Three years ago, Nancy Pelosi said of the health care bill, “We must pass this bill in order to see what is really in it.” As inane as it sounded, I followed her advice to see what is in it. The purpose of her statement was to urge quick passage with minimal critique. I believe this bill is the defining issue of this election and decades to come, as it is a massive power grab by the government.
It is not practical to read all 2,000 pages. You can skim the document and look for bold-faced headings that indicate what that section is about. If you do your due diligence, you may be blown away by the power this document gives to the government, especially the Secretary of Health. Note the dozens of “the Secretary shall require” sections, and the massive penalties that may be assessed to physicians, hospitals and other health care providers for minor violations of record-keeping requirements.
Note especially page 1214. The estimated cost of the program rises from $4.6 billion in 2011 to $9 billion in 2015. How is that for the promised cost savings?
Ernest Badolato
Vancouver
