Based on our many discussions about health care reform, I think all who blog here can agree single-payer is the solution, with Medicare for all coming in second. Those are the solutions if Congress actually addresses the many challenges regarding our country’s health care dilemma.
From there, we diverge.
Simply put, our opinions range from those who want everything currently on the table killed (just about as badly as do the Republicans, albeit for totally different reasons!), to those who hope the first step will be improved (as quickly as possible!), so we’re advocating don’t make perfect the enemy of good (even tho we readily admit there isn’t very much good there).
If a health-care reform bill passes Congress it looks like it will be through reconciliation, although even that method of passage is in question. Those of us who view this as a first and necessary step see the tweaking beginning immediately. Some 40 million Americans who currently don’t have any health care coverage will be provided some options with taxpayers footing the bill. This changes only the fact that taxpayers will be paying for insurance coverage instead of paying for emergency care. But, maybe those Americans will actually get health care instead of only emergency care. Still, the big winner is insurance companies who get more people on their rolls.
We continue to hope that some of the regulations, and those to come with the tweaking, will control how badly the insurance companies are allowed to abuse us.
Democrats have made it clear they intend to cover the uninsured before another lifetime or two elapses; the Republicans make it equally clear they do not. Further, it appears Republicans will regain majorities in upcoming elections, and unless health care is addressed before that happens, we’re stuck with the alternative of nothing.
Nothing shouldn’t be an option!
PrairiePopulistsAndProgressives.net 