Slick pols provide Wed night pep rally.

[Jack Sprat]

The much anticipated scam was delivered by a passionate speaking President. The same dance around a public option, but with indignant tones for his base for making public option the key. Much cooing and fawning by his supporters in the Congress and talk of hitting a homerun. Even the pundits were swooning. It was a scam designed for the benefit of health provider industries. It was bad medicine for cost-strapped consumers.

Yes, it was an excellent speech. Yes, he was passionately committed to reform.

Here is my take on it. It shouldn't require any money to enact a law to forbid any healthcare provider from denying covereage for pre-existing conditions. Nor should it require money to regulate the industry so that it cannot drop coverage on someone with a serious illness. Regulation by law should rid us of these barbaric practices of early 20th century life.

A not-for-profit, single payer government provider needs to administer one single payer plan to reduce costs, simplify the bookkeeping, and bargain for lowest pharmaceutical prices and medical practices. It's not socialism when doctors, nurses, and hospitals are being paid. It just eliminates the hmos and insurance providers who confound the problems and expense. If it includes anything less than a single payer, nonprofit, govt system that could negotiate for lowest prharmaceutical costs, premiums, deductibles, and administrative costs, then ultimately it will fail and we have to fall on our own sword. If it includes mandatory insurance without regard to income, we will need to fall on our sword a second time.

[laughingliberal]

1. It is not without regard to income

All the bills including the Baucus Insurance Company Profitability Act of 2009 include an increase in the income levels that qualify for Medicaid and they all have subsidies to help people pay if the fall below certain income levels. Most of the bills provide subsidies for people at 400% of the poverty level and Baucus' is for people at 300% of the FPL.

[Jack Sprat]

2. This issue is being addressed as it needs to be

There is still general fear that low income and zero income people will have no place to turn. Perhaps this is another area that needs more education and emphasis.