It Always Does

Life - is all about deciding.

Each and every day, we have on offer nearly limitless options from which to choose. On each and every tiny sliver of our existences.

How we choose - defines our lives.

It’s why government attempting to rectify bad life choices - is such folly.

There is no way government can get out in front of that many individual decisions - by 320+ million individuals.

Government legislation - is also all about deciding. And how government decides - over-dramatically affects our lives.

We prospectively have on offer - nearly limitless numbers of bills from which to choose.

There are 535 members of Congress - 435 House members and 100 Senators. Each of them is free to draft as many pieces of legislation as they wish.

For instance, there could have been (at least) 535 different versions of health care legislation - when Congress decided upon Obamacare.

I do not remember how many other versions there actually were then on offer. But I would imagine almost all of them were better than Obamacare.

Yet Congress chose disastrous Obamacare. And then jammed it down our throats.

Congress is routinely the best - at making the worst decisions.

Throw a dart at a board - and you’ll hit an issue on which Congress has chosen poorly.

And Congress seems to always look to do its worst - even when initially stymied.

What does Congress do when they have on an issue multiple bills - and We the People push back on the worst amongst them?

They’ll take that worst option, barely tinker around its edges, rename it - and then move forward with it as if it’s a whole new thing.

To wit:

House-Senate Fix Could Break Gridlock on ‘Surprise’ Medical Bills:

“Bipartisan efforts to protect patients from ‘surprise’ medical bills are regaining momentum after stalling out over the summer.

“Leaders of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the chairman of the Senate health panel announced a deal Sunday they said would rely on ‘a new system for independent dispute resolution often called arbitration.’ The lawmakers didn't elaborate.”

Can you guess why “the lawmakers didn’t elaborate” upon their “new system for independent dispute resolution (IDR)?”

Because to have done so - would have been incredibly embarrassing for said lawmakers.

Because to have done so - would have revealed that the “new” IDR process - is the same fake IDR process as the old fake IDR process:

“It’s a sham IDR process.

“The bill is written to make it look like it creates an IDR process – but it does not.

“Its sham presence – is a Congressional con.

“The sham IDR process only allows the IDR judge – to arrive at insurance company benchmark in-network prices.

“Which means the books are cooked.

“The sham IDR process – inexorably leads to rulings for the insurance companies. Over and over and over again….”

Of course, the IDR is perhaps the key component of this bill - allegedly intended to lower “surprise medical bills.”

The IDR is a sham - so the bill is a sham.

Why would Congress pass a sham bill - when there are better bills on offer?

Momentum Gains for STOP Surprise Medical Bills Act as Senators Join Bill

This bill - has a real IDR:

“Providers would automatically be paid the difference between the patient’s in-network cost-sharing amount and the median in-network rate for these services, but providers and plans would have the opportunity to appeal this payment amount through an independent dispute resolution process, should they see fit.

“This ‘baseball-style’ process would entail the plan and provider submitting offers to an independent dispute resolution entity that has been certified by the Secretaries of HHS and the Department of Labor. This entity would make a final decision based upon commercially-reasonable rates for that geographic area.”

There’s a third bill. While not as good as STOP - it is also better than the one gaining the most Congressional traction. Because it contains a better arbitration process.

Ways and Means Offers Its Own Plan on Surprise Medical Bills

Why would Congress pass a sham bill - when there are better bills on offer?

Because…it’s Congress.

Here’s hoping they break character - at least this once.

This first appeared in Red State.

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