to ...
Comments (10)
audrey fisher
Of course GOP will be against this ruling, as they whine, we need to take a moment to think about what the Repubs here will do - which is refuse to play and leave millions of US Citizen's living in TX without access.
They were counting on it to be rejected by SCOTUS. Now they have to campaign that Health Care for All Texans is BAD - and from what I have seen from my TX FB friends is that they know the benefit of healthcare for everyone.
My repub congresscritter is afraid to take a stand - hilarious.
Now is the time for those who understand that healthcare for everyone is a benefit for everyone - including those who will now be eligible for Healthcare Insurance rebates (Aug 1st) and Senior's who will to continue to benefit with lower prescription drugs and annual preventive care physicals should ask there congresscitter why? Why you who receive a gov't healthcare benefit is good for you, but not for ME!
Reading the comments: this is the exact reason why these legislator's need to be replaced by those who will support Healthcare for many more Texans.
Just an aside: why does the GOP Platform ascribe that Minority voter's need to be dis-enfranchised. Yet another reason to never vote for them.
Rudy Gonzales
Much to Perry's she-grin this will spur the economy and Obama's next move will be to hold the TEA-Republican's feet to the fire. They will not like his next move because bigotry, discrimination and prejudice are alive and well in America! The TEA-Republicans want to do away with Fair Housing Act, The Civil Rights act of 1964 and a multitude of other civil rights legislation including voter limitation strategies across the nation. This Supreme Court ruling solidifies issues passed by the previous Congress, which include:
Under the health care law, your existing guaranteed Medicare-covered benefits won’t be reduced or taken away. Neither will your ability to choose your own doctor.
Nearly 4 million people with Medicare received cost relief during the law’s first year. If you had Medicare prescription drug coverage and had to pay for your drugs in the coverage gap known as the “donut hole,” you received a one-time, tax free $250 rebate from Medicare to help pay for your prescriptions.
If you have high prescription drug costs that put you in the donut hole, you now get a 50% discount on covered brand-name drugs while you’re in the donut hole.
Between today and 2020, you’ll get continuous Medicare coverage for your prescription drugs. The donut hole will be closed completely by 2020.
Medicare covers certain preventive services without charging you the Part B coinsurance or deductible. You will also be offered a free annual wellness exam.
The life of the Medicare Trust Fund will be extended as a result of reducing waste, fraud and abuse, and slowing cost growth in Medicare, which will provide you with future cost savings on your premiums and coinsurance.
Health plans can't cancel coverage once you get sick -- a practice known as "rescission" -- unless you committed fraud when you applied for coverage.
Children with pre-existing conditions cannot be denied coverage (this will apply to adults in 2014).
Insurers will have to provide rebates to consumers if they spend less than 80 to 85 percent of premium dollars on medical care.
If you are older than 65, the law is narrowing a gap in the Medicare Part D prescription drug plan known as the "doughnut hole." That's when seniors who have paid a certain initial amount in prescription costs have to pay for all of their drug costs until they spend a total of $4,700 for the year. Then the plan coverage begins again. That coverage gap will be closed entirely by 2020. Seniors will still be responsible for 25 percent of their prescription drug costs.
The law also has expanded Medicare's coverage of preventive services, such as screenings for colon, prostate and breast cancer, which are now free to beneficiaries. Medicare will also pay for an annual wellness visit to the doctor.
If you are covered under a private Medicare Advantage plan, however, the law is cutting payments to some of those plans, and critics say that could mean the private plans may not offer many extra benefits.
Wake up Texans! Vote out the extremist dropping Texas to the lowest level of health care for women and children in America.
nick pell
What a litany of b*$&s%^T from the lot of 'em.
Jerry Andrews
Can someone please get Mr. Abbott a copy of the majority opinion? His attempt to declare victory in the face of undeniable defeat acknowledged by every other Republican commentor is evidence of just how far out of touch with reality he is. Guess that all but assures him to be the next Governor.
hans5162@ix.netcom.com hans
I guess I like being punched in the stomach. I'm particularly happy to see the idiots in state leadership wallow in the results of their arrogance. Guys, you wasted a lot of money fighting for nothing. You've abused the court system enough. For all you Tea Party morons. The Constitution of 1776 has been amended and interpreted over the last 230 years. We no longer have slavery and the issue of "state's rights" was settled with the Civil War. Get over it and get back to being U.S. citizens. You are not victims and the federal government really isn't out to get you. You're lucky if they even know you are alive. You're not really that important. Get over it and rejoin the rest of us in this nation.
gypsy314 ne
Only one thing to do is vote the lying democrats and Obama out of office.
Linda of Texas LandOwner
Everything this administration does ends up stealing the land. If you don't pay your tax, they take your land even if you do not owe any tax. Health care is another way to ensure that they put a debt against you to take your property. Where is the help for the people? Why every time a Public Agency or Official is contacted, do they tell you that it is not their department? Will they or better yet can they direct you to the right department? No, they can not! When one little department head can tell me that he has 57,000 employees working under his department and not one person can help, why do we need them employed by us. I have heard our Governor talk to the tea party, he can talk the talk but can not walk the walk. I have sent certified letters that go unanswered, I have tried to talk to public officials and not one knew anything about the law of the land. The people are the "BALL" in their game, kicking us from one side to the other. It should be illegal for an attorney to sit as a judge (conflict of interest).
Dale Curry
I love it when the GOP calls democrats the liars, yet Abbott claims victory when he lost. Not only that, but after the hearing, he admitted they expected to lose the case, and therefore all the State money that went to this superfluous lawsuit was wasted. It is beyond ironic for a republican to point to democrat lies on this issue. From Death panels to government take over of healthcare, it has been one repub lie after another.
David Spratt
Those who can afford it buy health insurance. Those who can't do not. Who are the people that will be affected by the " mandatory pruchase?" People that are above the income threshold for " free" healthcare ,, but still do not really make enough to afford their own . So in reality every single person being hit with this additional expense will fall into the middle class. So this is NOT a tax increase on the middle class? Once they figure out they have not charged enough of a " Penalty" to cover the costs,, this will increase. It will then expand to all other people who have an income regardless of who you are. Obviously those who live off the government to begin with have no income and will not be required to contribute. I am amazed at the number of people who applaude this ruling. Do you all actually realize who the enforcement agency is for this law? The IRS is already hiring thousands of new agents, lawyers to scutinize every single taxpayer in the country. Good grief ,, were we not oppressed enough already by the IRS ,, an agency that has virtually no constraint when going after your money and assets. You all just gave them even more power and control.
David Spratt
And good luck to all who are dumped into the gubbermint health system when your employer figures out it is cheaper to pay the " penalty" rather than provide a decent health plan for you. $650 per person per year for healthcare??????????? What kind of care do you get for that??????????? The portion I pay is more than that ,, and my employer pays much much more that that. With gubbermint health plan costing $650 per year how many doctors are going to see patients covered under this fabulous health plan??