Don't Sit Near Me...

 

"Half of Americans Have Pre-Existing Health Conditions-129 Million Americans Younger Than 65 Could Be Exposed Without Health Care Overhaul" (ABC News)

I about broke my neck when I flipped off my recliner reading that headline this week. I now have a pre-existing condition. Here we go again--mainstream media and its timing to release embelished numbers to benefit their Commander-In-Chief in the middle of health care repeal. Let's break down the lunacy in this report:

1. Age 0-65 equates to 263 million folks. So doing the math, 129 of 263 million =50+%. Conclusion they make-- every other 1st grader has a pre-existing condition. Yup. 
2. Included in the report were individuals who had “ever been” diagnosed with arthritis, asthma, high cholesterol, obesity or hypertension…Diagnosed with asthma in the 3rd grade, you are in there! Once had high BP, welcome to the club! Big fan of Big Mac--- sit your over-sized rear on the Pre-Existing bench!
3. "Might impact premiums" was the other clause that drove the results through the roof.  I mean if you are going for the knockout propaganda number, why stop at 50%? Let's add diarrhea, sniffles and pimples and shoot for 70% !
4. "Repealing Obamacare could reduce the health care and health insurance options of the 50 to 129 million Americans with pre-existing conditions", the report states--- wow, what a range! (Which number did ABC use in its headline-heh).  I guess I could say my 1976 Pinto Wagon tops out between 40 and 800 mph. See the pattern though--"ever been".."might impact".."could reduce"...
5. Most awkward quote-"15 to 30 percent will develop a pre-existing condition within the next eight years". Last time I checked, the definition of pre-existing condition didn’t include maladies that a person contracted after they were already insured, which knocks this 129 million number down by over 80%. Even switching jobs, pre-existing condition exclusions very seldom applies to workers going  from one large employer to another, which I imagine the majority of under-65 would fall in.

So who was the polling group--"Would Of-Could Of-Should Of, Inc."? Let's see..I am a white male...I tan easily....I like working out..I am a huge UT fan...I have longer, curly hair..I live in Austin...I love Sandra Bullock...hey, with a lil anti-aging cream, I MIGHT be Matthew McConaughey...my wife soooo loves me....

Three different research reports prior to Obamacare revealed only about 1% of applicants are completely denied any form of coverage with about 10% being tagged with a higher premium. Of course, Obamacare's worshippers want you to believe that, without their 2,300-page, trillion-dollar boondoggle that takes control of 1/6 of our economy, half of America would lose their health insurance. The reality is that preexisting conditions is a problem affecting a small fraction of Americans, a problem that could be solved with a simple, one-page bill.

The perpetual pre-existing condition this administration suffers from is chronic propgandaitis. I wonder if Obamacare covers it.

/dave/