Friday, October 29, 2010

Barletta Vs. Kanjorski Part 2


In the next part of the debate between incumbent Paul Kanjorski and challenger Lou Barletta healthcare became the topic of discussion. Moderator Bill Kelly went to Andree Phillips for the question. She stated she went to a meeting yesterday comprised of senior citizens. She "voir dired" Kanjorski about their concerns over insurance, Social Security and their coverage over provisions found in Obamacare. "I can tell you there were 30 people in that room and they were all afraid, they were afraid because they see their Medicare premiums going up and their coverage going down." "What are you going to do to improve that situation for our senior citizens?"

Kanjorski's response "First of all I want to tell 'em and I am sorry you couldn't tell 'em that the present law passed has no effect PRESENTLY on their premiums going up or their services going down. The law hasn't been put into effect and won't go into effect for 4 years. So any impact on healthcare costs in the United States have nothing to do with the healthcare bill passed by the law recently." His platitudes went on to bring in pre-existing conditions. He also made the claim "In this country 1 in 5 employees are imprisoned to their job and are in economic serivitude as a result of the failure of healthcare and coverage in the United States. That is horrendous.  I've been in Congress long enough to see the Clinton's try to get healthcare 15 years ago and a failure. Now President Obama brought it through, we carried it through but always with the understanding just as we did with Social Security and Medicare, that adjustments and changes will have to be made in Amendments to make sure this very complicated Act actually works. In affects 17% of our Gross Domestic Product." He rambled on about touting some benefits of the act including "making it more efficient for companies to operate in this country" and "closing the hole on drugs in this country".

Then he said "And quite frankly the Health Act has no ramifications or application to Medicare that senior citizens are under....I just want to leave with one thing. Anyone watching this debate tonight. Be sure of one thing. If you are a senior citizen, if you are under the protection of Medicare you will not be impacted in any way negatively by what the Congress has done". Moderator Kelly called the time on his response at this point.

Barletta countered "Who believes that thirty million more people will be included in the healtcare plan and we are actually going to save money because the federal government is going to run it. Nobody believes that, nobody believes that will happen at all. As a matter of fact Congressman we already saw the effects of your vote on the healthcare bill when Mercy Hospital announced, uh, is talking about selling their three Catholic hospitals, uh, as part of the decision is based on the effect that Obamacare will have on the hospitals. This healthcare bill will chase doctors out of business."

From the Heritage Foundation Side Effects: Massachusetts Seniors Will Lose Medicare Advantage Plans in 2011.

From The Weekly Standard Obamacare Forces 22,000 Seniors to Lose Medicare Advantage

From the Palm Beach Post Seniors set to lose Medicare Advantage perk

From the PRN Newswire Local Seniors Could Lose Their Medicare Advantage Coverage Under House Bill; Approximately 3 Million Seniors in 22 States, Including New Hampshire, Could Lose Their Medicare Advantage Coverage

Read this article that appears on the National Review Online.

Seniors who retain Medicare Advantage plans in 2011 should not be fooled into thinking that they have dodged Obamacare’s cuts to Medicare. Unless Obamacare is repealed, their time will come.

What did Paul Kanjorski tell seniors?

"And quite frankly the Health Act has no ramifications or application to Medicare that senior citizens are under....I just want to leave with one thing. Anyone watching this debate tonight. Be sure of one thing. If you are a senior citizen, if you are under the protection of Medicare you will not be impacted in any way negatively by what the Congress has done".

Was that Kanjorski's second damnable lie? He is listening to his mentor, Nancy Pelosi. Of course she was the one who said "But we have to pass this bill so you can find out what is in it".


Protecting Medicare??? Actually not, just hurting seniors.

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