A summary of Health Care Reform with key articles
Tomorrow President Obama goes on national TV and before a joint session of Congress to re-clarify his position on the necessity of meaningful health care reform. With two months of fear mongering from the right, and industry nationalizing calls from the left, I believe that President Obama will attempt to deliver a more centrist view of the issues and the needs as he sees it.
There is so much misleading and exhausting information out there that any clear message may be successful if only because centrists are tired of the rhetoric and hyper-claims from both hard liberals and staunch conservatives.
With a new direction at hand, this seems like a good time to review the key articles on the blog so that you can follow the progression of the arguments and assess how accurate my view has been.
As stated here before, the goal no longer appears to be about fixing health care, but rather SAYING that you fixed health care. Both sides will give themselves a hearty pat on the back claiming victory, and very little will be accomplished except a tax increase and the undoing of the 2003 Medicare Revitalization Act.<< MORE >>
President Obama signals shift on Health Care Reform
This signals that a compromise is at hand. Look for that compromise to be a tax increase to finance insurance pools. ...<< MORE >>
Health Insurance Co-op / Exchange. The Debate for Next Week
Next week President Obama will address a joint session of Congress in an attempt to get some form of health care legislation passed. It’s reasonable to believe that liberal democrats will be miffed that President Obama may not publicly support the Public Option anymore. Instead he may press forward with a more limited scope plan that will address some of the major issues.
Likely to get enough support to pass will be, even with some bipartisanship, will be:
- Elimination of the preexisting condition clause. (In general a good thing, but will raise costs for all since less healthy people will now have easier access to coverage<< MORE >>
Health Reform on the Wrong Track
While the status of the “public option” is still unclear, it does seem that both parties seem to be more focused on discrediting each others ideas and plans, rather than promoting things good for the American People as a whole. The desire for an acceptable plan to a greater number of people may lower the common denominator to make any reform different, but not substantively ...<< MORE >>
A Foundation for a different health reform option
Although HR3200 may be dead, we are at an important crossroads that calls for reform activists to try again. As a fervent Capitalist, I’d like to propose the foundation of what I believe is the cornerstone for healthcare reform that will control costs without limiting choice.
The primary reason that HR3200 and virtually every other bill that is being crafted will bring nothing but complaints is because it perpetuates the single most flaw in our US health care system, Hyrdraulic funding. For the past 30 years, the primary goal of Medicare, Medicaid and Private Healthcare companies was to obtain "discounts" from the cash price. This elimination of this system is the contingent and primary pillar of my reform proposal.
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RIP HR3200 (June 2009- August 2009)
The White House appears to be backing away from the formerly ‘must-have’ provision of a pubic option health care plan.
Since the introduction of HR3200, the politicians have been chopping away at health care reform mandates, upping the exclusions to the majority of small businesses, reducing the amount that an employer must pay for employees, cutting subsidy levels to the poor, balking at other provisions to help those with real issues, get a mandated correction. Even AARP has publicly turned their back on HR3200 saying that they do not support HR3200.
The Public Option has been a lightning rod of controversy, and in our opinion, deservedly so. We saw it as the half-truth that was going to create savings to finance other, fundamentally flawed, ideals. Without it, no front-loaded savings exist to pay for the costly parts of reform.
The likelihood now appears that the bill that will hit the Senate may be nothing more than a tax increase for all to finance the permanent removal of Medicare reductions to providers that are scheduled to kick in January 1, 2010. A promise to create a co-op for individuals to purchase individual health insurance will probably be years away and could be revised, delayed, or killed by either of the next two Congresses or whoever is in the white house in 2013. Major Medicare Reform passed over the past 8 years will be revised, rescinded and rolled back. We expect both the Republicans and Democrats to claim victory, while in reality, both have lost.
The best bill may be no bill at all.
Health Care Reform starts to show it's ugly side
As we end week 7 of the public debate on health care, the tone has changed. Neither the Republicans nor the Democrats are pushing forward with clear explanations of who specifically will benefit, or who will be hurt by reforms offered. The tone has changed to finger pointing and mis-information.
As the public support for HR 3200 dwindles, the push-back has gotten nasty. House Majority leader Nancy Pelosi has accused the insurance industry of "IMMORAL" Profiteering. Democratic leadership has also accused Republicans of organizing "Angry Mobs" to disturb town hall meetings. << MORE >>
The “Public Option” Flash Point
The most controversial point of health care reform centers on the need ,or opposition to, for the “public option”. Current bills and committee notes in the House and Senate have various versions of the “public option” with the Republicans favoring no option at all. Almost all other components of the legislation need only tweaking to get passed. This issue is the proverbial ‘line in the sand’ on both sides of the aisle in Washington. The truths, falsehoods, and half-truths should be openly discussed. All progams have pro's and con's.
With nearly 50% of Americans covered by some sort of government plan already (Medicare, Medicaid, VA, Government employees) it’s admitted difficult to fully understand the arguments of something that already works for half the people already.
Will the Chinese veto U.S. Health Reform
Now that the Blue Dog Democrats and some Republicans in the house have agreed on a watered down health care reform package, yet to be fully outlined, we can start actually looking at how and who is going to pay for this reform. Of the six goals outlined in the Presidents wish list on health care reform, it looks like only two are going to ...<< MORE >>
Bulletin: Blue Dog Democrats in House have reached Health Care compromise
- Bill to be voted on in September.
- Senate Majority Leader HArry Reid says that bill will be bi-partisan.
Rumored components:
- Small business exempt from mandates and penalty tax from not providing it.
- Mandate for individuals to carry insurance.
- Taxation of benefit packages that exceed $25,000 per year for the employee.
