Well well well. The Obama health care plan is out, and Patients United Now has a copy, which, according to Ed Morrissey, is broken up into 9 parts. He wants folks to dig out some juicy gems after he found this one on p39-40
(1) IN GENERAL – A State shall keep an accurate accounting of all activities, receipts, and expenditures of any Gateway operating in such State and annually submit to the Secretary a report concerning such accountings. (2) INVESTIGATIONS – The Secretary may investigate the affairs of a Gateway, may examine the properties and records of a Gateway, and may require periodical reports in relation to activities undertaken by a Gateway. A Gateway shall fully cooperate in any investigation conducted under this paragraph.
That means we say “see ya!” that pesky 4th Amendment thing, since no search warrants will be required to obtain information. And said information will be shared! Let’s go to p91-92
(c) NOTIFICATION OF NONENROLLMENT.—Not later than [_____] of each year, the Secretary of the Treasury, acting through the Internal Revenue Service and in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall send a notification each individual who files an individual income tax return and who is not enrolled in qualifying coverage (as defined in section 31____ of the Public Health Service Act). Such notification shall contain information on the services available through the Gateway operating in the State in which such individual resides.
So now the IRS is going to be involved in notification? Great way to get individuals on the IRS’s radar, eh? No chance for abuse, eh? Let’s go back up the document to page 24, regarding the offering of “health insurance coverage and related insurance products through the Gateway at an affordable price by qualified individuals and qualified employer groups”
(1)VOLUNTARY NATURE OF GATEWAY.—        (A) CHOICE TO ENROLL OR NOT TO ENROLL.—A qualified individual shall have the choice to enroll or not to enroll in a qualified health plan or to participate in a Gateway.        (B) PROHIBITION ON COMPELLED ENROLLMENT.—No individual shall be compelled to enroll in a qualified health plan or to participate in a Gateway.
One of the complaints by the “let’s nationalize health insurance and health care” crowd is that there are 45 million Americans without coverage. Taking the illegals out of the mix, the people who lost their jobs and their company provided insurance, those who switched plans so as to appear to be without for a day or two, and those can’t afford it because of pre-existing conditions (done away with on pages 7-8), we are often left with those who are young and do not feel like paying for insurance, because they are invincible. So, they still won’t have to be covered. Till the government gets around to mandating coverage.
Here’s the big thing: they still do not know how to pay for it! The legislation discusses monies granted to the States for the plans that they appear that they have to develop (Federalism, anyone?) (starting on page 21), but, where does said money come from? The “rich” talking point can only go so far. Taxing the benefits of those who already have insurance through their companies? Taxing soda? A national value added tax? Or, how about the tried and true “print money we do not have and create massive deficits?” That one seems to be popular this year.
Remember: this is just step one on the road to socialized/nationalized health care.
