Our bloggers Terrance Heath and Bill Scher dive into the question that is now dominating progressive political debate: Has the health care reform bill been so seriously compromised—first with the dilution and ultimate elimination of the public option and now with the capitulation to the demands of two senators to not even allow persons 55 and over to buy in to the Medicare program—that it's no more »
A persistent bad idea in the debate over the public health insurance option is the so-called trigger. In theory, a trigger would make a public health insurance plan available to Americans receiving coverage through a health insurance exchange if private health plans did not sufficiently hold down costs. In practice, however, a trigger inserted into either of the two Senate bills now being merged (the Senate Finance Committee bill and the Senate HELP bill) would not be able to work. more »
Help us spread the word about these important stories...
As closed-door discussions continue in the Senate, the resilient bad idea of triggering the public plan is once again on the table. Advocates of the trigger cast it as a compromise that will attract the support of the small number of conservative Democrats who have expressed reservations about the public option, as well as Republican Olympia Snowe, who has proposed a trigger. more »
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, ....The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are full of passionate intensity. Surely some revelation is at hand
The Senate Finance Committee today has unveiled a health care reform plan that does not include a public health insurance option. It instead proposes the creation of health co-operatives. At a media teleconference, I explain why this will not work and should be seen for what it is: an effort to kill what would be an effective competitor to the private insurance market. more »
Help us spread the word about these important stories...
A new report from the Congressional Budget Office shows that a strong public plan would increase the federal government's tax revenue and wages for some workers. The CBO concludes: more »
Hip-hop artists are being mobilized in the battle for health care reform, and in this video the mother of rapper and producer J Dilla, Maureen Yancey, explains how health care for her son overwhelmed her with medical bills after his private insurance expired. more »
Help us spread the word about these important stories...
Several thousand people rallied in front of the U.S. Capitol June 25 in support of health care reform and heard key Democratic members of Congress vow that they would fight for a public health insurance option as part of that reform. more »
Help us spread the word about these important stories...
online.wsj.com — Without a public option, the other parties that comprise America's non-system of health care — private insurers, doctors, hospitals, drug companies, and medical suppliers — have little or no incentive to supply high-quality care at a lower cost than they do now. Which is precisely why the public option has become such a lightening rod.
Delicious
Digg
StumbleUpon
Propeller
Reddit
Magnoliacom
Newsvine
Furl
Facebook
Google
Yahoo
Technorati
