tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88550448906376420512024-03-13T06:18:17.856-04:00Are YOU Smarter than Congress?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger86125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8855044890637642051.post-72993829646668158752012-07-13T23:22:00.000-04:002012-07-13T23:22:04.750-04:00The Truth About Obamacare, Part IV: Queen KathleenKathleen Sebelius is now the Queen of HHS, not the Secretary. Just read this brief excerpt from part 2 of the PPACA.<br />
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PART 2—CONSUMER CHOICES AND INSUR-<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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ANCE COMPETITION THROUGH HEALTH </div>
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BENEFIT EXCHANGES </div>
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SEC. 1311 ø42 U.S.C. 13031¿. AFFORDABLE CHOICES OF HEALTH BEN-<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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EFIT PLANS. </div>
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<span style="font: 10.0px Times;">(a) A</span>SSISTANCETO<span style="font: 10.0px Times;">S</span>TATES TO<span style="font: 10.0px Times;">E</span>STABLISH<span style="font: 10.0px Times;">A</span>MERICAN<span style="font: 10.0px Times;">H</span>EALTH<span style="font: 10.0px Times;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font: 10.0px Times;">B</span>ENEFIT<span style="font: 10.0px Times;">E</span>XCHANGES<span style="font: 10.0px Times;">.—</span><span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font: 10.0px Times;">(1) P</span>LANNINGANDESTABLISHMENT GRANTS<span style="font: 10.0px Times;">.—There shall </span></div>
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be appropriated to the Secretary, out of any moneys in the </div>
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Treasury not otherwise appropriated, an amount necessary to </div>
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enable the Secretary to make awards, not later than 1 year </div>
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after the date of enactment of this Act, to States in the amount </div>
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specified in paragraph (2) for the uses described in paragraph </div>
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(3). </div>
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(2) A<span style="font: 8.0px Times;">MOUNTSPECIFIED</span>.—For each fiscal year, the Secretary </div>
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shall determine the total amount that the Secretary will make </div>
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available to each State for grants under this subsection. </div>
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(3) U<span style="font: 8.0px Times;">SEOFFUNDS</span>.—A State shall use amounts awarded </div>
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under this subsection for activities (including planning activi-<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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ties) related to establishing an American Health Benefit Ex-<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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change, as described in subsection (b). </div>
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<span style="font: 10.0px Times;">(4) R</span>ENEWABILITYOFGRANT<span style="font: 10.0px Times;">.—</span><span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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June 9, 2010 </div>
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70<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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Sec. 1311 PPACA (Consolidated) </div>
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(A) I<span style="font: 8.0px Times;">NGENERAL</span>.—Subject to subsection (d)(4), the Sec-<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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retary may renew a grant awarded under paragraph (1) if </div>
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the State recipient of such grant—<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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(i) is making progress, as determined by the Sec-<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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retary, toward—<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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(I) establishing an Exchange; and </div>
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(II) implementing the reforms described in </div>
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subtitles A and C (and the amendments made by </div>
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such subtitles); and </div>
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(ii) is meeting such other benchmarks as the Sec-<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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retary may establish. </div>
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(B) L<span style="font: 8.0px Times;">IMITATION</span>.—No grant shall be awarded under </div>
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this subsection after January 1, 2015. </div>
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<span style="font: 10.0px Times;">(5) T</span>ECHNICALASSISTANCETOFACILITATEPARTICIPATIONIN<span style="font: 10.0px Times;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font: 8.0px Times;">SHOP EXCHANGES</span>.—The Secretary shall provide technical as-<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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sistance to States to facilitate the participation of qualified </div>
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small businesses in such States in SHOP Exchanges. </div>
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<span style="font: 10.0px Times;">(b) A</span>MERICAN<span style="font: 10.0px Times;">H</span>EALTH<span style="font: 10.0px Times;">B</span>ENEFIT<span style="font: 10.0px Times;">E</span>XCHANGES<span style="font: 10.0px Times;">.—</span><span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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(1) I<span style="font: 8.0px Times;">NGENERAL</span>.—Each State shall, not later than January </div>
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1, 2014, establish an American Health Benefit Exchange (re-<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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ferred to in this title as an ‘‘Exchange’’) for the State that—<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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(A) facilitates the purchase of qualified health plans; </div>
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(B) provides for the establishment of a Small Business </div>
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Health Options Program (in this title referred to as a </div>
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‘‘SHOP Exchange’’) that is designed to assist qualified em-<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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ployers in the State who are small employers in facili-<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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tating the enrollment of their employees in qualified </div>
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health plans offered in the small group market in the </div>
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State; and </div>
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(C) meets the requirements of subsection (d). </div>
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<span style="font: 10.0px Times;">(2) M</span>ERGEROFINDIVIDUALANDSHOPEXCHANGES<span style="font: 10.0px Times;">.—A State </span></div>
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may elect to provide only one Exchange in the State for pro-<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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viding both Exchange and SHOP Exchange services to both </div>
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qualified individuals and qualified small employers, but only if </div>
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the Exchange has adequate resources to assist such individuals </div>
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and employers. </div>
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<span style="font: 10.0px Times;">(c) R</span>ESPONSIBILITIESOFTHE<span style="font: 10.0px Times;">S</span>ECRETARY<span style="font: 10.0px Times;">.—</span><span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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(1) I<span style="font: 8.0px Times;">NGENERAL</span>.—The Secretary shall, by regulation, estab-<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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lish criteria for the certification of health plans as qualified </div>
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health plans. Such criteria shall require that, to be certified, </div>
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a plan shall, at a minimum—<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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(A) meet marketing requirements, and not employ </div>
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marketing practices or benefit designs that have the effect </div>
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of discouraging the enrollment in such plan by individuals </div>
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with significant health needs; </div>
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(B) ensure a sufficient choice of providers (in a manner </div>
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consistent with applicable network adequacy provisions </div>
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under section 2702(c) of the Public Health Service Act), </div>
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and provide information to enrollees and prospective en-<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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rollees on the availability of in-network and out-of-network </div>
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providers; </div>
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(C) include within health insurance plan networks </div>
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those essential community providers, where available, that </div>
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serve predominately low-income, medically-underserved in-<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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June 9, 2010 </div>
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71 Sec. 1311<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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PPACA (Consolidated) </div>
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dividuals, such as health care providers defined in section </div>
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340B(a)(4) of the Public Health Service Act and providers </div>
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described in section 1927(c)(1)(D)(i)(IV) of the Social Secu-<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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rity Act as set forth by section 221 of Public Law 111–8, </div>
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except that nothing in this subparagraph shall be con-<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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strued to require any health plan to provide coverage for </div>
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any specific medical procedure; </div>
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(D)(i) be accredited with respect to local performance </div>
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on clinical quality measures such as the Healthcare Effec-<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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tiveness Data and Information Set, patient experience rat-<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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ings on a standardized Consumer Assessment of </div>
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Healthcare Providers and Systems survey, as well as con-<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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sumer access, utilization management, quality assurance, </div>
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provider credentialing, complaints and appeals, network </div>
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adequacy and access, and patient information programs by </div>
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any entity recognized by the Secretary for the accredita-<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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tion of health insurance issuers or plans (so long as any </div>
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such entity has transparent and rigorous methodological </div>
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and scoring criteria); or </div>
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(ii) receive such accreditation within a period estab-<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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lished by an Exchange for such accreditation that is appli-<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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cable to all qualified health plans; </div>
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(E) implement a quality improvement strategy de-<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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scribed in subsection (g)(1); </div>
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(F) utilize a uniform enrollment form that qualified in-<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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dividuals and qualified employers may use (either elec-<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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tronically or on paper) in enrolling in qualified health </div>
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plans offered through such Exchange, and that takes into </div>
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account criteria that the National Association of Insurance </div>
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Commissioners develops and submits to the Secretary; </div>
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(G) utilize the standard format established for pre-<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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senting health benefits plan options; </div>
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(H) provide information to enrollees and prospective </div>
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enrollees, and to each Exchange in which the plan is of-<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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fered, on any quality measures for health plan perform-<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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ance endorsed under section 399JJ of the Public Health </div>
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Service Act, as applicable; and </div>
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(I) report to the Secretary at least annually and in </div>
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such manner as the Secretary shall require, pediatric qual-<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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ity reporting measures consistent with the pediatric qual-<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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ity reporting measures established under section 1139A of </div>
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the Social Security Act. øAs added by section 10203(a)¿<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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(2) R<span style="font: 8.0px Times;">ULEOFCONSTRUCTION</span>.—Nothing in paragraph (1)(C) </div>
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shall be construed to require a qualified health plan to contract </div>
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with a provider described in such paragraph if such provider </div>
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refuses to accept the generally applicable payment rates of </div>
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such plan. </div>
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(3) R<span style="font: 8.0px Times;">ATINGSYSTEM</span>.—The Secretary shall develop a rating </div>
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system that would rate qualified health plans offered through </div>
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an Exchange in each benefits level on the basis of the relative </div>
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quality and price. The Exchange shall include the quality rat-<span style="font: 12.0px Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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ing in the information provided to individuals and employers </div>
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through the Internet portal established under paragraph (4). </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8855044890637642051.post-80649354412075163412012-07-11T23:15:00.000-04:002012-07-11T23:15:11.392-04:00The Truth About Obamacare, Part III: The Twelve Monkeys<br />
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<div id="AOLMsgPart_1_018e501b-3688-4d6d-affc-c8bfdcd0b536">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Q: If you have 12 monkeys, each typing 60 words/minute, how long would it take for them to write Obamacare?</span><div style="font-size: 10pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 10pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">A: 9 hours and 50 minutes.*</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 10pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 10pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">*</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Based on an estimated 425,116 words in the PPACA</span></div>
</span></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8855044890637642051.post-70118442821711043672012-07-10T22:52:00.001-04:002012-07-10T22:56:11.237-04:00The Truth About Obamacare, Part 2: Freedom to ChooseDid you know that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act includes Free Choice Vouchers? I thought the democrats were against vouchers. Then again they are in favor of "free choice" when it comes to terminating a pregnancy. I do not think this is about abortion, though. For the life of me, I can not tell what it <i>is </i>about. Maybe you can. If so, then YOU are Smarter Than Congress.<br />
This excerpt is from pages 835-838 of the PPACA (oh, and by the way, judging from the number of typos and misspellings, not only did no one ever read this, they never proofread it either):<br />
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SEC. 10108. FREE CHOICE VOUCHERS. </div>
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(a) I<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">N</span><span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span>G<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">ENERAL</span>.—An offering employer shall provide free </div>
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choice vouchers to each qualified employee of such employer. </div>
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(b) O<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">FFERING</span><span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span>E<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">MPLOYER</span>.—For purposes of this section, the </div>
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term ‘‘offering employer’’ means any employer who—<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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(1) offers minimum essential coverage to its employees </div>
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consisting of coverage through an eligible employer-sponsored </div>
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plan; and </div>
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(2) pays any portion of the costs of such plan. </div>
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(c) Q<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">UALIFIED</span>E<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">MPLOYEE</span>.—For purposes of this section—<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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(1) I<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">NGENERAL</span>.—The term ‘‘qualified employee’’ means, </div>
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with respect to any plan year of an offering employer, any em-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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ployee—<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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VerDate 0ct 09 2002 13:03 Jun 09, 2010 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00835 Fmt 9001 Sfmt 6601 F:\P11\NHI\COMP\PPACACON.005 HOLCPC<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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June 9, 2010 </div>
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836<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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Sec. 10108 PPACA (Consolidated) </div>
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(A) whose required contribution (as determined under </div>
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section 5000A(e)(1)(B)) for minimum essential coverage </div>
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through an eligible employer-sponsored plan—<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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(i) exceeds 8 percent of such employee’s household </div>
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income for the taxable year described in section </div>
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1412(b)(1)(B) which ends with or within in the plan </div>
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year; and </div>
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(ii) does not exceed 9.8 percent of such employee’s </div>
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household income for such taxable year; </div>
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(B) whose household income for such taxable year is </div>
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not greater than 400 percent of the poverty line for a fam-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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ily of the size involved; and </div>
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(C) who does not participate in a health plan offered </div>
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by the offering employer. </div>
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(2) I<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">NDEXING</span>.—In the case of any calendar year beginning </div>
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after 2014, the Secretary shall adjust the 8 percent under </div>
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paragraph (1)(A)(i) and 9.8 percent under paragraph (1)(A)(ii) </div>
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for the calendar year to reflect the rate of premium growth be-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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tween the preceding calendar year and 2013 over the rate of </div>
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income growth for such period. </div>
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<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">(d) F</span>REE<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">C</span>HOICE<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">V</span>OUCHER<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">.—</span><span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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(1) A<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">MOUNT</span>.—<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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(A) I<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">N GENERAL</span>.—The amount of any free choice </div>
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voucher provided under subsection (a) shall be equal to the </div>
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monthly portion of the cost of the eligible employer-spon-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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sored plan which would have been paid by the employer if </div>
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the employee were covered under the plan with respect to </div>
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which the employer pays the largest portion of the cost of </div>
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the plan. Such amount shall be equal to the amount the </div>
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employer would pay for an employee with self-only cov-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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erage unless such employee elects family coverage (in </div>
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which case such amount shall be the amount the employer </div>
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would pay for family coverage). </div>
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(B) D<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">ETERMINATIONOFCOST</span>.—The cost of any health </div>
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plan shall be determined under the rules similar to the </div>
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rules of section 2204 of the Public Health Service Act, ex-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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cept that such amount shall be adjusted for age and cat-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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egory of enrollment in accordance with regulations estab-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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lished by the Secretary. </div>
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(2) U<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">SE OF VOUCHERS</span>.—An Exchange shall credit the </div>
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amount of any free choice voucher provided under subsection </div>
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(a) to the monthly premium of any qualified health plan in the </div>
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Exchange in which the qualified employee is enrolled and the </div>
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offering employer shall pay any amounts so credited to the Ex-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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change. </div>
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(3) P<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">AYMENTOFEXCESS AMOUNTS</span>.—If the amount of the </div>
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free choice voucher exceeds the amount of the premium of the </div>
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qualified health plan in which the qualified employee is en-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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rolled for such month, such excess shall be paid to the em-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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ployee. </div>
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(e) O<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">THER</span>D<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">EFINITIONS</span>.—Any term used in this section which </div>
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is also used in section 5000A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 </div>
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shall have the meaning given such term under such section 5000A. </div>
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<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">(f) E</span>XCLUSION<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">F</span>ROM<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">I</span>NCOMEFOR<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">E</span>MPLOYEE<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">.—</span><span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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June 9, 2010 </div>
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837 Sec. 10108<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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PPACA (Consolidated) </div>
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(1) I<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">NGENERAL</span>.—Part III of subchapter B of chapter 1 of </div>
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the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by inserting </div>
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after section 139C the following new section: </div>
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‘‘SEC. 139D. FREE CHOICE VOUCHERS. </div>
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‘‘Gross income shall not include the amount of any free choice </div>
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voucher provided by an employer under section 10108 of the Pa-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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tient Protection and Affordable Care Act to the extent that the </div>
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amount of such voucher does not exceed the amount paid for a </div>
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qualified health plan (as defined in section 1301 of such Act) by the </div>
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taxpayer.’’. </div>
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(2) C<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">LERICALAMENDMENT</span>.—The table of sections for part </div>
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III of subchapter B of chapter 1 of such Code is amended by </div>
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inserting after the item relating to section 139C the following </div>
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new item:<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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‘‘Sec. 139D. Free choice vouchers.’’.<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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(3) E<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">FFECTIVEDATE</span>.—The amendments made by this sub-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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section shall apply to vouchers provided after December 31, </div>
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2013. </div>
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<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">(g) D</span>EDUCTION<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">A</span>LLOWEDTO<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">E</span>MPLOYER<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">.—</span><span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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(1) I<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">NGENERAL</span>.—Section 162(a) of the Internal Revenue </div>
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Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end the following </div>
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new sentence: ‘‘For purposes of paragraph (1), the amount of </div>
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a free choice voucher provided under section 10108 of the Pa-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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tient Protection and Affordable Care Act shall be treated as an </div>
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amount for compensation for personal services actually ren-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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dered.’’. </div>
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(2) E<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">FFECTIVEDATE</span>.—The amendments made by this sub-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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section shall apply to vouchers provided after December 31, </div>
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2013. </div>
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<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">(h) V</span>OUCHER<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">T</span>AKEN<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">I</span>NTO<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">A</span>CCOUNTIN<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">D</span>ETERMINING<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">P</span>REMIUM<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">C</span>REDIT<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">.—</span><span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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(1) øAdded a subparagraph (D) to section 36(c)(2) of the </div>
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IRC, added by section 1401¿<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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(2) E<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">FFECTIVEDATE</span>.—The amendment made by this sub-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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section shall apply to taxable years beginning after December </div>
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31, 2013. </div>
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<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">(i) C</span>OORDINATION<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">W</span>ITH<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">E</span>MPLOYER<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">R</span>ESPONSIBILITIES<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">.—</span><span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">(1) S</span>HAREDRESPONSIBILITYPENALTY<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">.—</span><span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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(A) øAdded a paragraph (3) to section 4980H(c) of the </div>
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IRC, added by section 1513¿<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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(B) E<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">FFECTIVEDATE</span>.—The amendment made by this </div>
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paragraph shall apply to months beginning after December </div>
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31, 2013. </div>
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(2) øAmended section 18B(a)(3) of FLSA, added by section </div>
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1512¿<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">(j) E</span>MPLOYER<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">R</span>EPORTING<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">.—</span><span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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(1) øAmended section 6056(a) of the IRC, added by section </div>
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1514¿<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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(2) øReplaced subsection (f) of section 6056 of the IRC, </div>
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added by section 1514¿<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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(3) øMade miscellaneous conforming amendments to sec-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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tions 6056 and 6724(d) of the IRC, added by section 1514, as </div>
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well as a table of sections amendment¿<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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June 9, 2010 </div>
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838<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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Sec. 10109 PPACA (Consolidated) </div>
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(4) E<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">FFECTIVEDATE</span>.—The amendments made by this sub-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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section shall apply to periods beginning after December 31, </div>
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2013. </div>
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SEC</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8855044890637642051.post-15950425730766210722012-07-09T23:17:00.004-04:002012-07-11T23:16:11.528-04:00The Truth About ObamacareThis excerpt from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act explains the so-called individual mandate. If you can read it, then YOU are SMARTER than Congress. If you can read it and understand it, the you are smarter than ANYBODY. If you can read it and stay awake, you are probably taking ritalin. And for you liberals: are you sure you like this law?<br />
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‘SEC. 5000A. REQUIREMENT TO MAINTAIN MINIMUM ESSENTIAL COV-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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ERAGE. </div>
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<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">‘‘(a) R</span>EQUIREMENT<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span><span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">T</span>O<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span><span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">M</span>AINTAIN<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span><span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">M</span>INIMUM<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">E</span>SSENTIAL<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span><span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">C</span>OV<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">-</span><span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">ERAGE</span>.—An applicable individual shall for each month beginning </div>
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after 2013 ensure that the individual, and any dependent of the in-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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dividual who is an applicable individual, is covered under min-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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imum essential coverage for such month. </div>
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<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">‘‘(b) S</span>HARED<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">R</span>ESPONSIBILITY<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">P</span>AYMENT<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">.—</span><span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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‘‘(1) I<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">NGENERAL</span>.—øReplaced by section 10106(b)¿ If a tax-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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payer who is an applicable individual, or an applicable indi-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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vidual for whom the taxpayer is liable under paragraph (3), </div>
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fails to meet the requirement of subsection (a) for 1 or more </div>
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months, then, except as provided in subsection (e), there is </div>
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hereby imposed on the taxpayer a penalty with respect to such </div>
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failures in the amount determined under subsection (c). </div>
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‘‘(2) I<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">NCLUSIONWITHRETURN</span>.—Any penalty imposed by </div>
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this section with respect to any month shall be included with </div>
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a taxpayer’s return under chapter 1 for the taxable year which </div>
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includes such month. </div>
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‘‘(3) P<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">AYMENTOFPENALTY</span>.—If an individual with respect </div>
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to whom a penalty is imposed by this section for any month—<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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‘‘(A) is a dependent (as defined in section 152) of an-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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other taxpayer for the other taxpayer’s taxable year in-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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cluding such month, such other taxpayer shall be liable for </div>
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such penalty, or </div>
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‘‘(B) files a joint return for the taxable year including </div>
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such month, such individual and the spouse of such indi-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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vidual shall be jointly liable for such penalty. </div>
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‘‘(c) A<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">MOUNTOF</span>P<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">ENALTY</span>.—øParagraphs (1) and (2) were re-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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vised in their entirety by section 10106(b)(2)¿<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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June 9, 2010 June 9, 2010 </div>
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146<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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Sec. 1501 PPACA (Consolidated) </div>
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‘‘(1) I<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">NGENERAL</span>.—The amount of the penalty imposed by </div>
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this section on any taxpayer for any taxable year with respect </div>
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to failures described in subsection (b)(1) shall be equal to the </div>
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lesser of—<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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‘‘(A) the sum of the monthly penalty amounts deter-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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mined under paragraph (2) for months in the taxable year </div>
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during which 1 or more such failures occurred, or </div>
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‘‘(B) an amount equal to the national average premium </div>
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for qualified health plans which have a bronze level of cov-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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erage, provide coverage for the applicable family size in-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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volved, and are offered through Exchanges for plan years </div>
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beginning in the calendar year with or within which the </div>
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taxable year ends. </div>
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‘‘(2) M<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">ONTHLYPENALTYAMOUNTS</span>.—For purposes of para-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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graph (1)(A), the monthly penalty amount with respect to any </div>
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taxpayer for any month during which any failure described in </div>
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subsection (b)(1) occurred is an amount equal to <span style="font: normal normal normal 7px/normal Times;">1</span>⁄<span style="font: normal normal normal 7px/normal Times;">12</span><span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span>of the </div>
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greater of the following amounts: </div>
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‘‘(A) F<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">LATDOLLARAMOUNT</span>.—An amount equal to the </div>
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lesser of—<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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‘‘(i) the sum of the applicable dollar amounts for </div>
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all individuals with respect to whom such failure oc-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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curred during such month, or </div>
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‘‘(ii) 300 percent of the applicable dollar amount </div>
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(determined without regard to paragraph (3)(C)) for </div>
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the calendar year with or within which the taxable </div>
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year ends. </div>
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‘‘(B) P<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">ERCENTAGEOFINCOME</span>.—øAs revised by section </div>
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1002(a)(1) of HCERA¿ An amount equal to the following </div>
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percentage of the excess of the taxpayer’s household in-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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come for the taxable year over the amount of gross income </div>
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specified in section 6012(a)(1) with respect to the taxpayer </div>
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for the taxable year: </div>
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‘‘(i) 1.0 percent for taxable years beginning in </div>
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2014. </div>
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‘‘(ii) 2.0 percent for taxable years beginning in </div>
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2015. </div>
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‘‘(iii) 2.5 percent for taxable years beginning after </div>
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2015. </div>
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‘‘(3) A<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">PPLICABLEDOLLARAMOUNT</span>.—øAs revised by section </div>
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10106(b)(3) and by section 1002(a)(2) of HCERA¿ For purposes </div>
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of paragraph (1)—<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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‘‘(A) I<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">N GENERAL</span>.—Except as provided in subpara-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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graphs (B) and (C), the applicable dollar amount is $695. </div>
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‘‘(B) P<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">HASEIN</span>.—The applicable dollar amount is $95 </div>
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for 2014 and $325 for 2015. </div>
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<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">‘‘(C) S</span>PECIALRULEFORINDIVIDUALSUNDERAGE18<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">.—</span><span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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If an applicable individual has not attained the age of 18 </div>
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as of the beginning of a month, the applicable dollar </div>
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amount with respect to such individual for the month shall </div>
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be equal to one-half of the applicable dollar amount for the </div>
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calendar year in which the month occurs. </div>
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‘‘(D) I<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">NDEXINGOF AMOUNT</span>.—In the case of any cal-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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endar year beginning after 2016, the applicable dollar </div>
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146<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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Sec. 1501 PPACA (Consolidated) </div>
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‘‘(1) I<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">NGENERAL</span>.—The amount of the penalty imposed by </div>
<div style="font: 10.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
this section on any taxpayer for any taxable year with respect </div>
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to failures described in subsection (b)(1) shall be equal to the </div>
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lesser of—<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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‘‘(A) the sum of the monthly penalty amounts deter-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
<div style="font: 10.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
mined under paragraph (2) for months in the taxable year </div>
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during which 1 or more such failures occurred, or </div>
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‘‘(B) an amount equal to the national average premium </div>
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for qualified health plans which have a bronze level of cov-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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erage, provide coverage for the applicable family size in-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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volved, and are offered through Exchanges for plan years </div>
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beginning in the calendar year with or within which the </div>
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taxable year ends. </div>
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‘‘(2) M<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">ONTHLYPENALTYAMOUNTS</span>.—For purposes of para-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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graph (1)(A), the monthly penalty amount with respect to any </div>
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taxpayer for any month during which any failure described in </div>
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subsection (b)(1) occurred is an amount equal to <span style="font: normal normal normal 7px/normal Times;">1</span>⁄<span style="font: normal normal normal 7px/normal Times;">12</span><span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span>of the </div>
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greater of the following amounts: </div>
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‘‘(A) F<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">LATDOLLARAMOUNT</span>.—An amount equal to the </div>
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lesser of—<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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‘‘(i) the sum of the applicable dollar amounts for </div>
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all individuals with respect to whom such failure oc-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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curred during such month, or </div>
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‘‘(ii) 300 percent of the applicable dollar amount </div>
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(determined without regard to paragraph (3)(C)) for </div>
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the calendar year with or within which the taxable </div>
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year ends. </div>
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‘‘(B) P<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">ERCENTAGEOFINCOME</span>.—øAs revised by section </div>
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1002(a)(1) of HCERA¿ An amount equal to the following </div>
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percentage of the excess of the taxpayer’s household in-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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come for the taxable year over the amount of gross income </div>
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specified in section 6012(a)(1) with respect to the taxpayer </div>
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for the taxable year: </div>
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‘‘(i) 1.0 percent for taxable years beginning in </div>
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2014. </div>
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‘‘(ii) 2.0 percent for taxable years beginning in </div>
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2015. </div>
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‘‘(iii) 2.5 percent for taxable years beginning after </div>
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2015. </div>
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‘‘(3) A<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">PPLICABLEDOLLARAMOUNT</span>.—øAs revised by section </div>
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10106(b)(3) and by section 1002(a)(2) of HCERA¿ For purposes </div>
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of paragraph (1)—<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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‘‘(A) I<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">N GENERAL</span>.—Except as provided in subpara-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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graphs (B) and (C), the applicable dollar amount is $695. </div>
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‘‘(B) P<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">HASEIN</span>.—The applicable dollar amount is $95 </div>
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for 2014 and $325 for 2015. </div>
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<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">‘‘(C) S</span>PECIALRULEFORINDIVIDUALSUNDERAGE18<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">.—</span><span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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If an applicable individual has not attained the age of 18 </div>
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as of the beginning of a month, the applicable dollar </div>
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amount with respect to such individual for the month shall </div>
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be equal to one-half of the applicable dollar amount for the </div>
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calendar year in which the month occurs. </div>
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‘‘(D) I<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">NDEXINGOF AMOUNT</span>.—In the case of any cal-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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endar year beginning after 2016, the applicable dollar </div>
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VerDate 0ct 09 2002 13:03 Jun 09, 2010 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00146 Fmt 9001 Sfmt 6601 F:\P11\NHI\COMP\PPACACON.005 HOLCPC<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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June 9, 2010 </div>
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147 Sec. 1501<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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PPACA (Consolidated) </div>
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amount shall be equal to $695, increased by an amount </div>
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equal to—<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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‘‘(i) $695, multiplied by </div>
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‘‘(ii) the cost-of-living adjustment determined </div>
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under section 1(f)(3) for the calendar year, determined </div>
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by substituting ‘calendar year 2015’ for ‘calendar year </div>
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1992’ in subparagraph (B) thereof. </div>
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If the amount of any increase under clause (i) is not a mul-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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tiple of $50, such increase shall be rounded to the next </div>
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lowest multiple of $50. </div>
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<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">‘‘(4) T</span>ERMSRELATINGTOINCOMEANDFAMILIES<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">.—For pur-</span><span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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poses of this section—<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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‘‘(A) F<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">AMILYSIZE</span>.—The family size involved with re-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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spect to any taxpayer shall be equal to the number of indi-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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viduals for whom the taxpayer is allowed a deduction </div>
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under section 151 (relating to allowance of deduction for </div>
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personal exemptions) for the taxable year. </div>
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‘‘(B) H<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">OUSEHOLD INCOME</span>.—The term ‘household in-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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come’ means, with respect to any taxpayer for any taxable </div>
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year, an amount equal to the sum of—øshown to reflect </div>
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probable amendment made by section 1004(a)(1)(C) of </div>
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HCERA¿<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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‘‘(i) the modified adjusted gross income of the tax-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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payer, plus </div>
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‘‘(ii) the aggregate modified adjusted gross in-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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comes of all other individuals who—<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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‘‘(I) were taken into account in determining </div>
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the taxpayer’s family size under paragraph (1), </div>
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and </div>
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‘‘(II) were required to file a return of tax im-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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posed by section 1 for the taxable year. </div>
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<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">‘‘(C) M</span>ODIFIED ADJUSTED GROSS INCOME<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">.—øReplaced </span></div>
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by section 1004(a)(2)(B)¿ The term ‘modified adjusted gross </div>
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income’ means adjusted gross income increased by—<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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‘‘(i) any amount excluded from gross income under </div>
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section 911, and </div>
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‘‘(ii) any amount of interest received or accrued by </div>
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the taxpayer during the taxable year which is exempt </div>
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from tax. </div>
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‘‘(d) A<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">PPLICABLE</span>I<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">NDIVIDUAL</span>.—For purposes of this section—<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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‘‘(1) I<span style="font: normal normal normal 8px/normal Times;">NGENERAL</span>.—The term ‘applicable individual’ means, </div>
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with respect to any month, an individual other than an indi-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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vidual described in paragraph (2), (3), or (4). </div>
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<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">‘‘(2) R</span>ELIGIOUSEXEMPTIONS<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">.—</span><span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
<div style="font: 8.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">‘‘(A) R</span>ELIGIOUS CONSCIENCE EXEMPTION<span style="font: normal normal normal 10px/normal Times;">.—øReplaced </span></div>
<div style="font: 10.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
by section 10106(c)¿ Such term shall not include any indi-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
<div style="font: 10.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
vidual for any month if such individual has in effect an ex-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
<div style="font: 10.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
emption under section 1311(d)(4)(H) of the Patient Protec-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
<div style="font: 10.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
tion and Affordable Care Act which certifies that such in-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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dividual is—<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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‘‘(i) a member of a recognized religious sect or divi-<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica;"> </span></div>
<div style="font: 10.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
sion thereof which is described in section 1402(g)(1), </div>
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and </div>
<div>
<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8855044890637642051.post-82687464430484299672012-02-11T14:55:00.000-05:002012-02-11T14:55:58.451-05:00Contraceptive Coverage and ObamaismPresident Obama, in a great display of magnanimity, has backed off from his requirement that all employers, including religious institutions, provide "free" contraceptive and abortion services to their employees. With this concession, the encroachment by Obamacare on religious freedom seems to have been forestalled. Now we come to the next layer of the onion: encroachment by Obamacare on economic freedom.<br />
<br />
The new ruling by Obama--and I am setting aside, for the sake of argument, the issue of whether Obama has the authority to make such rulings--is that insurance companies, not employers, will be required to provide "free" contraceptive services to all women who request them. My understanding is that this includes conventional birth control pills as well as Plan B One Step, aka the morning after pill. I do not know whether cervical rings, diaphragms, IUDs, Norplant, and tubal ligation are covered, but to keep it simple, I will consider only oral contraception.<br />
<br />
Everyone, I hope, understands that under Obama's edict, contraceptives are not FREE. If insurance companies are required to provide them free of charge to their customers, then insurance premiums will go up. This means that everyone who pays premiums (or taxes, in the case of Medicaid, Medicare and the public option under Obamacare) will be paying for those who use contraceptives.<br />
<br />
Of course, all insurance follows this model. You pay a premium with the understanding that you may never benefit from insurance, and that someone else may. Most non-diabetics do not object to diabetics receiving covered health care services for their diabetes. Most people with healthy hearts do not object to people with heart disease receiving covered health care services for their heart disease. Insurance is a method to transfer wealth from the healthy to the ill. From non-diabetics to diabetics. From healthy hearts to weakened hearts. From the non-injured to the injured. From cancer-free to cancer. Does anyone object to this. I think not.<br />
<br />
But what about the contraceptive mandate. This is a transfer of wealth from men to women. From people who abstain to people who are sexually active. From homosexuals to heterosexuals. From the monogamous to the promiscuous. From older people to younger people. From women who have had their tubes tied to those who have not. From women who's husbands have had vasectomies to those who's husbands have not. From people who want to have children to those who do not. From Asians, Hispanics and Blacks (56.4%, 68.2% and 78.4% usage of birth control pills, respectively) to Whites (88.8% usage) [1].<br />
<br />
Is this even consistent with the tenets of liberalism? I agree with using insurance premiums to allow the sick to receive health care. I can even see the rationale, though I disagree with it, for the transfer of wealth from rich to poor. But this? Transfer of wealth to make it easier for people to have recreational sex? That, my friends, is not liberalism, it is Obamaism.<br />
<br />
[<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">1] <u>Use of Contraceptives in the United States, 1982-2008</u>, US Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, P.5, Table 2, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1654568632"> </a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_23/sr23_029.pdf">http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_23/sr23_029.pdf</a></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8855044890637642051.post-12280315914254609902010-07-19T09:53:00.000-04:002010-07-19T09:53:25.871-04:00New York Times to Obama: YOU LIED!This article says it all:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/18/health/policy/18health.html?emc=eta1">http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/18/health/policy/18health.html?emc=eta1</a><br />
<br />
<br />
Can it be that even the New York Times is waking up? Has the old grey lady joined the Tea Party?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8855044890637642051.post-13844227219349045452010-06-24T12:42:00.006-04:002010-06-24T12:48:11.407-04:00McChrystal for...VP?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7S4RlHG1uXmL-mtuhE-DR_j_zNcTf5fq88tskMLqKU65XckLjBoYK71IgJ-k6IMa6kWtAjIZeF0MoNOjnadB1UwG9PCiX738Nlma8FA_n0Nxp3OeTi4E3XtRwVZOSj8Qgk2tA3K2e2Uc/s1600/alg_general_mcchrystal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7S4RlHG1uXmL-mtuhE-DR_j_zNcTf5fq88tskMLqKU65XckLjBoYK71IgJ-k6IMa6kWtAjIZeF0MoNOjnadB1UwG9PCiX738Nlma8FA_n0Nxp3OeTi4E3XtRwVZOSj8Qgk2tA3K2e2Uc/s200/alg_general_mcchrystal.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw6Itpv41t1y1lpkrna38n4YPS0ky2kJKpldXe_iSq23O6oMbpLLH4wsq2i9maunmq2lG59P7X_uliTBixpuu6C2a5KEV5wWNWynyo5MMmLdrsnTJh3VwMwjy0RhJxniAEDG8rYlimJfo/s1600/everitt+mcgill+under+siege+2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw6Itpv41t1y1lpkrna38n4YPS0ky2kJKpldXe_iSq23O6oMbpLLH4wsq2i9maunmq2lG59P7X_uliTBixpuu6C2a5KEV5wWNWynyo5MMmLdrsnTJh3VwMwjy0RhJxniAEDG8rYlimJfo/s200/everitt+mcgill+under+siege+2.jpeg" width="196" /></a></div><br />
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According to <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/17390/119236">Michael Hastings</a>*, General Stanley McChrystal's favorite movie is <i>Talladega Nights.</i><br />
My theory is that he has watched one too many reruns of <i>Under Siege 2: Dark Territory, </i>and is channelling the nameless-disgruntled-pepper-spray-eating-former-special-ops-rogue-commando played by Everitt McGill (pictured above). As a result of his carefully cultivated, but true, tougher than thou image, the talk-radio circuit has brought up the idea of McChrystal for President. Actually, it is not a bad idea, and is just what this country needs, a physic to cleanse us after the current occupant leaves the White House.<br />
<br />
However, I fear a different outcome. Remember, McChrystal <i>voted for </i>Obama, and it was plain as day, from the beginning of the campaign, what Obama was: a metrosexual, a member of the castrata elite, whose only skills were agitation and fund-raising. That McChrystal voted for Obama rather than the battlefield-tested McCain shows clearly that the general is not a hard core Republican.<br />
<br />
Q: How could a guy like McChrystal vote for a guy like Obama? <br />
A: Because his first choice was not in the race.<br />
<br />
Hastings article makes one brief reference to another political camp that is neither the GOP nor Obama, but that has feelings for McChrystal, and is crouching in the wings waiting for the right moment to pounce:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>Only Hillary Clinton receives good reviews from McChrystal's inner circle. "Hillary had Stan's back during the strategic review," says an adviser. "She said, 'If Stan wants it, give him what he needs.' "</blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #202020; font-family: georgia; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia; line-height: 19px;">Could it be that the Secretary of State will recruit the General as a running mate in a bid to usurp the Emperor? I am not making a prediction, only thinking about worst case scenarios.</span><br />
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*Rolling Stone, June 22, 2010Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8855044890637642051.post-58975595001633778522010-06-21T23:15:00.000-04:002010-06-21T23:15:59.584-04:00More inconvenient truth<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnzfaryfIhcTRlhPJFyJLHL6stD2nXRhMRWJDv7sL4DOCsFjTMKVsnv60o15R4BLCQLNmu_E0lZRMo3gJ2n99bvJ3BX5OJUvl93c_pDV8WH7f3cLScdfSGPVfsdUSHsKxOL6hUIeZgH_c/s1600/autosub.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnzfaryfIhcTRlhPJFyJLHL6stD2nXRhMRWJDv7sL4DOCsFjTMKVsnv60o15R4BLCQLNmu_E0lZRMo3gJ2n99bvJ3BX5OJUvl93c_pDV8WH7f3cLScdfSGPVfsdUSHsKxOL6hUIeZgH_c/s320/autosub.jpg" /></a></div><br />
What happened to the vaunted consensus on global warming? Consider the evidence reported in this article from the British Newspaper, "The Register:"<br />
<h2 style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; color: #303030; font-family: Arial, FreeSans, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; text-transform: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/06/21/autosub_in_pig_melt_clue/">Antarctic glacier melt maybe 'not due to climate change, by Lewis Page, June 21,2010</a> It says that, although there may be some melting of the Pine Island Glacier, it is not because of a change in the earth's temperature. In a way, it is earth-shattering evidence, but you will not find it on NBC. </span></h2><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div>Kudos to marklevinshow.com for finding this link.</div><div><br />
</div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">See also my earlier blog, <a href="http://www.smarterthancongress.blogspot.com/2009/04/folllowing-is-from-article-written-by.html">Boo-hoo, no more man-made global warming.</a></span></div></div><div><br />
</div><div>P.s. M<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #303030; font-family: Arial, FreeSans, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 16px;">aybe one of these Energizer battery powered subs could shut off the Deepwater Horizon well as well. Maybe Obama can suggest it to Hayward the next time they play golf.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8855044890637642051.post-9335558238980611372010-06-15T18:56:00.002-04:002010-06-15T18:59:39.168-04:00The Big Hug<div>One last time, a Democrat role model in action:</div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div><object style="background-image:url(http://i3.ytimg.com/vi/v60oNUoHBYM/hqdefault.jpg)" width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/v60oNUoHBYM&hl=en_US&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/v60oNUoHBYM&hl=en_US&fs=1" width="425" height="344" allowscriptaccess="never" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object><div><br /></div><div>Obviously, he does support Obama's agenda.</div><div><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8855044890637642051.post-36400873445250372422010-05-21T10:36:00.004-04:002010-05-21T15:55:50.689-04:00What CEOs Make<div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYaDVUPqTW7oOXscvJp1JzXPA34PpH5x3HB7zs9HOhJGMmx-F8u5VSf0vGoszDusxOUf7GcvteP9-LbgEFWRANsvjjOBBtRVHOrkFXYv2-7QMV9TMpqzjVKK01617MKd2na3Fv7SAF5E0/s1600/ronald+williams+aetna+ceo+2.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 237px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473812805377579442" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYaDVUPqTW7oOXscvJp1JzXPA34PpH5x3HB7zs9HOhJGMmx-F8u5VSf0vGoszDusxOUf7GcvteP9-LbgEFWRANsvjjOBBtRVHOrkFXYv2-7QMV9TMpqzjVKK01617MKd2na3Fv7SAF5E0/s320/ronald+williams+aetna+ceo+2.JPG" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> "Lets see, what costs can I cut to keep premiums down????"<br /></span><br /><div align="left">Just in case you were worried about insurance company executives, there's this from the AMA News, May 10, 2010:*</div></div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">CEO salaries for 2009:<br /><br />Ronald Williams, Aetna: $18,058,162.<br /><br />H. Edward Hanway, Cigna: $18,818,467.<br /><br />Allen F. Wise, Coventry: $17,427,789.<br /><br />Jay Gellert, Health Net: $3,643,342.<br /><br />Michael McCallister, Humana: $6,509,452.<br /><br />Stephen Hemsley, United: $8,901,916.<br /><br />Angela Braly, Wellpoint: $13,108,198.<br /><br />I feel sorry for poor Jay Gellert. How can he even show his face at an insurance company ceo party? Does he even get an invitation?<br /><br />Mind you, I am a good conservative. I do not object to obsce--I mean, <em>high</em>--salaries. I am sure <em>every</em> penny is earned, and I am <em>sure</em> they make<em> every</em> effort to keep our premiums down.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">*"Health plan gains bring higher pay packages for CEOs" Bob Cook, AMA News.</span><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo of Ronald Williams, Aetna CEO, AP.</span><br /><br /><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8855044890637642051.post-39455493524942050792010-02-16T11:08:00.004-05:002010-02-16T11:15:32.505-05:00Romney for President?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ2xfNMpbjkC1xMkfDvmAYL4XTwOnXbhsV2_ttoQOxnk7Wg-0psAJFY6O7AF5yiCJL35z9o07a-pEyz_w3lUh9gMhFQlYIf-ozyJefv8j249S03OMJMGhN7y2yRHtusHkEowVaeIGxinw/s1600-h/romney+and+wife.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 180px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438875282846398834" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ2xfNMpbjkC1xMkfDvmAYL4XTwOnXbhsV2_ttoQOxnk7Wg-0psAJFY6O7AF5yiCJL35z9o07a-pEyz_w3lUh9gMhFQlYIf-ozyJefv8j249S03OMJMGhN7y2yRHtusHkEowVaeIGxinw/s320/romney+and+wife.jpg" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div>So, Mitt Romney was attacked by an angry passenger before his flight from Vancouver to LA (<a href="http://www.aolnews.com/2010/02/16/plane-passenger-took-a-swing-at-romney/19359883/?icid=main%7cmain%7cdl1%7clink4%7chttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.sphere.com%252F2010%252F02%252F16%252Fplane-passenger-took-a-swing-at-romney%252F19359883%252F">Michelle Ruiz, AOL News, 16 Feb 2010</a>). But that is not the most amazing part of the story. This is:</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><blockquote>Romney, 62, and his wife, Ann, who were returning from the Olympics, <em><strong>were reportedly sitting in the economy section</strong></em> before<br />takeoff when Romney's routine request enraged the passenger sitting in front of<br />his wife.<br /></blockquote><br /></div><div></div><br /><div>Mitt Romney sitting in the economy section? Damn! I figured he had a G5. He must really be a man of the people. Romney for President!</div><div> </div><div><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo: Amy Sancetta, AP</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8855044890637642051.post-58977356983929454112010-02-03T17:17:00.003-05:002010-02-03T17:43:17.860-05:00When in Vegas do Like the Vegans<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRUhHOs4ZrcLSHc2WikrBv6_BGrVV9mpnylgI01m-wMneq2cWV-eiUOJidj4sasqrOb5C_l1nJrGL6l1b5bh-iXQlTHkDOzrAeMROLnqXOQhelc3cIRDFMjUyfax8E3LT3UadLySX68no/s1600-h/taxclarifiaction.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434150212006422402" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRUhHOs4ZrcLSHc2WikrBv6_BGrVV9mpnylgI01m-wMneq2cWV-eiUOJidj4sasqrOb5C_l1nJrGL6l1b5bh-iXQlTHkDOzrAeMROLnqXOQhelc3cIRDFMjUyfax8E3LT3UadLySX68no/s320/taxclarifiaction.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div>Finally, Obama says something I agree with (AOL News, 2 Feb 2010):</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/obama-tries-to-placate-angry-nevadans-over-las-vegas-comment/19342562?icid=mainmaindl1link4http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aolnews.com%2Fnation%2Farticle%2Fobama-tries-to-placate-angry-nevadans-over-las-vegas-comment%2F19342562">"When times are tough, you tighten your belts. You don't go buying a boat when you can barely pay your mortgage. You don't blow a bunch of cash on Vegas when you're trying to save for college. You prioritize. You make tough choices. It's time your government did the same."</a></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Obama seems to have a thing about Vegas. This is the second time he has insulted that great city. Harry Reid must be seething, but Harry, this time Obama is right. You should not blow your child's college fund at a casino; and that goes for Atlantic City, too, and eastern Connecticut, and New Orleans. The funny thing is, they are all squirming, trying to apologize without losing face.</div><br /><div>But the Vegas remark is not the the real scandal in the President's comments.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>The scandal is in the last sentence: "Its time your government did the same." He has the gall to brag about making "tough choices" after proposing a $3,800,000,000,000.00 budget, of which $1,400,000,000,000.00 is borrowed???? If I were to follow his government's example, I would be scheduling a flight to Vegas now, and requesting a withdrawal of my entire IRA thinking that I am likely to double or triple it at the slots, and submitting a couple of credit card applications, since the two I have is not nearly enough. That is what I call prioritizing. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>It is great having a president who is a role model. </div><div> </div><div><span style="font-size:78%;">P.s. Liberals, FYI: $3,800,000,000,000. = $3.8 trillion</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8855044890637642051.post-24825411138183439292009-12-20T15:00:00.000-05:002009-12-20T15:01:41.895-05:00Environmental Update<p>I have heard it said that our most precious and dwindling resource is fresh water.  But let’s not put the environmentalists to work on that one, PLEASE.  They <em>ALWAYS </em>get it wrong.  Here is my sad-but-true story about the fight to save fresh water.</p> <p>                          <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_DWd9Cwg3qPg/Sy6CoZKOOnI/AAAAAAAAALs/dbmS4NIVIdU/s1600-h/babblingbrook%5B2%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="babblingbrook" border="0" alt="babblingbrook" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_DWd9Cwg3qPg/Sy6Cpb_tJVI/AAAAAAAAALw/_WNG-QWhmuU/babblingbrook_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="198" height="244" /></a> </p> <p>About 2 years ago we renovated our kitchen.   Part of the job was a new dishwasher.  We had a 20 year old model that did a great job of cleaning, but it was ugly and noisy, so we bought a new Bosch, a brand that we had used before and our past experience with that brand was very positive.   But the new one—it just did not do a good job:  water spots on the glasses, dirt left on the plates and utensils. After about a year of cajoling the vendor, we finally had an “expert” come in to check it out.   The diagnosis?  Hard water.  But, we asked, why did the ugly, noisy, obsolete 20 year old dishwasher do a good job.</p> <p>He answered that older dishwashers used 13-15 gallons of water, but the newer ones, in the interest of <em>SAVING WATER</em>, only use about 4 gallons.  Well, it seems if you use more water, the hardness (calcium and magnesium salts) gets washed away, but if you use less, the hardness does not get washed away.  Furthermore, the hardness build up in the circulation of the newer models, eventually restricting the flow of water so that the problem gets progressively worse.   If the water is  soft, as in our previous home, NO PROBLEM.  But, if the water is hard, as it is in most of the U.S., you have to get a water softener!</p> <p>So, we installed a water softener, to the tune of $1850.00, and that’s cheap.  Here is the catch:   every third night or so, sometimes more, the water softener has to regenerate, a process that <em>CONSUMES MORE THAN 25 GALLONS OF WATER.</em></p> <p>For the sake of this discussion, I will overlook the cost of municipal water, which I have to pay for.  Lets just focus on the enviromental aspect:</p> <p>Let’s say we run our dishwasher once a day.  That means we save 10 gallons of water per day compared with the old fashioned model.  If we regenerate the softener every 3 days (that’s the bare minimum) thats 25 gallons every three days (also the bare minimum).</p> <p>So, every 9 days we <em>save</em> 90 gallons with the dishwasher and <em>spend</em> 75 gallons (minimum) with the water softener.   That is a best case scenario.   The reality is, the softener has to be regenerated more often that every 3 days and uses more than 25 gallons per cycle.</p> <p>Hardly seems like much of a boon to the water supply.  It <em>was</em> a boon to my plumber, and to Blake Water Systems, who made the softener.</p> <p>Do the geniuses, i.e., Congress,  who make environmental regulations ever bother to think these things through?  </p> <p> </p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:48db072a-a57c-442d-99a2-3a3a5ab869dc" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Environment" rel="tag">Environment</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/water+softener" rel="tag">water softener</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/water" rel="tag">water</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/fresh+water" rel="tag">fresh water</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/dishwasher" rel="tag">dishwasher</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Congress" rel="tag">Congress</a></div> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8855044890637642051.post-52899754654381506272009-12-17T13:44:00.004-05:002009-12-17T13:54:22.096-05:00Copenhagen: Failure is Not an Option!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOzPxPalBAoRDoZ0QwFGBVWlEroFyEoesFm4qyJB-_lPcZuC6yjkN6go4K-SLXPjqF76BVHjwywMALCJTi3MS6ZD_CHmac_1YHn4JK5HivbsvP-9sVrD5G_u8omp-zdUOUZGCl3K8x4n4/s1600-h/Super+Earth.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 180px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416280076172043954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOzPxPalBAoRDoZ0QwFGBVWlEroFyEoesFm4qyJB-_lPcZuC6yjkN6go4K-SLXPjqF76BVHjwywMALCJTi3MS6ZD_CHmac_1YHn4JK5HivbsvP-9sVrD5G_u8omp-zdUOUZGCl3K8x4n4/s320/Super+Earth.jpg" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="http://www.sphere.com/science/article/scientists-spot-nearby-super-earth-planet/19285097">Super-Earth GJ1214b, seen at right in this illustration, has an estimated temperature of about 400 degrees Fahrenheit.</a></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>The above illustration and caption were reported today in <a href="http://www.sphere.com/science/article/scientists-spot-nearby-super-earth-planet/19285097">Sphere</a> by John D. Sutter. Apparently, there is a planet circling a star about 40 light years from here, and this planet may have WATER on it! Sounds like fertile soil for life: DNA, viruses, bacteria, paramecia, hydras, worms, brachiopods, crustaceans, reptiles, birds, dinosaurs, mammals, civilization! But judging from the caption, the natives (can't use the word aliens, politically incorrect) failed to address global warming.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Anybody wanna bet the atmosphere is chock full of CO2?</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Does Al Gore know about this?</div><br /><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8855044890637642051.post-87836104542600408162009-12-02T11:29:00.004-05:002009-12-02T11:52:09.065-05:00Just Words<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEwemgy0m1WSrT8yoZRixvu2e8nSGEfKEtiOQ_v2_VVW4sPM38tDFO9InQId-B54dhI7i9QpjkHh-j8ElEalKhtKt1pd4Jm2uNGCKMGgtxiB8eNJu6PnELWl7pCplL24qcIGrrbEcN0Kk/s1600-h/Constitution.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410682342798268242" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEwemgy0m1WSrT8yoZRixvu2e8nSGEfKEtiOQ_v2_VVW4sPM38tDFO9InQId-B54dhI7i9QpjkHh-j8ElEalKhtKt1pd4Jm2uNGCKMGgtxiB8eNJu6PnELWl7pCplL24qcIGrrbEcN0Kk/s320/Constitution.jpg" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>In President Obama's stirring pep talk on Afghanistan last night two words were notably absent:</div><br /><div>Victory and Defeat. But then, we already know Obama is uneasy with the idea of victory. According to <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/07/23/obama-victory-necessarily-goal-afghanistan/">Fox News </a>from July 23, 2009:</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><blockquote>I'm always worried about using the word 'victory,' because, you know, it<br />invokes this notion of Emperor Hirohito coming down and signing a surrender to<br />MacArthur," Obama told ABC News.<br /></blockquote><br /></div><div></div><br /><div>Of course, he is very comfortable with the idea of victory over certain groups, e.g., political opponents, Republicans, White House staff, corporate CEOs and other capitalists.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>More troubling to me was his thinly veiled contempt for the Constitution, that he cryptically referred to in the next-to-last paragraph of his speech:</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><blockquote><p>I believe with every fiber of my being that we--as Americans--can come<br />still together behind a common purpose. For our values are not simply <em><span style="color:#cc33cc;">words written into parchment</span></em>--they are a creed thatcalls us together, and that hascarried us through the darkest of storms as one nation, one people.<br /></p></blockquote><br /></div><div></div><br /><div>Those "words written into parchment," aka the Constitution of the United States of America, are the source and foundation of that creed. His now publicly-stated disdain for this great document is very troubling.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Also, I guess when Obama says "the darkest storms," he is probably referring to the Bush presidency, and not the Civil War, WWI, WWII, or the Carter era.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8855044890637642051.post-10235410976669892942009-12-01T19:56:00.003-05:002009-12-01T20:44:58.071-05:00The Swiss Move the Muslim Cheese, and the Muslims are Not Pleased<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhplhUw2VBJHFRi3zBO4Urd2kKL1gvEg7heRhdLZ6hGMmSaN7oJEkq0R0j6mlmsgPJ64375dYkD8mXUVxAczopThWKwKR2zHqcqCJNjtodQsUwc7Z_UicV1DE2vzXtfkNpl4j_016dbk9k/s1600/AmmanMinaret01.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhplhUw2VBJHFRi3zBO4Urd2kKL1gvEg7heRhdLZ6hGMmSaN7oJEkq0R0j6mlmsgPJ64375dYkD8mXUVxAczopThWKwKR2zHqcqCJNjtodQsUwc7Z_UicV1DE2vzXtfkNpl4j_016dbk9k/s320/AmmanMinaret01.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410448793396726114" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 17px; font-family:arial;font-size:12px;"><div><br /></div>The Muslims are up in arms over the Swiss vote to prohibit construction of minarets in Switzerland. <a href="http://news.aol.com/article/swiss-vote-on-proposal-to-ban-minarets/788109">AOL News</a> reported the following:</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;font-size:100%;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 17px;font-size:12px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 17px; font-family:arial;font-size:12px;">"The Swiss have failed to give a clear signal for diversity, freedom of religion and human rights," said Omar Al-Rawi, integration representative of the Islamic Denomination in Austria, which said its reaction was "grief and deep disappointment."</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;font-size:100%;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 17px;font-size:12px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;font-size:100%;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 17px;font-size:12px;">What, exactly, does Mr. Al-Rawi expect? The Swiss, after all, are infidels, are they not? I wonder what his reaction was when the Taliban destroyed Buddhist shrines in Afghanistan. Was that a signal for diversity? Is Iranian persecution of Jews and Christians a signal for diversity? Etc., etc. </span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8855044890637642051.post-79490071975377865172009-11-27T10:08:00.003-05:002009-11-27T10:13:21.744-05:00Crash?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoEHFhju2UiIpJ_30HVXeDDYAsWU6Tx_54hn5AG4C894SFyzvRs9Hn2Ldt43pNuuBEffSLqGXgtYGM8KBtZOfttnbBcmtPtxedef0cNSA8tZgVpPRJaZWZkrW8T-fZwmWXTSS21ZMv2Oc/s1600/TareqSalahigetshiswinningkissfromMichaeleMarcosiswonderingifMichaelehasasister.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoEHFhju2UiIpJ_30HVXeDDYAsWU6Tx_54hn5AG4C894SFyzvRs9Hn2Ldt43pNuuBEffSLqGXgtYGM8KBtZOfttnbBcmtPtxedef0cNSA8tZgVpPRJaZWZkrW8T-fZwmWXTSS21ZMv2Oc/s320/TareqSalahigetshiswinningkissfromMichaeleMarcosiswonderingifMichaelehasasister.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408801487978352578" /></a><br /><div><br /></div>I am going out on a limb here, but mark my words. It will turn out that the gate-crasher Salahis were <i>invited</i> to the Obamastate dinner. They fit right in with that crowd. <div><br /></div><div>P.s. Can anyone remember a Bush state dinner? He gave them, but without the sycophantic coverage.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8855044890637642051.post-78905184306838814102009-11-25T16:56:00.003-05:002009-11-25T17:22:03.459-05:00Sweeping Away in England<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9HgrNqr7AqIgBZAA8ei-LUTRmdwq_ZLGqYCcDj2p4FfPusulLNuc_TYgnuDNPNYlqKa4k7x4h8gcQw3yu7qjQLfsXDo7xBeLNIJzDgnEyGsgLM2pc0iHRlqrBwWC0-nFZWZszmtAn618/s1600/streetpave.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 282px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9HgrNqr7AqIgBZAA8ei-LUTRmdwq_ZLGqYCcDj2p4FfPusulLNuc_TYgnuDNPNYlqKa4k7x4h8gcQw3yu7qjQLfsXDo7xBeLNIJzDgnEyGsgLM2pc0iHRlqrBwWC0-nFZWZszmtAn618/s320/streetpave.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408169814731800562" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px; font-family:Georgia;font-size:15px;"><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Theunis Bates wrote, in <i><a href="http://www.sphere.com/2009/11/25/british-launch-inquiry-into-iraq-war/">Sphere</a> </i></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px;font-size:15px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px; font-family:Georgia;font-size:15px;"><i></i>LONDON (Nov. 25) -- </span></div><blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px; font-family:Georgia;font-size:15px;">Almost seven years after Britain joined the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and amidst a still blazing public debate, a government-appointed panel has launched a <i><b>sweeping investigation</b></i> into why the country went to war and why British forces were so poorly prepared for the chaos that followed the fall of Saddam Hussein. </span></div><div></div></blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px;font-size:15px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px;font-size:15px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px;font-size:15px;">Maybe the Brits should launch a sweeping investigation into East Anglia University and the CRU over the eco-fraud they have perpetrated on the U.N., the U.S., and the rest of the world. Going to war against global warming based on intelligence from these clowns is akin to invading Iraq because the CIA said there were WMD. There is a difference, of course: there were WMD in Iraq. Even if Saddam Hussein's nuclear program was over-rated, there were abundant chemical and biological weapons and medium range missiles. Also, there were a multitude of other reasons for invading Iraq and seeking regime change, including violation of UN resolutions; stealing money from the oil-for-food program;financial and other support for palestinian terrorists; invading Iran and later Kuwait; using chemical weapons on Kurds; the torture, rape, imprisonment and murder of countless innocent Iraqis; etc.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px;font-size:15px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px;font-size:15px;">Furthermore, in case the Brits have not noticed, we have been successful in Iraq. Saddam was deposed, tried and executed. There is a stable, democratically elected government that is a coalition of Sunnis, Shia and Kurds. The Iraqis are gradually taking over management of their own security.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px;font-size:15px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px;font-size:15px;">On the other hand, how strong is the case for man made global climate change. Not very strong, if the leading "scientists" on the case have to fake their good results, and suppress their bad results. Investigate EAU, not the British military.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px;font-size:15px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px;font-size:15px;">And remember: CO2 is Green! Oil is a biofuel! Global warming means a longer golf season!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px;font-size:15px;">Global warming is dead! Long live global warming!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px;font-size:15px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 22px;font-size:15px;"><br /></span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8855044890637642051.post-18128510578689198402009-11-24T18:57:00.002-05:002009-11-24T19:09:13.306-05:00Dithering? No, Blithering.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkR61G4aRczlVzFn6t12dwCU2lVrUaAkKJTYSlWSu-bmi9BP_eeBUtlMOWM036grpBNVoyFfsH2hxGKaUAMfWE6UX_HuU703yfSnbLBx1jbMnBRPMZfbnzGQBIeg330RThfDT5LpSZmqM/s1600/biden-ice-cream3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 258px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkR61G4aRczlVzFn6t12dwCU2lVrUaAkKJTYSlWSu-bmi9BP_eeBUtlMOWM036grpBNVoyFfsH2hxGKaUAMfWE6UX_HuU703yfSnbLBx1jbMnBRPMZfbnzGQBIeg330RThfDT5LpSZmqM/s400/biden-ice-cream3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407826510348868386" /></a>Nuff said?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8855044890637642051.post-80542446388785918092009-10-26T22:27:00.005-04:002009-10-26T23:04:01.095-04:00Dithering<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdKY_sgBEp_vRm-gvCPNi3XWKIsT7TdfZM_bIHkYUryizuiqi2iYjm9KLy4MNqnnFFgGGj_0WXObmBG0-9yHGrFsZUfzHI-9zwrP2htFKup9jfSfOZ_SnBXWxN2hCS3OybP_dLJ8vBCHs/s1600-h/Michelangelo's_David_-_Floyd-Steinberg.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 215px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdKY_sgBEp_vRm-gvCPNi3XWKIsT7TdfZM_bIHkYUryizuiqi2iYjm9KLy4MNqnnFFgGGj_0WXObmBG0-9yHGrFsZUfzHI-9zwrP2htFKup9jfSfOZ_SnBXWxN2hCS3OybP_dLJ8vBCHs/s320/Michelangelo's_David_-_Floyd-Steinberg.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397109629048453938" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div>So, it is okay to dither about Afghanistan. By all means, Mr Obama, take your time responding to General McChrystal's request for troops. Nine or ten or twelve months of stagnation of our mission in Afghanistan is not important, as long as you get it right, right? By all means, let us wait while American soldiers are dying and the American taxpayer is going broke and the liberal American news media is going through such contortions to keep defending you that they will end up in a rehab hospital. Let us wait until there is a corruption-free government in Afghanistan, until Jimmy Carter certifies their elections are fair, until the Pakistanis clean up the Swat valley, until Ahmadinejad has a nuke. Dither away.</div><div><br /></div><div>But health care reform? That, Mr. Obama, is an <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><i>EMERGENCY. </i>Heck, if you do not sign a health care bill by the end of the year, why, some democrat congressmen might not get re-elected in 2010! That would be a bloody shame. Never mind that not one single member of Congress or your administration understands the legislation; never mind that not one single government agency can produce a believable estimate of the cost of the thing; never mind that H.R. 3200 and the Baucus Bill were bought and paid for by the insurance industry, the SEIU, the hospitals and the Trial Lawyers Association; never mind that, a la Hillary Clinton, the whole process of creating the monstrosity has been cloaked in secrecy and politics. No dithering allowed on this.</div><div><br /></div><div>Mr. Obama, one of the challenges of being President is knowing when to dither. You, my friend, have a lot of learning to do.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8855044890637642051.post-27796388184674977672009-10-13T11:43:00.003-04:002009-10-13T12:11:03.476-04:00MOP<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHPz-RcUdcJ7WuPaTZ61Z5HfDsfYqCsD_YXDYw9e1g1gJnxOKw2xsZl9yqQyfHNY21p1I7Zy2HAqNhse6xdY2H5Abrx21cTfDKjTJHIy1H2yTvfzyYoDuJDw5AFHf5bZkZLXdF4GMi4Zw/s1600-h/MOP+bomb.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392117575339180514" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHPz-RcUdcJ7WuPaTZ61Z5HfDsfYqCsD_YXDYw9e1g1gJnxOKw2xsZl9yqQyfHNY21p1I7Zy2HAqNhse6xdY2H5Abrx21cTfDKjTJHIy1H2yTvfzyYoDuJDw5AFHf5bZkZLXdF4GMi4Zw/s320/MOP+bomb.jpg" /></a><br /><div><span style="color:#ffff33;"></span><br /><span style="color:#ffff33;"><blockquote><span style="color:#ffff33;">WASHINGTON (Oct. 13) - The Pentagon is speeding up delivery<br />of a colossal bomb designed to destroy hidden weapons bunkers buried underground<br />and shielded by 10,000 pounds of reinforced concrete. (<a href="http://news.aol.com/article/pentagon-wants-bunker-buster-bomb-sooner/714556?icid=mainmaindl1link3http%3A%2F%2Fnews.aol.com%2Farticle%2Fpentagon-wants-bunker-buster-bomb-sooner%2F714556">ANNE<br />GEARAN, AP, AOL News, 13 Oct. 2009</a>).</span><br /></blockquote></span><br /><span style="color:#ffff33;">This is a slap in the face to the Nobel Prize Committee, or is it? Maybe the announcement about the MOP (massive ordnance penetrator) bomb was intentionally delayed until after the Obama became a Nobel Prize Winner.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8855044890637642051.post-72241265032570404342009-10-10T19:35:00.005-04:002009-10-13T11:42:12.992-04:00No Respect for Nobel Prize Winner Barack Hussein Obama<span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 17px;font-size:12;" class="Apple-style-span" >TEHRAN, Iran (Oct. 10) - Three <span style="color:#ffffff;">defendants in Iran's mass trial of opposition figures accused of fueling the country's postelection unrest have been sentenced to death, an Iranian news agency reported Saturday. </span><a href="http://news.aol.com/article/iranian-court-sentences-3-to-death-in/702042"><span style="color:#ffffff;">(Ali Akbar Dareini, AP, on AOL News, 10/10/09).</span></a></span><span style="color:#ffffff;"> </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;font-size:100%;"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 17px;font-size:12;" class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;font-size:100%;"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 17px;font-size:12;" class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color:#ffffff;">ZURICH (Oct. 10) - Turkey and Armenia signed an accord Saturday to establish diplomatic relations after a century of enmity, as U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton helped the two sides clear a last-minute snag. </span><a href="http://news.aol.com/article/turkey-armenia-reach-historic-accord/413295"><span style="color:#ffffff;">(Matthew Lee, AP, on AOL News, 10/10/09).</span></a></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;font-size:100%;"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 17px;font-size:12;" class="Apple-style-span" ><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;"></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;font-size:100%;"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 17px;font-size:12;color:#ffffff;" class="Apple-style-span" >Ahmadinejad obviously has not heard the news that Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize. Does he not realize that we have now entered a new era of peace under the leadership of Barack Hussein Obama. After all, Obama has opened dialogue with the Iranians. How dare Ahmadinejad execute 3 protesters. It is a slap in the face to Nobel Prize winner Barack Hussein Obama.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;font-size:100%;"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 17px;font-size:12;" class="Apple-style-span" ><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;"></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;font-size:100%;"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 17px;font-size:12;color:#ffffff;" class="Apple-style-span" >And Hillary! What are you thinking, stealing the limelight from Nobel Prize winner Barack Hussein Obama. The nerve of you, actually <i>accomplishing</i> something within days of his prize and not giving him credit for it.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;font-size:100%;"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 17px;font-size:12;" class="Apple-style-span" ><br /><span style="color:#ffffff;"></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, serif;font-size:100%;"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 17px;font-size:12;color:#ffffff;" class="Apple-style-span" >P.s. This is Hillary's first actual accomplishment, in case anyone is keeping track.</span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8855044890637642051.post-81058948522946014672009-10-02T13:10:00.005-04:002009-10-02T13:27:53.516-04:00LIke Carter on Chemo<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFncpvJcjLYzd0Rdmiroh7KZqXF0uFWJpNwexwXgZFIAEC3martof6teTSoGS2SfMdnoYkzrZoqS3Q4Xaf-373xGg-EKaeOAzdoFnEjSkxlsz9hioSrgvi8DPtXIMfhlDTYmEcrV_TAAY/s1600-h/olympicRings-280-75.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 280px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 210px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388055625472370738" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFncpvJcjLYzd0Rdmiroh7KZqXF0uFWJpNwexwXgZFIAEC3martof6teTSoGS2SfMdnoYkzrZoqS3Q4Xaf-373xGg-EKaeOAzdoFnEjSkxlsz9hioSrgvi8DPtXIMfhlDTYmEcrV_TAAY/s320/olympicRings-280-75.jpg" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>Previously, Jimmy Carter owned the gold medal for weakness in an American president. His only accomplishment was 4 years of stagflation, and he turned Iran over to the Ayatollahs who have been a thorn in everyone's side for 30 years. Weak, weak, weak. Yes, Jimmy Carter held the Olympic Gold for weakness for 30 years...until now.</div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>I thought, when Obama and Vice President Oprah announced their trips to Copenhagen, that the vote was in the bag. After all, Presidents make sure of these things--they get their underlings, like Rahm "Iago" Emanuel , to do the behind the scenes work--so that they will not put their nation's prestige on the line and have it backfire. However, it appears that Obama was counting on the world's love for him to carry the day. But he was wrong about their love, and he was wrong about the outcome.</div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>President Obama's mission since his inauguration has been to <em>weaken </em>America, financially, militarily, and diplomatically. </div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div align="center">MISSION ACCOMPLISHED</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8855044890637642051.post-15654741124654786852009-10-01T08:01:00.015-04:002009-10-05T01:48:07.087-04:00A Simple Change of Address<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX5umkhDyuTYV5dVFsw1q4MBmZTNjM-QwIp64f-DbiyYoGPzjcVp__hRLIMhv9T1WTOlWEceCMS6HYIyySXXIiDm-qoXa3u337T0l8NcMI75HMvyOayg1omW40uLcKsGfftGRqyt3KUVA/s1600-h/ls-image1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 207px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387601236421045026" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX5umkhDyuTYV5dVFsw1q4MBmZTNjM-QwIp64f-DbiyYoGPzjcVp__hRLIMhv9T1WTOlWEceCMS6HYIyySXXIiDm-qoXa3u337T0l8NcMI75HMvyOayg1omW40uLcKsGfftGRqyt3KUVA/s320/ls-image1.jpg" /></a><br /><div>By all means, let us reform health care in this country so that the federal government runs the whole enchilada, and not just Medicare. Here is a short story about my recent experience with Medicare that illustrates my point. In essence, this story is about reporting a <em>change of address. </em></div><div><em></em></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><br />I am an ophthalmologist. I own a small solo practice in Orange County, NY. Recently, I decided to merge with another local practice, and I spent a year or so and about $15,000. in legal fees negotiating the contract (FYI, roughly 50% of those fees had to do with complying with state and federal regulations, and the other party's legal fees were even higher). We signed the contract in the first week of August, and the merger date was set for October 1. This gave us 2 months to get everything in order.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>A big part of the preparations was informing Medicare of the merger, so that the new merged practice could be paid for my services. The idea is, Medicare has to know where each doctor sees patients, and where to send payments for services rendered. Currently, I see patients at one office, and payments are sent to the same address. The practice I am joining has 3 locations for examining patients, and one of those is the billing address. </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><br />Early in August we submitted, in triplicate, form CMS-855R, a 5 page document that notifies Medicare of a physician's change of status. 3 weeks later we received a 2 page rejection notice (also in triplicate), because a zip code had been left out of one of the addresses. So, I called Medicare, and had a lengthy conversation with a pleasant woman who walked me through the form step by step so that it would be completed correctly, and she assured me that that was all I had to do. Then, I resubmitted CMS-855R in triplicate. That's 36 pages so far, if you are keeping track.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Everything was going along just fine--just peachy--until Thursday, September 24, 2009. On that day, we received another 2 page rejection notice in triplicate, informing us that, although the triplicate CMS-855Rs were completed correctly, we were also required to submit CMS-855I, a <em>28 page</em> enrollment form, and, by the way, resubmit <em>new </em>CMS-855Rs in triplicate. Page count: 85 total.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>So, early Friday morning, I called Medicare again, and another very nice woman walked me through the CMS-855I. This took at least 30 minutes. She was very helpful. When she finished, she added, "do not forget the CMS-855B." "The what?" I said. She replied that the CMS-855B was to inform Medicare that I was merging with the other practice. The CMS-855B also must be submitted in triplicate.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>The CMS-855B is <em>48 pages</em> long and incomprehensible. So...</div><div></div><div>Friday afternoon, I called Medicare <em>again</em>, and spoke with another polite, but somewhat impatient government employee, and walked me through the 48 page form. I completed it as instructed, and, on Monday added these 144 pages to the stack and sent them by certified mail to Medicare, with a cover letter requesting expedited processing.</div><div></div><div>Total pages: 229</div><div>Total time: 4 or 5 hours of my time, 1.5 hours of Medicare employee time on the phone with me, 1 or 2 hours of staff time. Remember, all this is to change my address, and I do not yet know whether my forms have been accepted.</div><div></div><div><br /><br /></div><div></div><div></div><div>If I were a liberal, I would be outraged at the colossal waste of paper, the demise of trees, and at the carbon footprint of all this nonsense. But I am not a liberal, and I am outraged that our government wants to take over even more control of the health care system. This drama that I have been through proves to me that Medicare does not know how to process a change of address form, let alone run the nation's health care system. </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><br />Medicare was concocted by Congress, who also gave us the tax code. I believe that a change of billing and service addresses should require approximately 1 paper or web page, and should be easy to process by anyone with a middle school education, that is, by anyone who is <em>SMARTER THAN CONGRESS.</em></div><div><em></em> </div><div>For more information, please go to <a href="http://www.cms.hhs.gov/">www.cms.hhs.gov</a>.</div><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8855044890637642051.post-34124867913637589902009-09-20T13:05:00.003-04:002009-09-20T13:14:12.453-04:00Mighty Oaks?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTrnWtbML_bxPDBu6TLH6CYmvzjt5t5kJDSS70X9LBJ6vTTebVu2ip0Id0KoWOCgx2dlKVWgSsic7PH8rQiclgSikMfQwinqMjXwopTuoMVCDxVx-ktNkD7iGI7OnpvQ76I3sNwFT_43Y/s1600-h/acorn's+bertha+lewis.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383598683011805154" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTrnWtbML_bxPDBu6TLH6CYmvzjt5t5kJDSS70X9LBJ6vTTebVu2ip0Id0KoWOCgx2dlKVWgSsic7PH8rQiclgSikMfQwinqMjXwopTuoMVCDxVx-ktNkD7iGI7OnpvQ76I3sNwFT_43Y/s320/acorn's+bertha+lewis.jpg" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div>This is from ACORN's home page:</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><blockquote><a href="http://www.acorn.org/">In response to recently released videos of<br />frontline ACORN staff, ACORN CEO Bertha Lewis made the following announcement Wednesday morning:"As a result of the indefensible action of a handful of our<br />employees, I am, in consultation with ACORN's Executive Committee1, immediately<br />ordering a halt to any new intakes into ACORN's service programs until<br />completion of an independent review. I have also communicated with ACORN's<br />independent Advisory Council, and they will assist ACORN in naming an<br />independent auditor and investigator to conduct a thorough review of all of the<br />organizations relevant systems and processes</a><a href="http://www.acorn.org/"></blockquote></a>. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I think Ms. Lewis should have said, "...a handful of our employess <em>in Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and Brooklyn..." </em>I belive what we have here is a tip-of-the-iceberg situation. We can only hope that the brilliant journalism that produced the scandalous videos of ACORN in action, will sink this organization that is a titanic of corruption. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>By the way, has anyone heard the President speak out about this?</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3