HB 476, AKA “Georgia Obama Care”
by PV
What is HB 476? Basically, it is for the establishment of yet another government “authority” to run your lives. But, the writers and sponsors of this bill wrote it just sweet enough to lull you into thinking this is really a swell idea.
HB 476 will set-up a government authority to basically build an insurance “swap meet” for healthcare coverage. The bill contains such sugary-sweet language like:
Begin CITE:
c) The advisory committee shall base the options and recommendations developed pursuant to subsection (b) of this Code section on the following guiding principles:
(1) Increasing number of Georgians with quality health care coverage; [PV Sez: Of course…why that’s enumerated right there in the Constitu—, wait, no, it isn’t.]
(2) Supporting provider viability; [PV Sez: Right, right…’cause it’s the responsibility of government to support private businesses…we discovered that with the $21 million to private colleges]
(3) Building real competition in the insurance market; [PV Sez: Wait. Stop. Please. Please stop thinking government can do ANYTHING but eff-up competition in the marketplace of any industry with their meddling.]
(4) Making Georgia small business friendly; [PV Sez: Somewhere in this legislation should be the statutory definition of what constitutes a “small business” and what constitutes “friendly.”]
(5) Promoting keeping all family members together on the same plan; [PV Sez: Hey, here’s an original thought: if that is good for the marketplace, the marketplace will develop that solution on its own]
(6) Promoting customer service and the importance of brokers and navigators; [PV Sez: Ooooohhhhhh…good thing we gots our guvment around to teach us all about the importance of businesses to display and demonstrate “customer service”]
(7) Seeking solutions that are sustainable and best for Georgians whether specifically part of the federal act or not. [PV Sez: Oh, goody. If we don’t like the Federal version, our fearless state leaders on this new Authority will create their own version. Maybe they’ll call it “OxyCare” in celebration of John Oxendine’s brilliant maneuver to get a state insurance license without having to take exams. Maybe The Ox has actually been working on this legislative idea for several months before he left office…]
(d) The authority shall provide staff and consultants as necessary to support to the work of the advisory committee upon the approval of the executive director. [PV Sez: Of course. Where would we be if government wasn’t busy creating more and more government jobs?]
End CITE
PV’s Conclusion: If you have a backbone, you’ll recognize this crap for what it is (more Mommy Government), and vote against it.
