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Quote:
House passes health-care bill to give coverage to 4 million underinsured children
Posted by Associated Press February 04, 2009 14:03PM
Categories: Children & Youth, Impact, Insurance, Medical Industry Impact, Real Time News
WASHINGTON — The House overwhelmingly approved a bill extending health coverage to 4 million uninsured children, giving President Barack Obama a much-needed win on health care and taking a first step toward his promise of universal coverage.
The Democratic-controlled House passed the bill 290-135 today, with 40 Republicans backing it. Obama plans to sign it into law later in the day.
The bill calls for spending an additional $32.8 billion on the State Children's Health Insurance Program. Lawmakers generated that revenue through a much higher federal tobacco tax.
"Unemployment keeps rising and people are going from worried to scared," Rep. Rosa DeLauro, Democrat of Connecticut, said during House debate on the legislation. "At such a time, it is our most basic economic and moral responsibility to provide health care to the most vulnerable among us."
Republicans criticized the cost of the legislation. They also said it will mean an estimated 2.4 million children who otherwise would have access to private insurance will join the State Children's Health Insurance Program instead.
"The Democrats continue to push their government-run health care agenda -- universal coverage as they call it," said Rep. Pete Sessions, a Texas Republican.
An estimated 7 million children are now enrolled in SCHIP.
To cover the increase in spending, the bill would boost the federal excise tax on a pack of cigarettes by 62 cents, to $1.01 a pack.
The bill's passages has long been a top priority of Democratic lawmakers. In late 2007, former President George W. Bush twice vetoed similar bills. The Senate passed the same bill last week. Obama made it a top priority in his first 100 days and one step in his push for universal coverage by the end of his first term.
House passage came one day after Obama's choice for health secretary, Tom Daschle, withdrew his nomination, citing the distraction of his delinquent tax payments.
SCHIP was created more than a decade ago to help children in families with incomes too high to qualify for Medicaid but too low to afford private coverage.
Federal money for the program was set to expire March 31, barring action by Congress.
Republicans said that they supported SCHIP and providing additional money for the program. However, they argued that Democrats were taking the program beyond its original intent and encouraging states to cover middle-class families who otherwise could get private insurance.
"This debate is about, do we want a children's health insurance program that covers every child in America with state and federal dollars regardless of their ability to pay?" said Rep. Joe Barton, Republican of Texas. "Do we want to freeze out the private sector for health insurance?"
Opponents of the bill also complained that the tobacco tax increase hits the poor the hardest, because they are more likely to smoke than wealthier people. Many also took exception to expanding the program and Medicaid to children of newly arrived legal immigrants.
But supporters said that ensuring children had access to adequate health care was a matter of priorities. Rep. Frank Pallone, a New Jersey Democrat, said an estimated 4 million people have lost employer-sponsored insurance in the past year.
"Do they keep their families' health insurance or do they put food on the table at night? During this economic recession, these kinds of decisions are unfortunately becoming more common," Pallone said.
http://blog.cleveland.com/health/2009/02/house_passes_health_care_bill.html
Another .62/pk for the smokers. If that doesn't entice you to quit...
Of course if they just legalize and tax marijuana..... 
Last edited by FloridaFan; 02/04/09 04:14 PM.
We don't have to agree with each other, to respect each others opinion.
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Another .62/pk for the smokers. If that doesn't entice you to quit...
You'd think health would be enough. 
![[Linked Image]](http://www.dawgtalkers.net/uploads/Punchsmack/punch.gif) “...Iguodala to Curry, back to Iguodala, up for the layup! Oh! Blocked by James! LeBron James with the rejection!”
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Quote:
Quote:
Another .62/pk for the smokers. If that doesn't entice you to quit...
You'd think health would be enough.
One would think so.
However, the killer in this bill (killer to tax payers) is some people will quit smoking. The tax revenue from smokers will go down. But the bill is here to stay. What's that mean? Higher taxes to non smokers soon. Let's face it, once a gov't. program, always a gov't. program. It's easy to tax smokers. It's tougher to tell nonsmokers that since so many quit smoking, we need to raise taxes on other things to pay for this bill......this bill that covers kids that could've been covered under a parents insurance.
One need not look further than the states that are now attempting to pass a mileage tax for all drivers.......you drive a mile, you have to pay a tax on that mile. Why are they doing it? People have higher mileage vehicles, and aren't driving as much, so the gas tax isn't bringing in what it used to. What to do? Oh heck no, don't deal with it, tax more people even more.
People, get ready. We will have universal health care soon. And sorry, the smokers and the drinkers won't be able to cover it. The fast food joints won't be able to cover it. Coming soon: To your pocket book: Exactly what you asked for, and your own money will be paying for it.
50% tax brackets? Oh yes. 70% tax brackets for the "wealthy"? Oh yes.
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j/c RYO Roll your own tobacco. With the advancement in filters and a much wider variety of rollable tobacco, combined with better rolling machines, I can make a very nice carton of smokes for under 10 dollars!  I've shown it to many people who have adopted doing it. And plan to continue doing it. Haven't "bought a pack of smokes" for months now. For every Ying there's a Yang! Let's all be brotherly and share the burden. 
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
#gmstrong
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Ted Says... http://www.wacotrib.com/opin/content/news/opinion/stories/nugent/04202008_wac_nugent.htmlTed Nugent: Stupid choices are central to health-care crisis By Ted Nugent, Texas Wildman Sunday, April 20, 2008 The American Heart Association estimates that roughly 26 million Americans waste fortunes, ruin their quality of life, and stink, all in the name of sucking on cigarettes. This is in the face of overwhelming evidence: Smoking leads to heart disease, strokes and lung cancer. The closest I have come to smoking is inhaling the sweet smell of burnt gunpowder. Other than that, I am completely baffled as to why someone would chose to inhale burning anything and call that a good time. Let's be honest and call it what it really is: prolonged suicide. The jury is not still out. I'm a big fan of freedom of personal choice. As far as I am concerned, you can munch on broken glass sandwiches if you wish. Go nuts. But when you knowingly stab yourself in the eye and ruin your eyesight, you shouldn't ask me to pay for your eye doctor expenses. Duh. Therein lies one aspect of the heartbreaking de-souling of America. Personal responsibility in America has gone the way of the Dodo bird. People engage in life-threatening behavior and then expect others to pick up the tab when their health fails. Bloodsuckers They are irresponsible bloodsuckers. There are no two ways about it. Just as I am a big fan of personal choice, I'm a bigger fan of personal responsibility. It is truly mind-numbing that we have presidential candidates claiming that nationalized health care is the answer to our health-care woes. No, the answer to our health-care problems rests with individual Americans. According to preventdisease .com, preventable illnesses compose 90 percent of all health-care costs. There you have it. Health is almost always a choice. Read that again. This critical information should be included in the national debate on health care. The reason health-care costs are so high is that Americans make poor choices. Instead of acting like lemmings and embracing the Democrats' socialized medicine proposals, Americans should stare at themselves in the mirror for the answer to improving their health and lowering health-care costs. How about some personal responsibility? A health warning by the Surgeon General is on each pack of cigarettes. It cannot get more blatant than that. To ignore the warning is to knowingly tapdance in a landmine field. Do so at your own risk and, for God's sake, quit sending me the cleanup bill. It must be very tough to quit smoking. Nicotine is very addictive. Be that as it may, if you smoke, do what it is you must to find a way to kick this life-destroying addiction. The question: Do I want to suffer and die early or live healthy and longer? Is that really a question? Again, if you want to smoke, stab yourself in the eye, tapdance in a land mine field or jump out of an airplane without a parachute because you believe you can fly, I say live it up. But if you do, how dare you ask your fellow Americans to pay for your irresponsible and dangerous behavior? We don't have a health-care crisis in America. We have a personal responsibility crisis. Ted Nugent is a Waco-based musician and television show host. Contact Ted directly at tednugent.com.
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Ted has some good points there.
I would also add: people living on welfare are bankrupting this country.
Our federal gov't. spending is bankrupting this country.
Check that: our gov't. has already bankrupted this country.
Why should I, as a tax payer, have to pay for them?
Like it or not, universal health care is just around the corner. Then, we ALL get to pay for every health malady there is. Can't wait for that. Plus, we will start to eliminate people that get treatment options. First will be smokers. Next will be alcoholics.........you know, the "we'll treat the pain, but you brought it on yourself, so.......", then will be the obese people. They brought it on themselves you know.
Why will this happen? Because it can't be paid for. Then we'll see the people over 65 that are told "you're statistically close to dying, and we have younger people that need your bed". Next will come those whose parents had genetic health problems..........the kind passed on to their offspring.
Won't be long till those few of us around are paying 75% in taxes, and getting no benefits, other than a check up, yearly, only in order to find out we have a disease/condition that requires attention. At that point, we'll be told "check in with your specialist 14 months from now. You are in dire need of care, and will probably die within 15 months. But, until you can see the specialist, you'll just have to take aspirin. Wouldn't it be nice if we didn't have to pay 75% of our income in taxes?
Oh well...........that's what the minority in this country wants. May as well suck us all down the drain.
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Ted thinks like he plays guitar,.... No argument there.
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Mr. Wango Tango has a point, although not one that should be pigeonholed into health care.
We obsess over diet pills and trips to the gym while we eat crap.
We complain about guns instead of examining our own violent nature.
We cry out against unwarranted violence while we bomb civilians and incite terror.
We complain about the corrupt government that we continue to elect.
We treat our fellow man like dogs and wonder why each generation gets worse.
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We cry out against unwarranted violence while we bomb civilians and incite terror.
C'mon man,...like this isn't the way of the world.
911. As bad as we are, did we deserve that ??
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We didn't deserve 9/11.
They didn't deserve the bombs we've dropped on them.
As this is a health care thread, if you want to chat further, PM me.
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Logans Run 
I AM ALWAYS RIGHT... except when I am wrong.
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Quote:
We didn't deserve 9/11.
They didn't deserve the bombs we've dropped on them.
As this is a health care thread, if you want to chat further, PM me.
Good point,...fair enough. You first.
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So ... society turns old age, or at least a given amount of time alive, into something of a celebratory goodbye/murder? I've never seen the movie so 
There are no sacred cows.
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SHHHHH they are not murdered, they are re-born
I AM ALWAYS RIGHT... except when I am wrong.
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Wow, havent seen that movie in years.
We don't have to agree with each other, to respect each others opinion.
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Logans Run...Ya know Mutt it would be more like nordawgs slow walk....  nordawg
The only reason people get lost in thought is because it's unfamiliar territory.
#gmstrong
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Yeeeaaaahh chaaaange!! OBAAAAAAMMMMMAAAAA!! He's so perfect and awesome!!
That seemed to be what the majority thought anyways. I didn't vote for this clown. Welcome to the Communist States of America. Change isn't always for the better. It starts with the smokers, but everyone else is next.
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I heard, and know it was in the pending bill, but haven't had time to look at the one that passed, that it covers a family making up to $80,000. Does anyone know if that's what passed?
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In most states it will cover children in families of 4 at 3 times the $22K poverty level ($66,150). In New York and New Jersey it will cover children in families of 4 at 4 times the poverty level ($88,000+). http://www.realclearpolitics.com/news/ap...h_coverage.htmlThe other thing is how the Bill defines "child". Before, I had read that an eligible child would be any "child" under 21 still residing in their parents home. But I have since read/heard that a "child" could be a dependent up to the age of 35, which is ridiculous. I'm trying to verify that one.
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Excerpted from Heritage Foundation article: How Many Will Lose Health Insurance Because of SCHIP Expansion?January 27th, 2009 State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) is the federal-state welfare program to provide health insurance for poor children. The House recently passed a major expansion of SCHIP, which is now under consideration in the Senate. Most of the controversy surrounding this expansion has been related to eligibility. Nobody opposes health care for poor children, but the House has removed two critical requirements. First, they removed the requirement to be poor. Second, they removed the requirement to be a child. That’s right – the bill allows states to raise the income limit (originally twice the federal poverty level), and extends “waivers” granted to several states to cover adults under this “children’s” program. http://blog.heritage.org/2009/01/27/how-many-will-lose-health-insurance-because-of-schip-expansion/
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I think the biggest problem here is twofold: First, congress doesn't even read the bills they vote on - they vote by "hey, the bill title sounds good", and secondly, it's an easy sell to the public, as in "hey, I voted to give poor kids health care".
Who cares about the fact that it isn't just poor kids? Who cares about the fact that it isn't kids (well, in some regards, all of us are kids - even my 89 yr. old grandma has parents - thus, technically making her a kid)
This gov't. is so out of touch (i.e. tax cheats, etc) and so far out of reach. It's beyond idiotic.
Does anyone know how much this will cost? Anyone? Oh, that's right, it is to be paid for in large part with a cig. tax.
On to the stimulus bill: exactly how many jobs will be created by giving money to national parks?
I saw yesterday one of the items in this stimulus package was going to spend about $535 million dollars - $535 million - in order to create 388 jobs. That comes out to around $1,350,000 per job created. Can you say "this country is screwed?"
I have lost faith in congress, our president, and this country. Granted, it's been a long time coming, and we can't lay near all the blame on Pres. Obama - not even half, really. But this stimulus bill is beyond lunacy for anyone that's read even part of it. And you don't need to read page after page to see that.
We are beyond saving - this country, that is. With a debt combined with promised expenditures of over $57 trillion - yeah, 57 trillion dollars - there is absolutely only 1 way for this country to ever get out of it.
I used to be an optimist. The more I read, the less I am. Fear not, though, because the millionaires among us will feel the exact same pain that us common folk are feeling - it will just take a bit longer.
Our gov't. spends beyond belief, and most of our problems stem from that, so what do they do? Spend more.
Small examples here: schip. funded by cig. taxes. But people can't smoke anywhere anymore, so they raise the taxes. Then, they want to include even more people in the program funded in large part by cig. taxes, so they tax them even more.
Gas taxes: started, in theory, to help pay for roads and bridges. Didn't bring in enough money, so they raised the taxes. We have a recession so people drive less, gas costs go up so people buy more fuel efficient cars, and the gas tax still doesn't bring in enough, so what does gov't. think of doing? Taxing people per mile driven. After all, they gotta have the tax money, right?
If I don't pay my taxes, do you think I can get off when, after being caught, I say "my bad. It wasn't on purpose", then pay, then get a gov't. job? No. I get killed in interest, maybe even face jail time. Our "leaders"? Hell no.
"Rant rant rant rant rant arch." Yup. For those that can't see it coming, brace yourselves. And honestly, it's too late. For me too, it's too late. Might take as little as 6 months, might be as long as 2 years.
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I'm discouraged and worried too, but I think we'll get through this. We've gotten through worse. Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!
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2nd String
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The Germans didn't bomb Pearl Harbor. LMAO
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Jeezus, doesn't anyone remember Animal House any more?
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Quote:
Jeezus, doesn't anyone remember Animal House any more?
I do, one of the funniest lines from a movie ever.
KING
You may be in the drivers seat but God is holding the map. #GMSTRONG
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The Germans didn't bomb Pearl Harbor. LMAO
Yes, they did. Hitler begged them to do it, so as to create 2 "fronts."
It was one of film's greatest lines though,....
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Sorry Dave didn't realize it was a line from a movie. I don't remember watching Animal House. Maybe it was before my time.
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Sorry Dave didn't realize it was a line from a movie. I don't remember watching Animal House. Maybe it was before my time.
You're just jerking his tail,...right ??  And, if NOT,....you need to watch it--I will pay for the rental if necessary.
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If you don't remember watching it, then you never did... Not sure how old you are, but it is definitely worth watching.. classic movie...
yebat' Putin
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Quote:
The Germans didn't bomb Pearl Harbor. LMAO
Wow.
I guess humor is lost on the young. I mean, Animal House didn't have any rap stars in it, and it wasn't full of flashy techno stuff.
But dude, that is one of the more comical lines you'll ever hear in your life.
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Legend
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Do you really think he didn't get that,...??
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I guess humor is lost on the young. I mean, Animal House didn't have any rap stars in it, and it wasn't full of flashy techno stuff.
C'mon Arch, you're sounding like a grumpy old man.. I know I didn't go back and watch a lot of movies from before my time.. a few, but not many.
I also know that there are a lot of good comedies out recently that aren't full of flashy techno stuff and don't have rap stars in them (and even if they did, if the rap star is funny, who cares?)...
yebat' Putin
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Okay, to you and oohrah both. Whatever. 
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Okay, to you and oohrah both. Whatever.
Hey, for me, it's never personal.
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Arch didn't get his fiber today.
yebat' Putin
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"Do you mind if we dance wiff yo dates"
Toga, Toga, Toga
What am I........... "A zit"
I AM ALWAYS RIGHT... except when I am wrong.
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The only thing I DON'T have this movie on is Blu-Ray,....the old lady is out for the night, so I guess Animal House is a good alternative,....
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Don't get to excited when Belushi bounces up to the window
I AM ALWAYS RIGHT... except when I am wrong.
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