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Health Freedom Watch
June 2009
Contents:
“Uniquely American” Health Reform Should Preserve Freedom
There has never been a more important time than now for health-freedom advocates to speak up. Our nation is facing its most important health-reform decision ever: Mandatory or voluntary health insurance?
Various plans are being offered by a variety of special interest-groups. On one end of the spectrum are those pushing for a publicly financed single-payer, “everybody in, nobody out” system. On the other end, leading conservatives are calling for automatic enrollment in private plans. In the middle are moderates like Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), who stresses that since the U.S. is different from the European countries with single-payer systems, it should come up with a “uniquely American” plan that embodies the country’s entrepreneurial spirit by combining public and private insurance.
For health-freedom advocates, the key issue we should focus on is freedom of choice. The Founders and many heroes fought hard over the years for our independence and freedom, and we should continue to cherish and preserve those precious values. To that end, we should make sure everyone is free to choose his or her health insurance and opt out of any mandatory scheme altogether, thereby maintaining the freedom from being coerced into a limited choice of plans dictated either by government or the private insurance industry. Also, all should be free to maintain confidential patient-doctor (and other provider) relationships. And no senior should be forced to give up his or her Social Security benefits for refusing to join Medicare Part A (hospital insurance). This is especially important when a bill now in Congress (H.R. 2520) would require biometric identifiers for all Medicare beneficiaries.
The good news is three bills have been introduced in the House by Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) that would ensure these three essential health freedoms:
- Health-insurance freedom of choice – by making sure Americans are not forced to buy insurance either through threat of a federal tax penalty or loss of, for example, one’s driver’s license.
- Health privacy rights – by making sure that Americans are not forced to have a Unique Health Identifier (UHI) to tag and track them from cradle to grave; that citizens are not forced to put their most personal health information into electronic format, have it linked to a national database, or share it with others, without their permission; and that doctors (or other health-care providers) will not be forced to put their patients’ most personal health information into electronic format.
- Seniors’ health-insurance choice – by not denying Social Security benefits to seniors who opt out of Medicare Part A.
Maintaining these three measures would indeed constitute “uniquely American” health reform—reform that respects individual rights, freedom of choice, and privacy.
Sources:
- “Day of Action for Single-Payer,” Socialist Worker Online, June 8, 2009.
- “Barack Obama's Health Plan Takes Shape,” Post Chronicle, June 1, 2009.
- “Baucus at the Center of Health Care Debate,” National Public Radio, May 19, 2009.
- “Patients’ Choice Act,” H.R. 2520 introduced in the House of Representatives on May 20, 2009 (see Subtitle B, Sec. 511).
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Three Health-Freedom Bills Introduced in Congress
U.S. Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) has introduced three health-freedom bills to ensure Americans’ freedom of choice in health insurance and health privacy rights. Below are the numbers and summaries of the bills. You can review them at the congressional website http://thomas.loc.gov.
Bill No. |
Legislation: What Would the Bill Achieve?
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H.R. 2629 |
Introduced 5/21/09: "Coercion is Not Health Care Act"
"This legislation forbids the Federal Government from forcing any American to purchase health insurance, and from conditioning participation in any Federal program, or receipt of any Federal benefit, on the purchase of health insurance.”
Rep. Paul states, “If Congress requires individuals to purchase insurance, Congress must define what insurance policies satisfy the government mandate. Thus, Congress will decide what is and is not covered in the mandatory insurance policy. Does anyone seriously doubt that what conditions and treatments are covered will be determined by who has the most effective lobby? Or that Congress will be incapable of writing a mandatory insurance policy that will fit the unique needs of every individual in the United States?” (Emphasis added.)
Majority of Americans Reject Health Insurance Mandate
This bill reflects the views of the majority of Americans who oppose a mandate for health insurance. A national survey of 1,000 U.S. adults conducted May 15-16, 2009 asked the following:
“Some people, generally younger adults and those in good health, decide on their own not to buy health insurance. Should they be required to buy health insurance?”
31% Yes
56% No
14% Not sure
Source: Rasmussen Reports, “Toplines - Health Care II - May 15-16, 2009.” |
H.R. 2630 |
Introduced 5/21/09: "Protect Patients and Physicians Privacy Act"
This bill would:
- Make clear that “All individuals shall have the ability to opt out of any Federally mandated, created, or funded electronic system for maintaining health care information.” This means no forced participation in a national database!
- Repeal section of the HIPAA law that requires everyone to be assigned a Unique Health Identifier (UHI), which could be a biometric identifier.
- Require consent before patients’ electronic medical records can be shared.
- Make clear that providers can’t be forced to use electronic health records.
This bill supports the views of most Americans who strongly favor health privacy, and reject the idea of a national medical-records database and medical ID numbers (see: www.forhealthfreedom.org/Gallupsurvey/IHF-Gallup.html).
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H.R. 164 |
Introduced 1/6/09: "Seniors’ Health Care Freedom Act of 2009"
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Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide for facilitating the use of private contracts under Medicare."
Declares that “No persons otherwise eligible for old-age benefits under Social Security shall be denied such benefits because of their voluntary refusal to participate in any part of the Medicare program.” (Emphasis added.) As noted, this is important because of the push to require biometric identifiers for all Medicare beneficiaries (H.R. 2520).
This bill would remedy seniors being forced to forgo their Social Security cash benefits because they reject enrollment in Medicare Part A (see: www.medicarelawsuit.org). |
See the article below regarding how you can help make sure these provisions are passed.
Sources: See the bills at http://thomas.loc.gov.
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Act Now to Strengthen and Preserve Your Health Freedom and Privacy
Now is the time to act regarding health reform! Here are three steps to help make sure your voice is heard on the three health-freedom bills.
(1)
Call, write, or email your representative and senators; below is sample language and contact information.
(2) Ask your representative to cosponsor all three bills, and your senators to sponsor companion bills (see specific language below).
(3)
Forward this newsletter to three other people and ask them to contact Congress, too.
Sample language for Representative:
My name is XX from XX town & state. I’m calling/writing to ask Representative XX to cosponsor three health-freedom bills introduced by Rep. Ron Paul. The bills are:
- H.R. 2629 “Coercion is Not Health Care Act”
- H.R. 2630 “Protect Patients and Physicians Privacy Act” and
- H.R. 164 “Seniors' Health Care Freedom Act of 2009”
These bills are important to me and my family because they will strengthen and preserve our:
- Health-insurance freedom of choice;
- Health-privacy rights; and
- Seniors’ health-insurance choice.
Thank you for supporting health-freedom rights.
Sample language for Senators:
My name is XX from XX town & state. I’m calling/writing to ask Senator XX to sponsor (to draft and introduce) three health-freedom bills similar to those introduced by Rep. Ron Paul in the House. They are:
- H.R. 2629 “Coercion is Not Health Care Act”
- H.R. 2630 “Protect Patients and Physicians Privacy Act” and
- H.R. 164 “Seniors' Health Care Freedom Act of 2009”
These bills are important to me and my family because they will strengthen and preserve our:
- Health-insurance freedom of choice;
- Health-privacy rights; and
- Seniors’ health-insurance choice.
Thank you for supporting health-freedom rights.
Contact Information:
Representative:
House main number: (202) 225-3121
Write:
The Honorable (INSERT NAME_____)
U.S. House of Representatives
(INSERT ADDRESS______________)
Washington, DC 20515
Find your Representative’s name, address and website here: www.house.gov. You can email your Representatives at their websites.
Senators:
Senate main number: (202) 224-3121
Write:
The Honorable (INSERT NAME_____)
U.S. Senate
(INSERT ADDRESS______________)
Washington, DC 20510
Find your Senators’ names, addresses and websites here: http://www.senate.gov. You can email your Senators at their websites.
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Health Freedom Watch is published by the Insitute for Health Freedom. Editor: Sue Blevins; Assistant Editor: Deborah Grady. Copyright 2009 Institute for Health Freedom.
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