Myth
It’s not a government takeover.
See: President Obama’s weekly radio address from July 19, 2009
Fact
The new health law hands over to the federal government immense new powers, powers that will, over time, mean all important decisions about the organization and financing of American health care will need to meet the approval of federal agencies and bureaucrats.
Among the new federal powers created in the health law are the following:
The power to establish standardized insurance benefit packages from which all Americans must choose their coverage (see section XXXX). This means that everyone must conform with federal requirements regarding what is and is not covered by health insurance.
The power to include or exclude insurers from the marketplace based on any criteria the Secretary of HHS considers appropriate (see section XXXX). This means the federal government will have the power to pick winners and losers in the insurance marketplace.
The establishment of a new unelected and unaccountable Independent Payment Advisory Board with the power to unilaterally cut payment Medicare rates to providers of medical services (see section 3403).
