Tag: Rep. Paulsen

They Voted to Repeal Obamacare. Now They Are a Target.

While the following article by Kate Zernike posted on the New York Times website May 8, 2017 doesn’t mention Rep. Erik Paulsen, it does speak to the upset many of his constituents feel after his vote FOR the unscored, unread AHCA bill:

Outside of U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen’s office, protesters carried signs and chanted, and then went into his office to demand he hold a town hall. Peter Cox | MPR News

For months, protesters have been rallying outside Senator Cory Gardner’s offices in Colorado, urging him not to join fellow Republicans in their push to repeal the Affordable Care Act. When he refused to hold town hall meetings, protesters staged them in his absence, asking questions to a cardboard cutout of him.

Now they are escalating their tactics.

With the controversial Republican health bill heading to the Senate, organizers of opposition groups say they plan to bird-dog Mr. Gardner’s whereabouts and show up at his events, buying seats at fund-raisers if necessary. They want to remind him that he promised to protect the expansion of Medicaid and guarantee coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, both provisions undone by the bill the House narrowly passed last week. Continue reading “They Voted to Repeal Obamacare. Now They Are a Target.”

Why the Focus on 5% of ACA?

I have to ask why Paulsen and the Republicans keep focusing on the 5 percent of the Affordable Care Act that has a problem, the individual market. What about the 95 percent that works? Millions of people who never had health care now get preventive care. Otherwise, they would present themselves in emergency rooms with acute illnesses, and many would die who didn’t need to.

The problem with the ACA is that not enough healthy people pay into it. Insurance works because everybody pays, even when you’re healthy, and then insurance pays when you get sick. This seems to be the thing that the Republicans hate. They don’t want people to be forced to pay for health insurance. Well, then, where is the money going to come from? It’s going to come from well people anyway through higher costs to hospitals for treating uninsured sick people, or to taxpayers. The bottom line is that under the American Health Care Act, fewer people will have health care, and we’ll still end up paying for them, only we’ll pay more. That’s not a good solution. Fix the ACA, don’t trash it. Also, look at all of the data, don’t just cherry-pick the data you like.

Martin Masters, Shoreview
Minneapolis Star Tribune, May 10, 2017

Erik Paulsen is a man of contradictions.

In his counterpoint, he states that the ACA is continuing to have negative impacts on families and “dramatically altered one-sixth of the nation’s economy.” He is correct that the ACA needs more work, and that health care is a large component of our economy. This makes me wonder why he then voted on the American Health Care Act before the Congressional Budget Office could issue a score to show the impact this new bill could have. A self-professed “math guy” should have waited to see how the new bill would affect his constituents, and all Americans, before voting.

Another contradiction comes from his stance on coverage for pre-existing conditions. He is on record as saying he wouldn’t support legislation that removes coverage for pre-existing conditions or causes higher premiums for those with pre-existing conditions. The AHCA says that people with pre-existing conditions cannot be denied, but there is language in the bill that allows insurers to drastically raise premiums based on pre-existing conditions and previous insurance. In essence, this would technically allow access to health care but would price people out of the market. His stance on this portion of the bill is particularly confusing given his work on human trafficking. Many victims of trafficking will have pre-existing conditions as defined by the AHCA, and will not have had consistent insurance, making them vulnerable to being priced out of the market at a time when they may need it most. Continue reading “Erik Paulsen is a man of contradictions.”

Paulsen’s claptrap

Paulsen’s claptrap counterpoint attempts to justify his support for the health care bill recently passed in the House. Much that he wrote is simply wrong. But what he does not say is more telling. He does not admit that the bill robs Medicaid of $880 billion over the next 10 years, threatening the health of millions of lower-income folks. Along with other changes like conversion of Medicaid into state block grants, health care will be rationed for a good slice of America. Paulsen also remains silent about enormous tax cuts the bill offers to our wealthiest folks. Here is the heart of the bill: a massive transfer of wealth from poorer people to richer people. The perfect Republican bill. Paulsen cannot defend this reverse Robin Hood policy, so his counterpoint just ignores it. Needless to say, he also continues to ignore his constituents, refusing to meet with them in a public setting. No wonder.

Edward Plaster, Edina
Minneapolis Star Tribune, May 10, 2017

Congressman, please hear us out, too.

I would like to thank U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen for his editorial counterpoint on health policy changes in America (“My health care vote will put Minnesotans back in control,” May 9, responding to “A costly step back for U.S. health care,” May 7). As a cancer survivor (pre-existing condition) and self-employed person who buys health insurance on the individual market, I am following this issue very closely. I don’t agree with Paulsen’s vote in the House last week to “repeal and replace” major parts of the Affordable Care Act, but I appreciate getting some understanding of his reasoning. I fully agree with the sentiment in his closing paragraph: “At the same time, we must continue to have a thoughtful discussion on solutions that will provide high-quality, affordable health care coverage.” I respectfully submit that this is what Paulsen’s constituents have been requesting for years. I know many of his constituents — including fellow cancer survivors and caregivers — who are concerned and want desperately to have “thoughtful discussions” with him, but he will not hold town hall meetings. Please have real dialogue about this issue with your constituents in a truly open forum, congressman. It’s important, it’s serious, and your constituents deserve it.

Karen Laumb, St. Louis Park
Minneapolis Star Tribune, May 10, 2017

#QuestionableVotes Paulsen Vote Tracker: HR487 Better Care, Low Cost Act

Summary:  Introduced to the House on March 23, 2016, this is an amendment to the existing Medicare/Medicaid Rules. In the Republican-controlled House members’ eyes it is intended to bring to the forefront chronic injuries and illnesses and making sure that as they call it “BCP”‘s (Better Care Program”) is available to those who qualify. It lists MANY situations and conditions and coverages that seem to apply only to certain people based on Medicare Parts A, B, C, and D.

Takeaway:  Rep. Paulsen voted for this amendment.  While there doesn’t appear to be any major wording changes from what’s already law, the most recent Medicare coverage booklet was release in October of  2016.

Although this bill died,  it’s worth re-reading your booklets.ANYONE, who is on Medicare or Medicaid  should review their booklet to become completely aware of what does affect you based in your situation.

 

Trumpcare’s Medicaid Cutbacks Will Bring The Real Death Panels

The following article by Joe Conason was posted on the National Memo website May 8, 2017:

The real death panels are coming.

Back in 2009, during the shrill hours of debate over the Affordable Care Act, Sarah Palin warned us solemnly that defenseless Americans “will have to stand in front of Obama’s ‘death panels’ so his bureaucrats can decide, based on a subjective judgment of their ‘level of productivity in society,’ whether they are worthy of health care.”

Many a snooty elitist dismissed those ominous Facebook pronouncements by the former Alaska governor and Republican vice-presidential nominee, but she was hardly alone in uttering such predictions. Palin and many others on the right claimed that President Obama’s struggle to expand health coverage — considered a human right in most of the modern world — was really a nefarious plot to save money by rationing care. All too soon, some tribunal in Washington, D.C. was bound to condemn Grandma to a cruel and untimely doom to save a few bucks. Continue reading “Trumpcare’s Medicaid Cutbacks Will Bring The Real Death Panels”

50 Preexisting Conditions That Can Make You Lose Your Insurance If Trump and GOP Have Their Way

The following article by Kali Holloway was posted on the AlterNet website May 6, 2017:

In the Republican approach to health care, the sick could be priced out of the insurance they so desperately need.

Credit: ABC News

Republicans have made more than 50 attempts to destroy the Affordable Care Act since its passage in 2009. They made their most successful attempt to date on Thursday, when House GOP members voted to repeal and replace the ACA with their own health care plan. According to estimates, the Republican bill “will create tax breaks worth about $600 billion that will mostly go to health insurance companies, prescription drug manufacturers and the wealthy.” The GOP plan will also cut Medicaid by about $880 billion, draining funds for special education programs in K-12 schools around the country and leaving an estimated 24 million Americans without insurance, among many other consequences. Brand new bill, same GOP cruelty and greed.

One of the most discussed problems with the American Health Care Act, or Trumpcare, is that it would allow states to let health care providers charge people more for coverage. That means the sick could actually be priced out of the insurance they desperately need. The people most likely to suffer under the new Republican are older people and people in rural America, who overwhelmingly went for Trump. In fact, the 11 states with the highest number of adults with preexisting conditions all voted to live in Trump’s America. Continue reading “50 Preexisting Conditions That Can Make You Lose Your Insurance If Trump and GOP Have Their Way”

Tevlin: Dear Reps. Paulsen, Emmer and Lewis, spare us the crowing over your ‘health’ bill

The following column was posted on the Star Tribune website May 6, 2017:

With America in a health care crisis, the solution shouldn’t be winning the lottery.

Demonstrators gathered at the Burnsville offices of Minnesota Republican Congressman Jason Lewis in the wake of his health care vote on Thursday.

Dear Reps. Erik Paulsen, Tom Emmer and Jason Lewis:

Thank you so much for your news releases praising the passage of the American Health Care Act. This is the first time in my career that I have received political suicide notes from sitting members of Congress.

Congratulations for taking ownership of America’s health care crisis. As Rep. Emmer phrased it, “This is what President Trump campaigned on and what he asked for, and the House has delivered.” Continue reading “Tevlin: Dear Reps. Paulsen, Emmer and Lewis, spare us the crowing over your ‘health’ bill”

Paulsen’s constituents support Planned Parenthood

To the editor:

The March 17 article “AHCA: Rep. Erik Paulsen Weighs in on Republican Health Care Bill” concluded with Congressman Paulsen’s statement that he plans to continue regularly taking feedback from his constituents on important legislative issues.

Although the American Health Care Act was withdrawn, I hope Congressman Paulsen still intends to consider his constituents’ views on crucial health care matters, particularly in forthcoming votes concerning the federal budget. The congressman should remember that defunding Planned Parenthood is both dangerous and unpopular, as multiple peaceful protests at his district office have already demonstrated. Continue reading “Paulsen’s constituents support Planned Parenthood”