Your Daily Dose of Health Care Reform Stupidity

Just when you thought insurance companies couldn't get any more ridiculous in determining reasons to jack up premiums, they do:

I'm really glad Republicans and Democrats in Washington are so intent on protecting the insurance industry when I read stories like this from the Longmont Times-Call newspaper:

David Sirota :: Post Office Zip Code Change Prompts Insurance Industry Attempt to Jack Up Rates

Nancy Clinton got a surprise when she called her health insurance company recently. She was calling to ask about a benefit issue, and she said that as long as she was on the line, the company might as well note her new ZIP code: 80504.

"So, she went in and came back and said, 'Oh, this is going to significantly increase your premium,'" Clinton said Friday...

Clinton's was one of 8,610 northeast Longmont addresses that had their ZIP codes changed to 80504 from 80501 on July 1.

"Our health insurance would go up about $60 a month," Clinton said. "I didn't move, and the hospital didn't move."..

Best health care system in the world, eh? Go on, pull the other - it's got bells on.

NJ Dems prove they're just as greedy for medical industry cash as Cons, pressuring the FDA to approve an unsafe medical device. Methinks this is an indication that we should remove industry cash from political coffers.

Cons are currently out trumpeting their creds as valiant defenders of Medicare. Steve Benen reminds us why this isn't a very credible claim at all. Keep that link handy for your more gullible acquaintences.

The Washington Times has a piece up called "Death Panels By Proxy." Remarkably enough, their assumptions are total bullshit.

In a sign that Progressives in the House aren't backing down on the public option, Rep. Grijalva unloads on both Baucus and Obama.

Little-known fact: 24 Blue Dogs actually wouldn't mind supporting the public option. Looks like Dems may not be so fractured as some health industry friends would like us to believe.

Meanwhile, more rationing and long wait times for health care in America. Looks like some o' that there "socialized" medicine wouldn't be such a bad idea, eh?

Speaking of socialized medicine, Jennifer Nix likes her socialist kidney just fine.

And finally, bad news for states determined to protect their citizens' right to crap health care: nullification is right out. Socialized kidneys for all!