Fuck its silent in here.......

[Yeti]

Is this pretty accurate? I would assume so. Is there more information that might be pertinent to them? I know it's probably been mentioned/discussed to death, but what about the claims about the premiums? (And I'll accept a link to a previous post I obviously didn't read)

Starting this year, there will be business credits for insurance premiums, so small businesses (at
least in the short term) should save money from this as far as I understand it.

Pool purchasing will also enable small businesses to save dough on premiums.

Pool purchasing? I'm unsure of what that is but my mom kept saying "If they let us join a larger group, we will have lower premiums." Is that essentially what she was talking about?

[morpheus]

Is this pretty accurate? I would assume so. Is there more information that might be pertinent to them? I know it's probably been mentioned/discussed to death, but what about the claims about the premiums? (And I'll accept a link to a previous post I obviously didn't read)

Starting this year, there will be business credits for insurance premiums, so small businesses (at
least in the short term) should save money from this as far as I understand it.

Pool purchasing will also enable small businesses to save dough on premiums.

Pool purchasing? I'm unsure of what that is but my mom kept saying "If they let us join a larger group, we will have lower premiums." Is that essentially what she was talking about?

Yep.  Larger groups (in number, not in the average size of the participant - an important distinction for you) spread the risk around more. 

[CT III]

Is this pretty accurate? I would assume so. Is there more information that might be pertinent to them? I know it's probably been mentioned/discussed to death, but what about the claims about the premiums? (And I'll accept a link to a previous post I obviously didn't read)

Starting this year, there will be business credits for insurance premiums, so small businesses (at
least in the short term) should save money from this as far as I understand it.

Pool purchasing will also enable small businesses to save dough on premiums.

Pool purchasing? I'm unsure of what that is but my mom kept saying "If they let us join a larger group, we will have lower premiums." Is that essentially what she was talking about?

The "pool" is the risk pool.  Theoretically, the more people who are in it, the better, because the general assumption is that there will be more healthy people than sick people, so the premiums paid by the healthy people will be enough to offset the claims paid on the sick ones.

[Yeti]

Is this pretty accurate? I would assume so. Is there more information that might be pertinent to them? I know it's probably been mentioned/discussed to death, but what about the claims about the premiums? (And I'll accept a link to a previous post I obviously didn't read)

Starting this year, there will be business credits for insurance premiums, so small businesses (at
least in the short term) should save money from this as far as I understand it.

Pool purchasing will also enable small businesses to save dough on premiums.

Pool purchasing? I'm unsure of what that is but my mom kept saying "If they let us join a larger group, we will have lower premiums." Is that essentially what she was talking about?

The "pool" is the risk pool.  Theoretically, the more people who are in it, the better, because the general assumption is that there will be more healthy people than sick people, so the premiums paid by the healthy people will be enough to offset the claims paid on the sick ones.

Ok, I see. I had understood the idea behind larger groups, but I wasn't sure if Fork was meaning that. So, Obama's plan opens the door for them to do this?

EDIT: Nevermind, I stopped being a lazy PANK and looked it up: http://money.cnn.com/2010/03/22/smallbusiness/small_business_health_reform/

[R-V]

Is this pretty accurate? I would assume so. Is there more information that might be pertinent to them? I know it's probably been mentioned/discussed to death, but what about the claims about the premiums? (And I'll accept a link to a previous post I obviously didn't read)

Starting this year, there will be business credits for insurance premiums, so small businesses (at
least in the short term) should save money from this as far as I understand it.

Pool purchasing will also enable small businesses to save dough on premiums.

Pool purchasing? I'm unsure of what that is but my mom kept saying "If they let us join a larger group, we will have lower premiums." Is that essentially what she was talking about?

The "pool" is the risk pool.  Theoretically, the more people who are in it, the better, because the general assumption is that there will be more healthy people than sick people, so the premiums paid by the healthy people will be enough to offset the claims paid on the sick ones.

Ok, I see. I had understood the idea behind larger groups, but I wasn't sure if Fork was meaning that. So, Obama's plan opens the door for them to do this?

EDIT: Nevermind, I stopped being a lazy PANK and looked it up: http://money.cnn.com/2010/03/22/smallbusiness/small_business_health_reform/

More on the exchanges here - it's up to the states if they want to set up one big exchange for self-employed people/unemployed people/small business owners OR separate exchanges for individuals and businesses. Additionally, states can join together to form mega-exchanges which would hypothetically result in greater purchasing power (lower premiums). We'll have to see how it plays out in Illinois.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2010/03/how_do_the_exchanges_work.html

[powen01]

Is this pretty accurate? I would assume so. Is there more information that might be pertinent to them? I know it's probably been mentioned/discussed to death, but what about the claims about the premiums? (And I'll accept a link to a previous post I obviously didn't read)

Starting this year, there will be business credits for insurance premiums, so small businesses (at
least in the short term) should save money from this as far as I understand it.

Pool purchasing will also enable small businesses to save dough on premiums.

Pool purchasing? I'm unsure of what that is but my mom kept saying "If they let us join a larger group, we will have lower premiums." Is that essentially what she was talking about?

The "pool" is the risk pool.  Theoretically, the more people who are in it, the better, because the general assumption is that there will be more healthy people than sick people, so the premiums paid by the healthy people will be enough to offset the claims paid on the sick ones.

Ok, I see. I had understood the idea behind larger groups, but I wasn't sure if Fork was meaning that. So, Obama's plan opens the door for them to do this?

EDIT: Nevermind, I stopped being a lazy PANK and looked it up: http://money.cnn.com/2010/03/22/smallbusiness/small_business_health_reform/

More on the exchanges here - it's up to the states if they want to set up one big exchange for self-employed people/unemployed people/small business owners OR separate exchanges for individuals and businesses. Additionally, states can join together to form mega-exchanges which would hypothetically result in greater purchasing power (lower premiums). We'll have to see how it plays out in Illinois.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2010/03/how_do_the_exchanges_work.html

Wasn't the group plans something that Bush actually tried to do while in office?  Great idea, I just think it's been bandied about before...

[Gilgamesh]

Is this pretty accurate? I would assume so. Is there more information that might be pertinent to them? I know it's probably been mentioned/discussed to death, but what about the claims about the premiums? (And I'll accept a link to a previous post I obviously didn't read)

Starting this year, there will be business credits for insurance premiums, so small businesses (at
least in the short term) should save money from this as far as I understand it.

Pool purchasing will also enable small businesses to save dough on premiums.

Pool purchasing? I'm unsure of what that is but my mom kept saying "If they let us join a larger group, we will have lower premiums." Is that essentially what she was talking about?

The "pool" is the risk pool.  Theoretically, the more people who are in it, the better, because the general assumption is that there will be more healthy people than sick people, so the premiums paid by the healthy people will be enough to offset the claims paid on the sick ones.

Ok, I see. I had understood the idea behind larger groups, but I wasn't sure if Fork was meaning that. So, Obama's plan opens the door for them to do this?

EDIT: Nevermind, I stopped being a lazy PANK and looked it up: http://money.cnn.com/2010/03/22/smallbusiness/small_business_health_reform/

More on the exchanges here - it's up to the states if they want to set up one big exchange for self-employed people/unemployed people/small business owners OR separate exchanges for individuals and businesses. Additionally, states can join together to form mega-exchanges which would hypothetically result in greater purchasing power (lower premiums). We'll have to see how it plays out in Illinois.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2010/03/how_do_the_exchanges_work.html

Wasn't the group plans something that Bush actually tried to do while in office?  Great idea, I just think it's been bandied about before...

The whole health care bill was essentially the Republican response to Hillarycare in 1993.

[Chuck to Chuck]

The whole health care bill was essentially the Republican response to Hillarycare in 1993.

[Frum]If there'd been a Republican response this year, perhaps we'd have a better law.[/Frum]

[Eli]

Cool, guys.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0310/34964.html

Democratic senators ripped their Republican counterparts for forcing cancellations of hearings throughout the Senate on Wednesday, claiming that the GOP is needlessly blocking essential national security business.

Either party in the Senate is allowed to object to holding hearings, as Senate rules require a unanimous consent request for hearings to be held after 2 p.m. Most of these unanimous consent requests aren't even noticed on any given day, but Republicans have been objecting to these requests, essentially shutting down committee work.

[Gilgamesh]

Cool, guys.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0310/34964.html

Democratic senators ripped their Republican counterparts for forcing cancellations of hearings throughout the Senate on Wednesday, claiming that the GOP is needlessly blocking essential national security business.

Either party in the Senate is allowed to object to holding hearings, as Senate rules require a unanimous consent request for hearings to be held after 2 p.m. Most of these unanimous consent requests aren't even noticed on any given day, but Republicans have been objecting to these requests, essentially shutting down committee work.

I just think they're lazy and don't want to work.

[JD]

Cool, guys.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0310/34964.html

Democratic senators ripped their Republican counterparts for forcing cancellations of hearings throughout the Senate on Wednesday, claiming that the GOP is needlessly blocking essential national security business.

Either party in the Senate is allowed to object to holding hearings, as Senate rules require a unanimous consent request for hearings to be held after 2 p.m. Most of these unanimous consent requests aren't even noticed on any given day, but Republicans have been objecting to these requests, essentially shutting down committee work.

I just think they're lazy and don't want to work.

Racist.

[Slaky]

Cool, guys.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0310/34964.html

Democratic senators ripped their Republican counterparts for forcing cancellations of hearings throughout the Senate on Wednesday, claiming that the GOP is needlessly blocking essential national security business.

Either party in the Senate is allowed to object to holding hearings, as Senate rules require a unanimous consent request for hearings to be held after 2 p.m. Most of these unanimous consent requests aren't even noticed on any given day, but Republicans have been objecting to these requests, essentially shutting down committee work.

I just think they're lazy and don't want to work.

I wish we could do this at my office.

[Gilgamesh]

Cool, guys.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0310/34964.html

Democratic senators ripped their Republican counterparts for forcing cancellations of hearings throughout the Senate on Wednesday, claiming that the GOP is needlessly blocking essential national security business.

Either party in the Senate is allowed to object to holding hearings, as Senate rules require a unanimous consent request for hearings to be held after 2 p.m. Most of these unanimous consent requests aren't even noticed on any given day, but Republicans have been objecting to these requests, essentially shutting down committee work.

I just think they're lazy and don't want to work.

I wish we could do this at my office.

SLAK FOR SENATE!!!

[Dr. Nguyen Van Falk]

Cool, guys.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0310/34964.html

Democratic senators ripped their Republican counterparts for forcing cancellations of hearings throughout the Senate on Wednesday, claiming that the GOP is needlessly blocking essential national security business.

Either party in the Senate is allowed to object to holding hearings, as Senate rules require a unanimous consent request for hearings to be held after 2 p.m. Most of these unanimous consent requests aren't even noticed on any given day, but Republicans have been objecting to these requests, essentially shutting down committee work.

Apparently it's all part of the GOP's new Operation Take Ball Go Home...

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/88285-mccain-dont-expect-gop-cooperation-the-rest-of-this-year

"There will be no cooperation for the rest of the year," McCain said during an interview Monday on an Arizona radio affiliate. "They have poisoned the well in what they've done and how they've done it."

Which appears to be run out of the GOP Special Office for Having Cake While Also Eating That Cake...

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/24/90994/republican-senator-derails-armed.html

WASHINGTON — With a few simple words – "I would have to object" -- Republican U.S. Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina derailed a Senate Armed Services hearing today in which generals had traveled from Korea and Hawaii to testify about the Pentagon's needs for the next year.

Burr, joining his GOP colleagues' outrage at the new health reform law, used an obscure Senate rule to prevent the Armed Services committee from meeting this afternoon – even though he said he personally wanted the hearing to occur.

Republicans are angry over the signing Tuesday of the health reform law that President Barack Obama and Democrats have been working toward for the past year.

They have pledged to "repeal and replace" the law, as their slogan goes, and GOP House members are calling on state attorneys general to file lawsuits challenging the law's constitutionality.

...

Speaking on the Senate floor, Levin said that both he and U.S. Sen. John McCain, the committee's top Republican, wanted to go forward with the meeting.

The hearing would allow senators to hear testimony on the fiscal year 2011 Defense Authorization Bill from three military leaders: Navy Adm. Robert Willard, commander of the U.S. Pacific Command in Hawaii; Air Force Gen. Kevin Chilton, commander of the U.S. Strategic Command; and Army Gen. Walter Sharpe, commander of the U.S. forces in Korea.

"They've been scheduled a long time," Levin said. "They have come a long, long distance."

Burr, already on the Senate floor for an unrelated health care debate, came forward.

"As a member of the committee, and I side myself with the chairman and the ranking member, that I have no personal objection to continuing," Burr announced.

"There is objection on our side of the aisle. Therefore, I would have to object."

Seems like a tough needle to be threading in the midst of a tough reelection campaign.

Did Burr volunteer to be the one to take this bullet?

[MikeC]

Well i am glad everyone read the bill.

So let me get this straight sex offenders can get a pill to make their dick hard, but children with pre-existing conditions and young adults got left of the bill after Obama said it was in.

How do you fuck that up? Just proof that Nancy Pelosi was right. We had to pass it to find out whats in it.

As for businesses and coverage of employee's an interesting thing might take shape. The fines and such for not covering your workers is not all that high, the same for individuals. If the cost of insuring someone is more expensive than paying the fine then what do you think will happen? Business will not offer health insurance to its workers. Big corporations like Microsoft probably won't do this because they have an image to maintain, but smaller places out of the public spotlight and future start up business would likely do away with health coverage of their workers entirely.

The same goes for individuals, why pay a premium every month when you could just pay a small fine when the medical emergency pops up and still get the same level of service as the poor sucker paying hundreds a month?

The penalties for not having insurance would be as follows: $750 for individuals and $1,500 for families per year. While households making three times the federal poverty level – about $66,000 for a family of four – would face maximum fines up to $3,800 for families and $950 for individuals.

We will see how it plays out now, but the CBO estimate is based off individuals and businesses being good little citizens paying for their health coverage.