Insurers Criticize Administration 'Gag Order'Now there is a story to follow.
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 22, 2009; 5:12 PM
The federal government has ordered health insurers to stop telling Medicare beneficiaries that proposed health reform legislation could hurt seniors and jeopardize their benefits.
The government might take enforcement action against insurers that have tried to mobilize opposition to the legislation by sending their enrollees "misleading and confusing" messages, a senior official of the Department of Health and Human Services said in a memo Monday.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Obama, Sebelius Coercing Insurance Companies to Curtail Speech
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10 comments:
Nothing's wrong with it. Medicare providers are not allowed to communicate with plan members about possible changes in benefits, nor to lobby for particular policies or legislation.
So since it's illegal, HHS has every right to tell them to knock it off.
Saying there is a law for something is not the same as saying there is nothing wrong with it.
That is like saying there is nothing wrong with federal government threatening to take the tax exempt charter away from a church, which speaks out for or against a political candidate.
Sometimes, to quote Mr. Bumble, "The law is an ass."
And shall we pass yet more laws which violate our Constitution,or shall we eliminate them?
Only a wingnut would find it wrong for the gov't to look out for consumers.
Exactly. And the same, when private enterprises and organizations are looking out for American Citizens, especially elderly Citizens who stand to be hoodwinked by these "wingnuts" in the White House who refuse to "look out for consumers" and instead, seek to fascistically control these private entities.
Takes a true wingnut to call consumer protection fascism...
I'll bite:
Consumer protection against what, in principle? Does it make any difference to you, whether in this case, Humana is telling the truth or not?
Who is protecting "consumers" and from what?
I think it is the government's duty to protect us from businesses that misinform consumers.
I feel that Humana, by taking tax subsidies specifically apportioned under the directive of the Medicare program, is breaking the law by disseminating false information to consumers.
I am all for the free market and I am a supply-sider but I believe that subsidised corporations must be held to high standards of commercial regulation.
I think it is true wingnuttery to say that the government's role in protecting consumers is fascist, that's all.
Peace!
Your entire argument hinges on your belief that Obamacare would neither reduce the services offered under Medicare, nor raise taxes, to pay for them (which in turn, would create pressures to restrict services).
In other words, you believe Barack Obama.
So, you believe that freedom of speech must be curtailed for the sake of the influence Barack Obama has and this influence is to be left uncontradicted. No dissent is to be allowed, if the government gives you anything -- and government is there to give.
Further, you believe that Humana, a private entity receiving subsidies by central government, must comply with new controls which many believe will lead to the elimination of Humana and other private services.
Central government control of otherwise private enterprise is the definition of fascism.
This is what is being done against America:
War!
While I do concede your point that Humana appears to be getting singled out, let's not forget that no other Medicare-subsidised corporations are engaging in this behavior.
You can call it fascism but you're just incorrect, since it is illegal for subsidised businesses to break the law.
True wingnuttery holds that a corporation is always right, even when it breaks the law.
Obama through Sebelius limiting the right of free speech. We deserve to know the impact upon insurance companies and how they will act when new legislation is inacted upon policy holders.
Obams is trying to play chicken and this Nation is going to clip his wings becasue of behavior, just like this. We don't need a marxist public employee in the office of the President.
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