Extending the Napoleonic metaphor to its logical conclusion, DeMint seems determined to fate the GOP to “exile” in the Isle of St. Helena with another volcanic blunder of Mount St. Helens proportions for Republicans. As any fifth-grade civics student outside Texas could tell DeMint, even if the Republicans succeeded in their repeal scheme the President would veto it.
Good luck, Senator DeMint, getting enough votes to override:
- A prohibition on pre-existing condition exclusions;
- Insurance for 32 million uninsured Americans;
- A prohibition on dropping people from coverage when they get sick in all individual plans;
- Closing the prescription drug donut hole for seniors;
- Tax credits for small businesses to purchase coverage;
- Eliminating lifetime limits and restrictive annual limits on benefits in all plans;
- Requiring plans to cover an enrollee's dependent children until age 26;
- Preventive care services and immunizations without cost-sharing;
- Internal and external appeals process for consumers to appeal new insurance plan decisions;
- Premium rebates to enrollees from insurers with high administrative expenditures;
- Public disclosure of the percent of premiums applied to overhead costs;
- Enhanced fraud, waste, and abuse screening;
- Medicare expansion to underserved rural areas;
- Medical loss ratio of 85 percent or more for Blue Cross/Blue Shield to take advantage of IRS tax benefits;
- Better early retiree health benefits for persons aged 55-64 to reduce coverage costs;
- Better consumer information on the Net;
- A two-year temporary credit to encourage investment in new therapies for the prevention and treatment of illnesses.
Healthcare reform is now the law of the land.
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