As we get closer to health care reform as defined by the Democratic administration, we have legislation that everyone loves to hate, but we have it nevertheless.
Liberals hate it, Republicans hate it, Conservatives hate it, the majority of Americans do not want it in the current form, and scores of interest groups do not like it for reasons that range from abortion to taxation, to Medicare cuts, to new administrative burdens on employers and insurers. Noted health experts make it clear that this legislation does not either address the real quality or cost issues. The legislation supposedly saves money for the federal government by shifting costs to those Americans who already have health insurance, to the states, to many Medicare beneficiaries, to insurers, to employers and health care providers and according to the CBO by 2019, there will still be 23 million uninsured Americans.
The legislation lacks any bi-partisan support; the House of Representatives passed its version by a small majority and the Senate by the minimum 60 votes. To gain support from Senators individual deals were made left and right.
The stated objective of health care reform is to make quality health care affordable to all Americans. There is little to improve the quality of health care in the general population, affordable remains defined as adequate subsides to buy health insurance the cost of which will remain out of control.
What happened, in a word, politics? What a way to run a country.
On to the House and Senate Conference.
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