Wearing a Big Red A
Oh Hell, Texas.
Right now, 1.2 million Texans are enrolled in Obamacare. HB1514 just passed in the Texas House. The purpose of that bill is to up a big red S on the insurance cards of people getting a federal subsidy under Obamacare.
Roughly a million Texans with government-subsidized health coverage could see a new label on their health insurance cards, and critics say the designation is akin to a “scarlet letter.”
Here’s the deal. Under the Affordable Health Care Act, insurance companies must continue to provide heath care for the insured for a grace period of 90 days, even if they have fallen behind in their monthly payments. The big red S on their insurance card will help doctors to remind patients to keep up their payments.
Yeah, because that’s what doctors are for.
“Other than creating a group that you’re going to discriminate against, I don’t see any purpose for indicating that people are getting a subsidy,” said Jose E. Camacho, executive director of the Texas Association of Community Health Centers.
No shoot, Sherlock.
Thanks to Craig for the heads up.
There is no small irony that this bill was approved on the anniversary of VE Day. Guess these “patriots” missed the fact that we fought a war over the branding of “others” (Jews, Gypsies, Gays, etc.).
Republicans- the party of the irony impaired.
1The big red S ain’t for subsidy, it’s for Shaming.
2I know some of you all are proud Texans. I live in Texas as well for now (unfortunately). But really what is there to be proud of? Texans are by and large just hateful, mean people.
3This bill is even worse than what is reported. It applies to ALL qualified health plans purchased through an exchange, not just those that are subsidized.
I have to buy my own coverage – fortunately, because I’m self employed and don’t have any employees at the moment rather than simply having a blood sucker as a boss. I used an exchange to find my coverage rather than hope that an agent would be motivated enough to find the best bang for the buck on my behalf. As a result, if HB1514 manages to make it through Dan Patrick’s Senate (I was almost able to type that without shuddering), I will also have that brand on my card, even though I don’t have a nickle’s worth of subsidy.
4I think that S stands for smart.
5I think Texas legislators should have to wear a sign on their back saying they’re Texas legislators. Cause they’d be proud of that, right?
6Wyatt Earl-that would make them objects of shame and ridicule and that is something they would never,ever think to do to anyone else-is it? As an aside I’m giggling up a storm thinking about discomfort of wingnuts. Hope their Comanche underwear are creeping up the pass to smear them good. 🙂
770 years after V-E day and some state in this country is going the way of the Nazis and their big star of David usage and the upper case letter J. This is possibly headed for SCOTUS if it ever gets legs.
8I’d bet that putting the S on there is a Signal to doctors not to provide top-quality care to the cardholder, because in neoconservative America your value as a human being is limited if you’re not considered “productive” enough.
9It’s fine with me, as long as driver’s licenses are also branded for, let’s say, ranchers and farmers who receive government subsidies.
10“And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”
If the past is any guide, the only ones who will suffer shame and embarassment are the heirs and descendants of the pack of Philistines currently ruling the statehouse.
11Why stop with insurance cards? A good idea like this, to be fair, should extend to everyone. Let’s put a big red S on the gas pumps to show that Exxon-Mobile receives a government subsidy. And how about Walmart*S on their advertising to show how we shoppers subsidize Walmart*S low wages with food stamps and medical care for their employees.
12@Rick, I think WalMart needs something more eye catching. Perhaps an icon. A… jade green hat, or helm, if you will.
13Hateful, hateful people. Not one Christian value in their thoughts and actions…..not one.
14The right-wing extremists occupying the Texas legislature are very angry that people are receiving federal subsidies for health care under the ACA. They are angry because, with proper health care, people of less than moderate means may live longer and more enjoyable lives. The “S” is meant to indicate ‘Separate’ as in the attempt keep them separate from the ability to receive proper care at medical facilities.
15AliceBeth, I disagree with you. Their values and actions are in fact, VERY Christian. You may not much like what Christianity has become, what it stands for, but this is in fact the face of Christianity today. Today’s Christian Church is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Republican Party, worshiping money above all.
If you are a Christian and you don’t like that, then stand up and speak up and show the world that American Christianity is more than hate. More than hating gays, and blacks, and Muslims, and women, everyone who isn’t old, white, male, Republican.
But have no doubt, these people are Christians and these people are the face of modern Christianity. If you want to know what it means to be Christian, look no further.
And Christians wonder why their numbers are in such dramatic decline.
16The first thing to know about the alleged GOP ‘fiscal conservatives’ is that they are not fiscally conservative. Basically they cannot “see” the errors of their penny pinching ways. Whether it be health care, education, or infrastructure needs every penny they save in the short term becomes major dollars later due to the high cost of neglect.
😀 Let them call me a ‘free spending liberal,’ that’s a compliment to an honest fiscal conservative. Yeah, silly me, believing in funding education now instead of costly incarceration later. Same with universal health care for which is much better to pay now than later through our increases insurance premiums to fund emergency room care for those without preventative health care.
We could mention the humane side of sound fiscal policy, but their heads would explode. So, I’d be content if we could simply teach them to do the math.
17And so here comes along PKM with his insanely accurate “total cost of ownership” definition for fiscal conservatism. The very idea that education is more effective than incarceration. That health care for the poorest protects the rest of us. OMG!
Better keep that one out of the media. Oooops too late.
18Fortunately, HB1514 got referred to the Senate Business & Commerce Committee, the members of which include John Whitmire and Rodney Ellis from our general part of the world and a is chaired by Kevin Eltife. Unfortunately, it also has a few members of the Tinfoil Hat Club, including the (*ahem*) Gentlemen from Friendswood and Conroe.
19@PKM
20BTW, some have referred to my child bride as “bleeding heart liberal”. She told a guy in church a few years back, “I don’t care what they call me, and I don’t know whether it’s bleeding or not, but at least I I’ve got one!”
Micr, your lovely bride is a kind soul, and a brave one as well. I don’t even try to discuss sound social policy with ‘conservatives.’ It’s too nuanced for their reptilian brains. However, even by limiting the discussion to the numbers side can be extremely frustrating. Other than their total inability to distinguish a decimal point from a door knob, they place the voodoo in economics with magic spending pots similar to R$Money’s magic underwear.
My current favorite is that mooching snake Paul Ryan. He plans to take the savings from the ACA which the GOP promises to kill and still apply those then killed savings to make his magical budget balance. My hat is off to Senator Murray, if she can sort out that mess with actual figures inserted in the correct columns. She probably had an easier time with Ryan’s previous blank page ‘budget.’
21I’m confused. If one gets a subsidy from the government for health insurance there must be a designation of this on the insurance card?
22OK. What about me. I work for a state university. My health insurance (which is pretty darn good, thanks very much) is totally “subsidized” by the state of Texas. I pay $0 for my coverage. This is true for other universities, and although I might be wrong, I think K-12 teachers don’t pay either.
What’s the difference? Someone might say that I have a job, but so do most others with ACA. And how does that make a difference? Am I a taker because the State of Texas has decided to give teachers free insurance?
It’s pure malice. Small minded, fear-mongering SOBs.
I’m just surprised they don’t want to put a big “S” on people’s clothing. Or tattoo it on their foreheads (or their wrists). The radical right has substituted labels for reason. Once they label someone or something the can feel comfortable attacking it even if they have no idea what the label actually means.
23I checked out the bill analysis on Texas Legislature Online and found the following, which launched me into a fit of giggles.
“Interested parties note that there is not an easily identifiable way to distinguish which patients are covered by a qualified health plan (QHP) or covered under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.”
24“Interested parties” indeed!
Dear AliceBeth you ARE right! And the fact that the mean hateful people of ANY stripe are shouting down the decent people with a bullhorn doesn’t mean there are more of them, only that they are louder! How bout those log-cabin hoteliers supporting Ted Cruz and throwing everyone else under the bus presumably cause they like lil Raffy’s fiscal policies that benefit the wealthy? And just in case no one has noticed, this small-minded idiocy is not limited to Texans. Take a look at Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Wisconsin, etc! Again I say, LOUDER does not mean MORE NUMEROUS!
25I thought I’d seen a record for hate and stupidity during the 83rd lege. This one beats it, amazingly and horrifyingly enough. How in the name of everything that’s sane and good will Texas Monthly limit this year’s “worst legislators” to just 10?
26Maybe they’ll nominate them en masse, auntie. I’d say it can’t possibly get worse but that might make the Fates -or Furies!-giggle, and we really can’t afford that!
27Looks like SENATOR CRUZ is gonna get the RED S treatment!!
28I am not a native Texan but have lived here since 2005. I continue to hope for a change in the Repugnant ideology that masks itself in the cloak of Christianity while demonstrating true mean spiritedness, ignorance and demonizing of anyone who is getting health insurance because of the Affordable Care Act so that they can see a doctor when necessary and not be a drain on the health care system. I continue to hope that the Repugnants will turn on themselves when they find out what this ideology will do to them–it is Bait to deflect them away from the issues and the fact that they are supporting leaders who continue to take away from their very existence behind the scenes. There is no reason whatsoever to identify a Red Letter on the insurance card, as they are paying for insurance which is the same as anyone else. They continue to verbalize the talking points about Obamacare and imply that any one who is on a plan through the Exchange is a taker getting “free” government health care–I have yet to understand the absurdity of the philosophy and how they think demonizing those who are obeying a law deemed constitutional by the Supreme Court is acceptable. Texas once had intelligent and informed leaders (Barbara Jordan, Ann Richards) and I continue to hope for a change back to more sensible times.
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