I won't take the debate (I simply don't have the time), but I will say this makes me happy for you. America is actually moving in the direction of what I (in my warped, Scandinavian brain, obviously) think of as a civilised country. I did not think that would ever happen.
They tell me Norway has no private health insurance, not because it's illegal, but because there's no market. Making it illegal for an American NOT to buy private health insurance is a far cry from universal healthcare. This doesn't provide care to anyone, it obligates them to provide it for themselves (per the traditional American bootstrap levitation. ) Families earning <$88k/year are eligible for government subsidies that may or may not cover the entire cost, but health insurance will still be private, and the rates will still be set by private insurance carriers.
That's a big problem, because the motive to healthcare reform for several decades has been that costs are rising at a double digit annual percentage (several times the rate elsewhere in the industrialized world) and because they've been doing so for so long existing costs are already exorbitant. Virtually nothing in this bill addresses its primary motivation. The only thing that comes close are insurance "exchanges" in each state, but all those do is (hopefully) remedy the common practice of state legislatures granting a given insurer a monopoly over the states residents. The OTHER bill the House passed, headed for a non-filibustered Senate vote in a few days, would require federal approval for large rate hikes, but apart from that there are no cost controls. None. Not one. But every adult in the country is still required to pay those costs. Again, to give an idea of how expensive that will be, the subsidies to families earning <$88k/year will cost taxpayers $900 BILLION. Another way to look at that is that the private insurers gorging on American illness just had $900 billion dropped in their laps by federal law. Plus whatever it costs people who don't have insurance now but also earn too much to qualify for a subsidy, and plus whatever it costs ABOVE the subsidy for those who do qualify.
Healthcare is rapidly reaching a point where it will consume Americas GDP, because everyone needs it and there's little to no government regulation to either guarantee minimal coverage or limit costs. That, not charity, is the real incentive to legislating reform. Unfortunately, this bill accomplishes next to nothing toward that goal, and may actually exacerbate the problem by ensuring over a trillion dollars in additional revenue for an already ravenous industry.
Honorbound and honored to be Bonded to Mahtaliel Sedai
Last First in wotmania Chat
Slightly better than chocolate.
Love still can't be coerced.
Please Don't Eat the Newbies!
LoL. Be well, RAFOlk.
Last First in wotmania Chat
Slightly better than chocolate.
Love still can't be coerced.
Please Don't Eat the Newbies!
LoL. Be well, RAFOlk.
No posts on the bill passing?
22/03/2010 08:22:27 AM
- 1257 Views
Meh
22/03/2010 09:07:27 AM
- 579 Views
Re: Meh
22/03/2010 01:53:43 PM
- 539 Views
I know what you mean. I love hearing that the "majority" are against this.
22/03/2010 01:57:15 PM
- 689 Views
surveys are crap anyways.
22/03/2010 01:59:39 PM
- 511 Views
That's ignorance speaking.
22/03/2010 02:02:46 PM
- 548 Views
well yah. Sorry, I wasn't meaning to say surveys as a whole are nonsense
22/03/2010 02:09:42 PM
- 485 Views
A question?
23/03/2010 01:11:07 AM
- 554 Views
I accept that there are situations where leaders must go against popular opinion
23/03/2010 02:53:00 AM
- 597 Views
on the other hand *edited stupid spelling error*
23/03/2010 03:09:47 AM
- 725 Views
Ahahahahahahahaha
23/03/2010 12:57:17 PM
- 668 Views
why? *NM*
23/03/2010 03:37:00 PM
- 273 Views
Because "populous" is not a noun in English. *NM*
23/03/2010 03:42:16 PM
- 274 Views
This.
23/03/2010 03:46:25 PM
- 576 Views
It's not as simple as "doing what the majority opposes is bad government. "
23/03/2010 06:42:04 AM
- 613 Views
I think with the saturation coverage it has been getting people are just worn out *NM*
22/03/2010 01:27:59 PM
- 295 Views
Re: No posts on the bill passing?
22/03/2010 01:39:14 PM
- 564 Views
I chose to read about it first at the NYT, then the WSJ, then the Economist.
22/03/2010 01:43:07 PM
- 736 Views
Re: I chose to read about it first at the NYT, then the WSJ, then the Economist.
22/03/2010 02:01:07 PM
- 546 Views
I liked former Republican Senate majority leader Bill Frist's comments.
22/03/2010 02:06:41 PM
- 552 Views
Re: I liked former Republican Senate majority leader Bill Frist's comments.
22/03/2010 02:12:16 PM
- 612 Views
I am worried. The official reports show that it will actually erase some debt. But . . .
22/03/2010 01:39:26 PM
- 664 Views
I think reform had to start now.
22/03/2010 02:27:11 PM
- 717 Views
That's a good column.
22/03/2010 02:44:56 PM
- 630 Views
Yea, he's going to be adding to it all day, trying to explain the various facets of the bill.
22/03/2010 03:05:03 PM
- 654 Views
I think the problem highlight what I don't like about this bill
22/03/2010 03:20:54 PM
- 557 Views
Re: I think the problem highlight what I don't like about this bill
22/03/2010 03:33:31 PM
- 525 Views
Let's be realistic here at least....
22/03/2010 04:16:23 PM
- 544 Views
You must have an interesting definition of "most"
22/03/2010 05:43:38 PM
- 541 Views
My definition of most is obviously quite defective.
22/03/2010 08:05:22 PM
- 561 Views
As long as you define "most" as "some time" you're just fine with it as it stands *NM*
22/03/2010 08:15:03 PM
- 273 Views
I'd say "most" people would agree with my definition of "most" in my original post....
23/03/2010 05:16:59 AM
- 633 Views
I hope your house is built on fimrer foundations then your reasoning
22/03/2010 04:25:49 PM
- 539 Views
You should worry about cost control (AKA the only real reason for healthcare reform to begin. )
23/03/2010 07:02:24 AM
- 641 Views
bingo
24/03/2010 03:45:48 AM
- 676 Views
Next question: WTF do we do about it?
24/03/2010 04:00:39 AM
- 553 Views
It is a good start
22/03/2010 03:01:08 PM
- 509 Views
You should delve the debate before getting excited.
23/03/2010 07:22:36 AM
- 625 Views
I really like what GRR Martin wrote in his blog.
23/03/2010 09:55:11 AM
- 647 Views
I would say it is rather weak point
23/03/2010 01:12:43 PM
- 532 Views
You realize that most countries with socialized healthcare have private healthcare, too.
24/03/2010 04:16:28 AM
- 685 Views