General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsSerious question. Why don't Democrats demand Repukes to give up their free govt health care?
Has anyone ever asked Repuke senators and congresscritters to justify their accepting government funded healthcare?
LAGC
(5,330 posts)Agnosticsherbet
(11,619 posts)djean111
(14,255 posts)And that everybody else just needs to get a job with health care, like they did.
el_bryanto
(11,804 posts)And would look a bit petty.
Bryant
snagglepuss
(12,704 posts)and forget about high mindedness.
el_bryanto
(11,804 posts)City Lights
(25,171 posts)And their delivery of such would be smug and arrogant.
NCTraveler
(30,481 posts)It is a part of their compensation package. I guess you could ask them to give it up for an increase in pay.
snagglepuss
(12,704 posts)their top of the line health care. There is nothing stopping them from getting their own healthcare coverage.
NCTraveler
(30,481 posts)It is the reality of millions of Americans. Health Insurance is a part of millions of peoples compensation packages. Why would someone pay for something that is a part of their compensation. Free government health care is a right wing meme.
snagglepuss
(12,704 posts)However the bottomline is that the govt is picking up a large portion of the cost of their healthcare. It's pure hyprocrisy.
NCTraveler
(30,481 posts)Head spinning hypocrisy. Amazing they can live with themselves.
pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)Members of Congress contribute to their health care plans just like other federal employees.
snagglepuss
(12,704 posts)"free" is perhaps the wrong word. The question is how much is their contribution compared to contributions made in the private sector for the same level of healthcare?
pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)Its not a single-payer system where the government acts as the one and only health insurance company. As President Bushs chief of personnel Kay Coles James said in 2003, while lecturing at the conservative Heritage Foundation, the FEHB program is not centralized, government-run health care. It has drawn praise both from conservatives and liberals, including President Obama, who held it up as a model for his own health care proposals.
According to the Congressional Research Service, the FEHBP offers about 300 different private health care plans, including five government-wide, fee-for-service plans and many regional health maintenance organization (HMO) plans, plus high-deductible, tax-advantaged plans. All plans cover hospital, surgical and physician services, and mental health services, prescription drugs and catastrophic coverage against very large medical expenses. There are no waiting periods for coverage when new employees are hired, and there are no exclusions for preexisting conditions. The FEHBP negotiates contracts annually with all insurance companies who wish to participate. There is plenty of competition for the business; FEHBP is the largest employer-sponsored health plan in the U.S.
...
Like other large employers, the government pays a large share of the cost of coverage. On average, the government pays 72 percent of the premiums for its workers, up to a maximum of 75 percent depending on the policy chosen. For example, the popular Blue Cross and Blue Shield standard fee-for-service family plan carries a total premium of $1,327.80 per month, of which the beneficiary pays $430.04. Washington, D.C.-based employees who prefer an HMO option might choose the Kaiser standard family plan. It carries a total premium of $825.15 per month, of which the employee pays only $206.29.
...
http://www.factcheck.org/2009/08/health-care-for-members-of-congress/
snagglepuss
(12,704 posts)of the cost.
oldhippie
(3,249 posts)nt
snagglepuss
(12,704 posts)of his health care covered by the govt?
oldhippie
(3,249 posts)Some union contracts manage to get "free" medical insurance for their members. Feds do not.
Motown_Johnny
(22,308 posts)That and a one year delay on the individual mandate.
I honestly thought that it was a reasonable place to start negotiations from, but that didn't go over well here on GD.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023753508
Duckhunter935
(16,974 posts)they are part of the federal health benefits plan as are all federal workers. They ended free health care years ago.