Pesky Facts About #HealthCare

Here are the answers to the loudest questions screamed at town halls, because the room never gets quiet enough to hear them. Keep this with you.

And to the biggest question: Yes. You'll still have your country. It'll just be a bit healthier, that's all.

What if I don't want my health care dollars to pay for other people’s abortions?

Abortion opponents say the legislation would use taxes to subsidize insurance that could cover the procedure. Under the House bill, health plans could choose to cover abortion, but they generally could not use federal money to pay for the procedure and instead would have to use money from the premiums paid by beneficiaries. Representative Diana DeGette, Democrat of Colorado, said the bill would keep current restrictions on the use of federal money for abortion.

Will bureaucrats be allowed to “pull the plug” on elderly sick people, or euthanize them? Will there be “death panels” to decide who lives and dies?

No. AARP, the lobby for older Americans, says, “The rumors out there are flat-out lies.” The House bill would provide Medicare coverage for optional consultations with doctors who advise patients on life-sustaining treatment and “end-of-life services,” including hospice care.

Will undocumented immigrants get taxpayer health benefits?

None of the major proposals in Congress would provide health insurance to illegal immigrants.

Can the government deduct money directly from bank accounts to pay for health care?

No. The House bill says that one of the goals for electronic health records is to “enable electronic funds transfers, in order to allow automated reconciliation” between payment and billing. But it describes common electronic banking transactions, not special access privileges for the government.

Sources: Congressional bills; PolitiFact

Comments

[Sarita]

But let's not let facts get in the way of general hysteria!

[Stitch]

Will undocumented immigrants get taxpayer health benefits?

Would a Hawaiian birth certificate be considered proof of citiznship?

[Saffi]

I think it's a wonderful thing that we live in a country where tax dollars cannot be used to pay for something that a small minority has a moral objection to. Tax dollars should just not be used for abortions.

Or for wars of choice.

Or for public works projects or private usage fee exemptions that rape the environment.

Or for corporate price supports that impoverish entire Third World countries.

No, siree, forcing people to pay their share for something they disagree with is just not the way we do things in this country.