Republican Andy Harris, an anesthesiologist who defeated freshman Democrat Frank Kratovil on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, reacted incredulously when informed that federal law mandated that his government-subsidized health care policy would take effect on Feb. 1 – 28 days after his Jan. 3rd swearing-in.
“He stood up and asked the two ladies who were answering questions why it had to take so long, what he would do without 28 days of health care,” said a congressional staffer who saw the exchange. The benefits session, held behind closed doors, drew about 250 freshman members, staffers and family members to the Capitol Visitors Center auditorium late Monday morning,”.
“Harris then asked if he could purchase insurance from the government to cover the gap,” added the aide, who was struck by the similarity to Harris’s request and the public option he denounced as a gateway to socialized medicine.
Ladies and gentlemen, your Tea Party.
Well, it’s the Super-Monroe Doctrine: “Get off our oil, people who dress funny!” - M. Bouffant
"You're a bad captain, Zarde. People like you only learn by being touched, and hard. And you will greatly disapprove of where these men put their hands." - M. Vanderbeam.
Nix said Harris, who is the father of five, wasn’t being hypocritical – he was just pointing out the inefficiency of government-run health care.
It's in the link Partha provided. He was making a statement that the plan he was going to get makes him wait, and was using that point as an illustration that government run healthcare is inefficient. However, he's out of whack on this particular issue. Most private plans have a waiting period as well, usually a minimum of 30 days, although employers can accelerate that if they want.
Correction Mr. President, I DID build this, and please give Lurker a hug, we wouldn't want to damage his self-esteem.
I don't think they can accelerate any old private program, maybe self-insured plans. Every policy I've ever been on had a waiting period and many employers have a 30 day sort of trial period basically test driving you to ensure your the right person for the job. They aren't going to pay benefits until you make it through that period. Hell even our directors went through that.
Harlowe wrote:I don't think they can accelerate any old private program, maybe self-insured plans. Every policy I've ever been on had a waiting period and many employers have a 30 day sort of trial period basically test driving you to ensure your the right person for the job. They aren't going to pay benefits until you make it through that period. Hell even our directors went through that.
I waive the requirement all the time. Its not a law or anything, just a policy a company has. And you can set it up anyway you want. I had the option to do an instant qualification for benefits when I re-did the health insurance, but opted for a 30 day eligibility requirement (which I can waive if I want)
Correction Mr. President, I DID build this, and please give Lurker a hug, we wouldn't want to damage his self-esteem.
He was making a statement that the plan he was going to get makes him wait, and was using that point as an illustration that government run healthcare is inefficient.
Then private run healthcare is inefficient, by that measure. And yes, John Hopkins degree or not, he's a hypocritical moron, typical of the Tea Party. Bet he doesn't let go of HIS socialized medicine.
Well, it’s the Super-Monroe Doctrine: “Get off our oil, people who dress funny!” - M. Bouffant
"You're a bad captain, Zarde. People like you only learn by being touched, and hard. And you will greatly disapprove of where these men put their hands." - M. Vanderbeam.
The waiting period can have nothing to do with the employer at all, but the insurance company itself. It's absolutely not uncommon for the insurer to have a waiting period and the employer can do nothing about it. Unless of course it's some flavor of self-insured plan.
The insurer doesn't normally need a waiting period because they almost always didn't cover pre-existing conditions. So what would they gain by having a waiting period?
Harlowe wrote:The waiting period can have nothing to do with the employer at all, but the insurance company itself. It's absolutely not uncommon for the insurer to have a waiting period and the employer can do nothing about it. Unless of course it's some flavor of self-insured plan.
It's not required by the insurance issuers Harlowe, trust me. Again, I had the choice of establishing a waiting period or no waiting period, didn't matter to the insurance company and didn't affect the costs of the plans. Its in the insurance companys' best interests to get the person on the plan as soon as possible, since they can't deny the employee anyway, and they might as well collect the premiums. Its an employer's choice. Typically, the wait coincides with a probationary period. No sense in paying premiums for someone that won't make it, is the thought behind the waiting period. There are company-paid administrative costs that just get tossed out the window (not to mention the company portion of the premiums) for an employee who gets instant coverage but doesn't make it through the probationary period.
Correction Mr. President, I DID build this, and please give Lurker a hug, we wouldn't want to damage his self-esteem.
