Here's an unbelievably cold, cruel bit of attempted lawmaking in Topeka.
House Bill 2285 essentially says this: Uninsured Kansans who get treated at a hospital or doctor's office have 90 days to pay their bill. If they haven't settled up within 90 days, the provider can turn their bill over to the state, which can take the money out of the delinquent person's tax refund.
Thanks, Rep. Brenda Landwehr, Republican of Wichita. Life is already scary enough for uninsured Kansans. Many of them may even be newly uninsured, having recently lost their jobs. Seems to me the woman who is chair of a committee called Health and Human Services ought to be working to figure out a way to give humans a break, not make sure hospitals collect.
Sadly, it's not surprising to see this from Landwehr, who seems to view the world in pretty harsh terms. She rides the anti-illegal-immigrant bandwagon. In 2007, when the legislature was considering providing grade-school girls with a vaccine that would prevent cervical cancer, Landwehr opposed it on the grounds that she didn't want to encourage promiscuity.
We remember Landwehr best for her anti-abortion speech in February 2006 -- one in which she talked about her own abortion while arguing for stricter regulations on abortion clinics. "How many of you have sat
down and really talked to a young woman who's gone through with an
abortion, and what she's living with today?" Landwehr asked her fellow legislators. "You live with a lot. I'm one of those women. I live with that
pain every single day. Because I killed a baby. It's more than just a
surgical procedure, having a knee repaired or a hip replaced." The emotional plea wasn't enough to prevent other House members from passing legislation that treated all medical facilities the same.
Landwehr hasn't returned my call -- but I hope she does, so she can explain why it's good public policy to give people just 90 days to pay hospital bills that we all know can reach into the tens of thousands of dollars in just a few hours.
"This is a horrible bill," says Corrie Edwards, Executive Director of the Kansas Health Consumer Coalition. "As if people aren't screwed enough in this economy. The only thing some people have to look forward to is that tax refund -- and they want to take that away."
Looking over Landwehr's campaign contributions, why am I not surprised to see lots of donations from insurance companies like Blue Cross & Blue Shield, and Humana; big pharmaceutical companies like Bayer, Eli Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer; hospital interests like HCA; medical-industry lobbying groups like the Kansas Medical Society and the Kansas Pharmacists Association -- I could give lots of other examples, but looking through this list is starting to make me sick.
At least we know who Landwehr really represents.
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I wish someone would explain to me how doctors, hospitals and other health care providers can continue providing care without getting paid. I guess they should donate their services just like all these arrogant posters do.
Another thing - Landwehr was opposed to injecting Guardisil - a drug pushed onto us by Big Pharma for a preventable problem. GOOD FOR HER! Tex Govenor Rick Perry tried to pull the same crap on the people of Texas and they resisted the drug companies trying to shove this down our throats.
And finally - illegal immigration. If you Kansans don't recognize the inherent dangers of importing a huge under-educated underclass from a third world country then you are lost. Many of your towns in western Ks are becoming Hispanic dominated dung holes thanks to Shrub Bush and his immigration policies.
Unfortunately these are the consequences of living in an increasingly less progressive state. It seems as though the anti-immigrant, flag loving, "moral majority" politicians support whatever gets them voted in for another term.
Wake up Landwehr! Kansas & other midwest states have reputations for being full of provincial, country loving, rednecks. Thanks a bunch for supporting policies that support that view. Are we really surprised though? American politicians making scary economic situations worse?
Well, she's a republican, so is it really any wonder that an idea or piece of legislation like this would even be presented by a representative of this party? Secondly, to the people of Kansas, I would suggest that if the only consequence of a 90 day past due hospital bill is a deduction from state tax refund, change your number of dependents to a higher number or the greatest number allowable by law, and pay your tax bill at the end of the fiscal year; thus, no stolen refund by greedy, savage republicans. Hopefully, common sense and decency will win out in this case in the end.
Well, this is hardly surprising. She is a Republican in one of the most conservative states in the U.S. She is only concerned about filthy rich people and the corporations they run. If this bill discourages people from seeking emergency medical care, she will have blood on her hands, but it sounds like she doesn�t care. Thank you Pitch for running this story. Now let's make enough noise to prevent this irresponsible and draconian bill from passing.
I want to say anyone that kills their baby and being a representive for Kansas the 2285 will kill more people because not to beable to get treated. People look forward to thier taxes but when you take that do you think it will be voted again? People on SSI or Social Secutity can not afford insurance taken out of their checks due to econamy. I dont like people killing their own babies.
thank you so much for this article i am going to email it to all friends here in kansas , we need to flood her office with calls of protest for this bill. unbelievable, i am going to challenge this woman to try and pay off a medical bill in 90 days after visiting an emergency room ,having lab work, xrays, and see if she can pay it all off on her income as a representative.
nancy j
Excellent, excellent piece- Landwehr's bill is one of the most horrible pieces of legislation to come out of this session.
Here's hoping it dies, either in committee, on the floor, in conference, or on Gov. Sebelius (or Parkinson's) desk.
Its incredible that voters sit by and wimper while laws that has their basis in greed and pork-barrel kick backs fly through the greased legislation sluice gates ! Landwehr; think the voter is a mind-less creature that can be herded to your personal pet " Gotcha " laws ? think again... Where do you think these health charges are generated from ? Pay up in 90 days ? Communist......
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