FT 10-05: Medical Care Act 2.0 (Debating)

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

This bill has my full support and I thank Vice President YE for proposing it.  Simply put, separating access to health care from the profit incentive is the right and moral thing to do, and (although we already maintain a sizeable budget surplus), adopting this change would not impact our budgetary standing thanks to the federal AtlasCare program.

Still, passing this bill would mean a significant change to Fremont's healthcare system and I would like to hear any possible objections from our MPs or others.  If no one speaks up, I will assume that support for the bill is unanimous and request a vote, but I do hope that all our members publicly submit their input on this very important bill.

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

Abstain.

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

Any reason the sudden urge to abstain after previous support?

Especially given there are zero bills in the danm quene. This isn’t the cancer pay act, people.

Because the main criticism of this bill wasn't addressed - namely that price-gouging is mainly the fault of healthcare providers and not insurers.  Until that is addressed, I am uneasy about banning private insurance outright.  We should at least address either cost transparency or the price-gouging itself before making such a drastic change to the existing system, but I'm not sure what would be the best way to go about it.

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

I am objecting to a final vote until we figure out a way to address cost transparency/reduction for healthcare providers.

What's the status of IRL supplemental Medicare plans post-Atlas Care? Because to be clear I don't think those should be banned but also find the entire profit health care industry IRL in the US to be problematic and I don't want rich guys using private insurance while the poor stays on the government plan.

That's a good question.  The RRPHA absorbed all current Medicare beneficiaries (along with Medicaid recipients) into AtlasCare.  I would think that Medicare enrollees keep their supplemental plans, but I'll confer with NCYankee just to be sure.

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

As First Minister I motion to suspend the rules and halt the ongoing vote.

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

A vote is now open on the motion to suspend the rules and resume debate.


Aye.

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

If the rules suspension vote fails and the bill is rejected it will be reintroduced for the purpose of resuming debate.  This is not the right way to go about this, folks.

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

If the rules suspension vote fails and the bill is rejected it will be reintroduced for the purpose of resuming debate.  This is not the right way to go about this, folks.

There were 6 days with not one debate before I introduced this motion.

That is because I was waiting for Senator Yankee to answer my question.  When discussion of the bill resumed you motioned for a final vote anyway, presumably to get the outcome you want.  This is ridiculous.

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

If the rules suspension vote fails and the bill is rejected it will be reintroduced for the purpose of resuming debate.  This is not the right way to go about this, folks.

There were 6 days with not one debate before I introduced this motion.

That is because I was waiting for Senator Yankee to answer my question.  When discussion of the bill resumed you motioned for a final vote anyway, presumably to get the outcome you want.  This is ridiculous.

After I moved for a final vote Encke, YE and Yankee promptly started a debate. But, to be clear, only after I introduced the motion for a final vote.
And furthermore, despite having 24 hours, not a single MP objected to the motion for a final vote, nor even commented until after the Speaker opened the final vote.

Yet it was clear that debate on the bill had resumed and opening a final vote at this time was inappropriate.

This bill is not going away simply because one MP is relentlessly opposing it.  It will be reconsidered if need be.

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

When I first helped draft the AtlasCare bill in the Senate, one of my goals was to allow private insurance companies provided that they are nonprofit.  This is, after all, one of the features of Germany's healthcare system, which much of the federal healthcare law was based on.  So if the intent of this bill is to outlaw private for-profit insurance companies and allow nonprofit insurance companies, I will support that as long as it doesn't turn AtlasCare into a high-risk pool.

Price gouging still needs to be addressed, but this can be done through separate legislation.  Some states IRL already have laws to make healthcare providers more transparent in their expenditures and federal legislation has been considered for this as well.

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

I assume that "health care provide[rs]" is supposed to mean health insurance companies?  Otherwise this could be construed as doctors and hospitals not being allowed any compensation for their services.

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

Also, I object to a final vote.  Let's get this amendment straightened out and then we'll bring this to a vote.

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

Amendment to YE's amendment:

AN ACT
To get rid of the price gouging middle man known as the for profit health insurance scam make health care non-for profit

Section 1: Title

The long title of this Act shall be, the "People's Medical Care and Insurance Act of 2017." It may be cited as the "Medical Care Act 2.0" or as "FremontCare 2.0."


Section 2: Text
1. Section 3.1 of FremontCare is modified to "All health care provides insurance providers on the exchange must offer preventative care, be it in the form of a co-op or public health care benefit. Preventive care shall be defined as care related to disease prevention, early diagnosis and health maintenance, including clinical examinations, immunization, prenatal care and medically indicated screenings."

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

Here is a rough draft of the anti-price gouging bill I mentioned earlier.  It is intended to be introduced to Parliament in the next session.  Parts of the bill are taken from the South's healthcare bills here and here.  It will likely be added to over the next week.

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

Mr. Speaker, after your LOA would you be able to answer MP Truman's question?

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

Hearing no objection, the amendment is adopted.

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

A final vote is now open.

AN ACT
to make health care not-for-profit

Section 1 (Title)
i. The long title of this Act shall be, the "People's Medical Care and Insurance Act of 2019." It may be cited as the "Medical Care Act 2.0" or as "FrémontCare 2.0."


Section 2 (Barring for-profit insurers)
i. No for-profit provider shall be eligible for licensure to sell insurance on the Frémontian Healthcare Exchange.
ii. All licenses granted to for-profit providers under the People's Medical Care and Insurance Act of 2017 are hereby revoked.

Section 3 (Execution)
i. This Act shall take effect 1 January 2020.

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

Aye.

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

With three votes in favor, the bill passes.

AN ACT
to make health care not-for-profit

Section 1 (Title)
i. The long title of this Act shall be, the "People's Medical Care and Insurance Act of 2019." It may be cited as the "Medical Care Act 2.0" or as "FrémontCare 2.0."


Section 2 (Barring for-profit insurers)
i. No for-profit provider shall be eligible for licensure to sell insurance on the Frémontian Healthcare Exchange.
ii. All licenses granted to for-profit providers under the People's Medical Care and Insurance Act of 2017 are hereby revoked.

Section 3 (Execution)
i. This Act shall take effect 1 January 2020.