Congress enjoys socialized medicine
When conservatives in Congress talk about health care, they often sound as if they don’t have any idea what the average person goes through in confronting an illness and paying the bills that follow. Well, members of Congress don’t have an idea what the average person goes through. They have one of the best insurance plans in the country.
ABC News has done an excellent job highlighting the Office of the Attending Physician:
Through interviews with former employees and members of Congress, as well as extensive document searches, ABC News has learned new details about the services offered by the Office of Attending Physician to members of Congress over the past few years, from regular visits by a consulting chiropractor to on-site physical therapy.
“A member walked in and was generally walked right back into a physician’s office. They get good care. They are not rushed. They are examined thoroughly,” said Eduardo Balbona, an internist in Jacksonville, Fla., who worked as a staff physician in the OAP from 1993 to 1995.
Let’s be clear. This is precisely the sort of “socialized medicine” that so many lawmakers claim would be an utter disaster if you and I had it. It’s just like the British system, wherein the physicians are actually government employees.
But that’s not even the greatest benefit of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan. Lawmakers are employed by you and me, the taxpayers, and we subsidize their health insurance at a generous rate. Last month, Matthew Yglesias had an excellent rundown of the subsidies provided:
The way it works is that since the federal workforce is so giant, they’re able to attract a large number of different competing insurance plans. You can get a “basic” plan from Blue Cross Blue Shield for $92.44 per month ($216.48 for a family). But that’s not buying you $92.44 per month of insurance, it’s buying you $369.72 per month of insurance—the federal government is picking up the rest of the tab. For the price of $3,327.84 per year per individual or $7,793.4 per family we could extend this offer to everyone in the country.
Alternatively, there’s the Blue Cross Blue Shield “standard” package. That costs $152.06 per month for an individual or $356.59 per family. In subsidies, the federal government shells out $4,047 a year for an individual and $9,166.56 for a family.
If Congress were forced to cope with the insurance plans many Americans have to deal with, health care reform would pass unanimously.
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78 comments Add your comment
joe matarotz
October 1st, 2009
8:13 am
Q. What makes the libs in Congress any different? They also have the same health care package.
A. They are no different. None of them can identify with what the average person goes through. They live a lifestyle that is so over the top that it is addictive. Once an individual serves in Congress, they will do or saying anything to be reelected.
Donovan
October 1st, 2009
8:38 am
Still on the health care stump, Comrade Tucker? Once again…we Americans don’t want government run health care. We Americans don’t want to be made to cover health care for your poor unproductive voters. We Americans don’t care for your socialist agenda.
funnything
October 1st, 2009
8:40 am
It is so great, they keep adding amendments to every healthcare bill that exclude themselves from having to have our healthcare package. Whats good for the goose is too good for the gander, I guess. And you thought the dems actually gave a crap about equality. HA!!!!
Commissar Obama
October 1st, 2009
8:42 am
Eventually the currency will fail under all of this 1. money printing, 2. deficient spending 3. 4 trillion dollars a year health care bill.
jt
October 1st, 2009
8:47 am
Just because congress steals from Americans to suppliment their healthcare doesn’t make it right.
Decent hard-working Americans want nothing from Congress but to be left alone. We definetly do not want to share in their wholesale looting.
Peadawg
October 1st, 2009
8:55 am
If Congress, the House, and Obama insist in jamming this down our throat, then ALL MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, THE HOUSE, AND OBAMA’S administration MUST use the government health care option that they want us to use. It’s only fair.
Joey
October 1st, 2009
9:05 am
“…this is precisely the sort of “socialized medicine” that so many lawmakers claim would be an utter disaster…..”
Exactly so.
Lawmakers know how much their socialized medical care cost. Therefore, they do not offer the same care to government employees. It is the lawmakers who are ignorant of the cost or that choose to ignore the cost that are pushing for National Health Care.
Dunwoody Mike
October 1st, 2009
9:19 am
Donovan,
Yet once again you provide a fine example of that sterling “Screw You I Got Mine” attitude so prevalent among the selfish right of this nation.
John
October 1st, 2009
9:25 am
Congress is living in a subsidized, fantasy land. $3,327.84 per year per individual… that will amount to over $1 TRILLION per year. Where is that money going to come from?
mrresponsible
October 1st, 2009
9:32 am
Dunwoody,
Yet once again you provide a fine example of that sterling, “Screw You I Want Yours” attitude so prevalent among the selfish left of this nation.
jconservative
October 1st, 2009
9:45 am
joe matarotz – “Once an individual serves in Congress, they will do or saying anything to be reelected.”
And your job as a voter is to never vote to return anyone to congress for a another term. Vote for the other person on the ballot.
Donovan – “Americans don’t want government run health care.”
Wrong! Americans do want government run health care. That is why 98 million Americans will get some government paid benefit from Medicare/ Medicaid & SCHIP in 2010. And do not forget government run VA, government run health clinics and government run military hospitals.
Donovan if you are trying to say that YOU do not want it to expand, OK I agree with you. Good luck to us both, because it appears it will in fact expand.
Shawny
October 1st, 2009
9:53 am
Are you kidding?!?
Visits by a chiropracter and on-site therapist?!? Do you really think that benefits at this level could be paid for?!? Paid for by whom?
This is insane. This is not what congress would draft for the rest of us. These are PERKS for being lawmakers. They wrote themselves these types of benefits. It IS NOT an example of what we would get with govt healthcare.
Biggest case of apples vs. oranges I have ever seen.
Shawny
October 1st, 2009
9:58 am
“is why 98 million Americans will get some government paid benefit from Medicare/ Medicaid & SCHIP in 2010.”
Really? More than 1 in 4? Go around and ask everyone you know if they are getting this. Include their kids in the count. See if you get to 1 in 4. I doubt it.
And no, Americans do not want govt healthcare.
Shawny
October 1st, 2009
10:00 am
Oh wait, Barack said we can pay for that by squeezing out inefficiencies in the system (LOL).
So, we could squeeze out these inefficiences now and not do anything else. Make it all cheaper, right? Then why hasn’t it already happened?
And if you believe that the govt getting involved will not CREATE inefficiences beyond anything you have ever seen, then you are naive.
Enlightend Bubba
October 1st, 2009
10:16 am
We Americans DO want government run health care!!
Van Jones
October 1st, 2009
10:33 am
If every democrat would just volunteer to pay an extra $1000/year in taxes we could afford this. What? Dems want someone else to pay? Say it ain’t so!
Chris Broe
October 1st, 2009
10:44 am
The GOP healthcare plan: Even if you’re not sick, we’re gonna see you don’t feel so good. Now get outta here…..
Chris Broe
October 1st, 2009
10:50 am
The GOP foreign policy: Even if you weren’t part of 911, we’re gonna make sure you dont feel so good. Now get outta here….
The GOP campaign platform for 2012: Even if you vote for us, we’re gonna make sure you dont feel so good. Now get outta here……
poor Cynthia
October 1st, 2009
10:51 am
Congress does not use socilized medicine. They allowed to pick from a handful of providers, PRIVATE Health insurance companies and the government, as an employer, pays for a portion, just like PRIVATE companies do. The advantage is the size of insureds they bring to the table and the Insurance companies can spread the risk. This is not a government owned health care industry, Cynthia. Check your dictionary for the definition of socialism. or SEE GENERAL MOTORS.
Vonnie
October 1st, 2009
10:54 am
Our politicians don’t care about the rest of us. When will you people realize that? As long as they have a health care package like they have and that is for as long as they live, why should they REALLY try to reform healthcare and risk their golden egg. It’s too bad that they don’t vote like we want them to. They are in bed with the lobbyists. We ought to ban lobbyists from Washington. They don’t speak for us, they are influenced by their own need to obtain more and more money. Greed caused the economic mess we are in and we will see it again in the healthcare industry. We cannot afford the billions to pay for redoing the healthcare because insurance companies would lose their money pit. They will be the next thing to cause a meltdown in this country. People, make your politicians accountable. Vote them out the next time around. As a matter of fact, let’s get a new crew in there and impose term limits. Maybe then they will do what WE want them to do.
jconservative
October 1st, 2009
11:05 am
Shawny – “Really? More than 1 in 4?”
————
From the DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services FY) 2010 performance budget.
“…over 98 million Medicare, Medicaid, and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) beneficiaries in FY 2010.”
You can check it yourself.
And also this: ” …In FY 2010, benefit costs are expected to total $803.1 billion.”
News Hound
October 1st, 2009
11:10 am
Compelling headlines of the day:
Michelle Obama: It’s a ’sacrifice’ to travel to Europe to pitch for the Olympics. But I’m doing it for the kids. (Riiiiiigghtt)
Millionaire Michael Moore: ‘Capitalism Did Nothing for Me’… (Um, what he said)
POLITICS: Advisers split complicates Obama’s Afghan decision…
43 Troops Have Died Since General Called for Reinforcements…
WHITE HOUSE: OBAMA TO TAKE ‘NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS’ TO REVIEW STRATEGY…
(nothing like a decisive leader)
Vonnie
October 1st, 2009
11:16 am
Patrick, I think we can safely say that all the journalists are “controversial” to get people to read their column and argue and fight. Thanks for enlightening us.
joe matarotz
October 1st, 2009
11:25 am
A great point was brought up earlier about voting.
I vote against EVERY incumbent.
I NEVER vote for anyone who is running unopposed.
If everyone followed those two simple rules, things would start to change for the better.
DirtyDawg
October 1st, 2009
11:31 am
Hey News Hound…your man geeduyabush and the cretin behind the curtain, cheney, got us into this mess. If you don’t mind I’d like a more intelligent approach considered…by the way, don’t suppose you complained about the 5,000 Americans and the 500,000, innocent, Iraqis that died…along with millions of Iraqi families that became refugees as a result?…I thought not.
Sunshine and Thunder
October 1st, 2009
11:32 am
Cindy, you wrote:
“When conservatives in Congress talk about health care, they often sound as if they don’t have any idea what the average person goes through in confronting an illness and paying the bills that follow.”
You then go on to chastise congress for using its own health care system.
Senator Tom Coburn (REPUBLICAN, Oklahoma) offered legislation in July of this year that would have required legislators to use the same health care system that the American people use. It didn’t fly. It’s incredible the hypocrisy of the left in this country and here is an inner city editor doing the same thing.
passed
October 1st, 2009
11:32 am
Whatever they pass, let them have the same benefits as a general public. Let them pay out of pocket, let them cover their deductible, let their bills be rejected and coverage dropped because of “pre-existing condition”.
Kevin
October 1st, 2009
11:35 am
The article did not mention this fact so I will ask. Is the Office of Attending Physician on the grounds of the Capital? If so, would all companies have governmental physicians on site who could spend that amount of time with each patient under House Bill 3200? I know the answer but would like to see what other readers thought.
I would also to like to know whether a Congressman or Senator has any withholding for family or individual coverage and what is the percentage that we the taxpayer picks up? I bet the figures quoted for the Blue Cross plans are not it costs the indivdual Congressman or Senator. I bet they have the Cadillac plan; unlimted access to health care with no cost to them at all.
Finally, many companies in the private sector subsidize as well the amount it costs to cover employees and their families so there is no difference from that aspect.
Willie
October 1st, 2009
11:35 am
Congress enjoys socialized medicine? Now there is healthcare that needs to be reformed. How about congress play along with the rest of us. They make enough they can buy their own healthcare. They do not need any more of my money.
News Hound
October 1st, 2009
11:37 am
DirtyDawg
Please omit the ebonics and respond to me in English, okay?
Chris Broe
October 1st, 2009
11:51 am
Cynthia’s point is obsolete. So what if one can characterize congress’s benefit package as “socialism”. I’ve heard that argument for decades. It’s congress. I hope they get nice benefits. There’s only a handful of them compared to our 300 millions. This argument never persuaded anyone about anything, except to convince the reader that the author was a desperado. Recede, Cynthia. You mostly disappoint lately, young lady, and it’s getting old. Either come up with an original insight or stfu. Take a vacation. Visit your relatives. Visit and stay a month at a nun’s convent where they dont allow talking, writing, texting, tweeting, or nuthin’.
Jklol
Joy Behar has a new show. She’s very good. Some of the writing could be better, but overall, she’s a welcome breath of fresh air in a very stale genre.
Last night she interviewed Ann Coulter. Great television. Ann is looking really hot these days. So is Joy. During the interview, I had an overwhelming desire to yell “Catfight!” at the top of my lungs, but couldn’t, because the two babes kept it very civil. It was so refreshing, that I just have to recommend this new show.
Also, today’s Luckovich was a home run. Check it out. Lucko’s BACK!
booger
October 1st, 2009
11:54 am
….has no idea what the average person goes through……
Study after study has shown that the average person has health insurance and is happy with it. this is why only 41% of americans approve of the reform plans.
And you seem to suggest that under socialized medicine one will walk right in and the doctor will spend as much time as necessary with them.
you really are out of touch.
HDB
October 1st, 2009
12:03 pm
The question that has yet to be addressed is this: With the wealth of this nation – AND its insurance capabilities, why are Americans at the mercy of companies who do not have their best interests at heart…that they don’t cover ALL conditions…and whose life expectancies are below other similarly-advanced nations? Republicans don’t want “socialized” medicine because they don’t want PROFIT removed from human suffering; Republicans don’t want “socialized” medicine because they don’t want PROFIT removed from their “altruism” (which it ISN’T!). If the French, British, and Canadians can insure a NATION, provide good health care, reduce the costs of perscription drugs, and raise the life expectancy of said nation….why can’t the USA? This nation prides itself on hospitals being filled, people going bankrupt over medical costs…and being denied coverage by insurance companies….ALL FOR PROFIT!! That’s NOT what this nation should be proud of!!!
Marty
October 1st, 2009
12:44 pm
I sit here this morning getting ready to go to work as I normally do and I am just as steamed as I normally am. I am sick and tired of hearing about “the change I can believe in”. I sit and listen to commercial after commercial with the likes of Ken Nuggent filling our courts with lawsuits. We continue to attack the the medical system because we can. It’s no secret that in the past 10 years law suits against the medical system has increased 1400% or is that actually 14000% I am trying to remember the actual numbers given in the study. The trial lawyers helped get Mr Obama into office so change against them will never happen. You want to real in cost then you stop the crazy lawsuits that fill our courts. John Edwards was a key player in his famous suits against the drug manufactures. 20 years of research goes into the meds and this country stands on the leading edge of treatment in the world. ANY drug I may take will not be the same for the next person. Some will have negative effects and yes some will actually die. I took that chance with Vioxx and I never jumped on the money train to get paid. Vioxx relieved my pain. I did have a heart attack 2 years ago but did I blame vioxx for my poor choices in life? Nope I failed myself. We want instant healing but we are not willing to deal with the results of that. I can’t take an NSDAID or asprin but those that can risk the same as anyone else even after all these years. Yes people Bayer asprin can kill you as can Tylonal. None of us are living without risk in treatment.
Get over yourselves,We don’t live in a perfect world and never will. Sueing only complicates the issue. Now that does not mean that I am against the courts deciding in cases where Doctors are just plain stupid. We need a loser pays system and the BS will quickly be removed from the courts.
Ms. Tucker, you are paid to stir the pot but I’d hope you would bring the facts in your blogs. Nothing will change with you. The fact you have people in here arguing only gets you paid. IF they ever get educated and know the facts the only thing we will ever hear from you is “Do you want fries with that?” or perhaps “Welcome to Walmart”. It’s easy to eliminate the facts to assist you’re arguement. 2010 elections are coming fast and the team you pull so hard for knows that. That is the very fiber in the excessive fight to gain all this ground so quickly. After the elections we will no doubt see such a major swing that the like of Mr. Obama will be nothing short or a lame duck and he and his ilk know it.
I did my time. I served and defended this great nation. I’d do it again. If it was my choice, I’d be in the dessert now. In that I took and oath to defend this nation against all enemies foreign and DOMESTIC. I will NEVER sell this country out to socialist thinking or ideas. Your President in my eyes is the enemy. He is VERY Socialist/Marxist in his thinking and I will not support it and sell my grandkids off into that form of govt.
Yes I know, I just disagreed with the Barack so I am now a racist. Whatever. I lets the facts stand for me and pay no attention to the rest. It’s a damn shame african americans have allowed these false statements go on. It kills all we have worked on for so long in equality. All for the sake of political power. God help us
Del
October 1st, 2009
12:48 pm
This is could really be a joke if it wasn’t so serious. here we see all these stupid OP-ED’s written by hard left jounalists like Cynthia Tucker complaining about conservative Republicans who are against healthcare reform. Come on…it’s democrats fighting against democrats in a congress that they control. They have the votes their problem is that they don’t have the American people and those in the Democratic party coming up for re-election next year are well aware that the majority of Americans don’t want anything to do with the various plans being crafted by far left Dem’s in Congress. Hey! I’m an average type who has had 3 cancer surgeries over the past 15 years and four different insurance carriers. None of those carriers have ever dropped my coverage or kicked me out due to a pre-existing condition. Most of the horror stories are fabricated by the hard left who only want to peddle ideology without any real concern for what’s best for all Americans.Inequities in our present system can be fixed without going to a Government run system or so called public option. Now the public option proponents are saying that Obama has to get involved again. The problem they have there is every time Obama speaks on the subject it becomes clear that he really doesn’t know what he’s talking about because he outsourced it all to Congress and the White House doesn’t even know the details contained in the various bills. It was up until recently esoteric until others have been able to read and interpret parts of the bill being submitted. Most Americans are very concerned about the secrecy and the fast track time line for passage the Democrats are pushing.
TnGelding
October 1st, 2009
12:50 pm
We don’t subsidize it, we pay for it all. To provide that kind of care to everyone is out of the question. They’ll have to come down to our level. We simply have to eliminate the profit and advertising, and increase efficiency.
TnGelding
October 1st, 2009
12:55 pm
Marty
October 1st, 2009
12:44 pm
Like Hillary, he’s trying to expand the current system to cover more people and then provide government coverage to those left.
Gordon
October 1st, 2009
12:56 pm
“But that’s not buying you $92.44 per month of insurance, it’s buying you $369.72 per month of insurance—the federal government is picking up the rest of the tab.”
NO THEY ARE NOT PICKING UP THE TAB, CYNTHIA! They are borrowing the money, adding to the nearly 12 trillion dollar national debt. That’s why Medicare has tens of trillions of dollars in unfunded liabilities. Why don’t you get that?
TnGelding
October 1st, 2009
12:57 pm
Gordon
October 1st, 2009
12:56 pm
They’re also borrowing from Medicare.
Dave
October 1st, 2009
12:57 pm
The #s breakdown very similar to where I work…employer paying 3/4 of tab (tax free to me as an employee) and 1/4 paid by me (pre-tax dollars) with an Aetna policy being far cheaper (that’s a surprise) than the amounts noted here. Only differenc is the employer in this example is the federal government (which doesn’t worry about affordability).
So in reality, Congress pays far more from their own pockets than I do…I’m surprised by that. Crux of the debate (left completely out of the article)…how do we lower the $369 single coverage to something more affordable, regardless of who is paying? This article has provided no new information about how employer provided insurance works, nothing about how to reduce costs, and nothing about how to reform the current system that we have (predominantly employer provided).
Did I miss something in the article that explains how this system is supposed to fix our problem?
Marc
October 1st, 2009
1:08 pm
Cynthia are you willing to GUARANTEE that the health care package is revenue neutral and that the quality of care for all that are already in Medicare will at minimum stay the same? If they don’t than you will never right a blog or editorial again? If not shut up! What makes you think that you are smarter or better educated than us? The biggest reason that you are where you are is that you worked for a company (AJC) that was owned by two of the most liberal sister (Cox sisters) on this planet. Neither one of them has know what it means to actually work, to be without but they like most other rich liberals like to tell me how I should spend my money. If they are so concerned why don’t they take their money a help the people that need help, let the poor move into their mansions and eat at their table pay for the medical bills of those that need it.
dave
October 1st, 2009
1:49 pm
Trying to use congress’s health care plan with the government health care plan is like comparing a Yugo to a Royals Royce. Let congress have the Yugo too and see how far the bill goes, but that will never happen and everyone (regardless of political leanings) knows it. You must be going stir crazy in that big old office building by yourself Ms. Tucker.
Chris Broe
October 1st, 2009
1:55 pm
Hey, they’re going to release Cheney’s FBI interview concerning the Plame affair. I hope it exonerates Cheney. I’m getting tired of hating this man. I don’t want to continue to believe that he’s a traitor; that he sold us out to the Saudis over Iraq.
In Cheney’s defense, Rumsfeld could have acted alone when he refused W’s order to attack OBL in 2002 because he didn’t like the fact that the CIA would have had tactical command. However, I have difficulty believing that Rummy acted without Cheney, when Cheney’s paws are all over the Iraq War.
The only reason Cheney might have conspired with Rumsfeld to stand down in Afghanistan would be so that he could attack Iraq. The logic flows from the premise that if we had captured Osama and destroyed Al Queda in Afghanistan in 2002, then the American People would have wanted our troops to come home, and no war in Iraq would have been possible.
Why Saudis? Saudis dominate defense contracting. The Saudis have profited immensely from the Iraq War.
So, with all this secrecy about who said what and who did what and who wrote what, it seems that the problem, dear friends, is not in our nom de plumes, but in naming our Plames.
Ayn Rand Was Right
October 1st, 2009
2:06 pm
How many of you spend more than $4500/year on your doctors or pharmaceuticals? How much would you spend if there was not a middle man insurance company to subsidize? Insurance should be a catastrophe safety net, not payment management service for day-to-day medical care.
Wombat
October 1st, 2009
2:33 pm
Enter your comments here
Wombat
October 1st, 2009
2:36 pm
To even imply that the average citizen can expect health care comprable to that recieved by Congress, no matter what package is passed or not passed, is at best simplistic, at worst an intentional deception.
JackLeg
October 1st, 2009
2:38 pm
“Let’s be clear. This is precisely the sort of “socialized medicine” that so many lawmakers claim would be an utter disaster if you and I had it. It’s just like the British system, wherein the physicians are actually government employees.”
Man Cynthia you are very stupid or very gullible, or both. This is not and never will be what American’s get for healthcare. By the way they have PRIVATE healthcare NOT socialized. We pay a lot of money for the Congress and Senate to get that type of coverage. If they really cared about the people they would do several things to bring down insurance costs, like tort reform, make insurance available across state lines, and let groups of individuals get together to get group rates. That would foster competition. Isn’t that what Obozo said he wanted, oops just one more lie from him. Think about it Congress and the Senate chose from over 280 healthcare plans, nobody in real America gets that option.
ctucker
October 1st, 2009
2:44 pm
JackLeg,
The Office of the Attending Physician is separate from and in addition to any physicians that lawmakers may see through their insurance plans. In that office, the physicians are on the government payroll, just like in Britain. I’m not going to call you stupid. I’m going to assume, instead, you read the post too quickly.
Gordon
October 1st, 2009
3:01 pm
Cynthia,
Thank you in advance for answering my question: How can you say government is “picking up the tab” for the difference in what is paid by the patient and what is paid to the health care provider when the government simply borrows the money? What are you going to say to future generations who want health care themselves but live in a country whose government is bankrupt?
Chris Broe
October 1st, 2009
3:13 pm
I dont think Jackleg is stuck on stupid either, Cynthia. Good call. (:-/)