It didn't take long to run into an "uh-oh" moment when reading the House's "health care for all Americans" bill. Right there on Page 16 is a provision making individual private medical insurance illegal.
When we first saw the paragraph Tuesday, just after the 1,018-page document was released, we thought we surely must be misreading it. So we sought help from the House Ways and Means Committee.
It turns out we were right: The provision would indeed outlaw individual private coverage. Under the Orwellian header of "Protecting The Choice To Keep Current Coverage," the "Limitation On New Enrollment" section of the bill clearly states:
"Except as provided in this paragraph, the individual health insurance issuer offering such coverage does not enroll any individual in such coverage if the first effective date of coverage is on or after the first day" of the year the legislation becomes law.
So we can all keep our coverage, just as promised — with, of course, exceptions: Those who currently have private individual coverage won't be able to change it. Nor will those who leave a company to work for themselves be free to buy individual plans from private carriers.
One question: If this is on page 16, what is in the rest of the 1006 pages? Congress doesn't really care to find out, as they won't read it, just like Obama wishes. The below video ought to give you the creeps. Or a "thrill up your leg", if you're Chris Matthews.
The beginning of the end? Obama means it when he says you'll be able to keep your insurance if you like it. But you better like it forever because it's the last private policy you'll ever have. Unreal. Pray that this doesn't pass the House.
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