Barack Obama has his healthcare reform proposal up here. It shouldn't take long to read, as it's only 11 pages.
What happened to all the conservative complaint that this was going to be over 1000 pages?
And dont' let the brevity of this proposal fool you. There are specifics in there.
A Blog Version Of The Inside Of My Head. The place where politics, film, the media, music, pop culture, and random topics collide in an orgy of neo-philisophical randomness that would make your mother scream.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
The Playlist Of Doom
Blog Archive
-
▼
2010
(853)
-
▼
February
(152)
- Good On You Shep
- Taking Over Their Own House
- Out Of Touch And Unhinged
- The Speaker
- Legislating The Female Reproductive System
- Why Even Have The Meeting
- Great Band Or Greatest Band.
- One Business To Rule Them All
- The Alleged Concern Of Republicans
- Independantly Deceptive
- In All Her Purse Lipped Rage
- Object Lessons
- Forced "Partriotism"
- Expanded Comment
- Tramping It Up
- Beckian Backlash
- A New Lady For Conservatives To Fawn Over?
- From Their Cold, Dead, Hands
- He's Gonna Say At Some Point
- What Is A Gay Conservative?
- The Promoters Are Not Pleased
- Conservative Fail
- Press Pause
- I Know You Are But What Am I
- Because It's Bad To Use Special Needs Children
- Monday Afternoon Bonnaroo Blog
- Who's Hero Though
- Typical Washington Times Prattling
- Elective Reasoning
- Another One Down
- Misplaced Rage : Michelle Malkin Edition
- Obama's Healthcare Reform Proposal
- Beck Follower Threatens Twitter User
- Hypocrisy, Thy Name Is Sarah: Pt II
- Success By Who's Criteria?
- The Paul-try Movement or Bye Bye Barbie
- Listening To The Commanders
- Exploiting A Tragedy: Fox"News" Style
- Is This Satire Too?
- Everyday Should Be Christina Hendricks Day
- The Admiral Is Getting Some Face Time
- But I Thought They Didn't Have An Agenda
- America, Educate Thyself
- Andrew's Blubbery Rage: Pt. II
- Who Are The Supporters
- Heck Of A Rationalization Brownie
- Quick, Find Someone That's Not White: Pt. II
- Rush To Judgement
- Sarah Palin, Have You Met Andrea Friedman Yet?
- Favorite Movie Scenes
- Teapot Terrorism? Probably Not.
- Terrorism Or Something More
- Random Video Action
- Under The Bus With Thee
- The Irony Isn't Lost On Anyone
- Hush Puppy
- The Distance Between Them
- Stimulative Sucess
- Metal Militia
- GOP "Truth"
- Midweek Musical History
- Shorter Allahpundit
- Godwin's What?
- Play Ball
- First Lady To Fox
- The Across The Street Statement
- Moving Back Home Where They Started
- The Corporatization Of The Message
- Rewriting The History Channel
- Stimulus Confirmation
- Hypocrisy, Thy Name Is Sarah
- No Thank You, Yes Please
- Bluedog For The Seat
- Contractual Tea Bagging
- Round One: FIGHT!
- And All Fox Nutjobs Are The Same
- Declarative Nonsense
- But I Thought Satire Was Alright?
- Race Relations
- A Victory That Will Be Ignored
- It's Fun To Play Dress-Up
- Reagan Molested By Teabaggers
- Shorter Sarah Palin
- Thank God For Christina Hendricks
- Third Party Ideals
- We Don't Need No Education
- Headed For Greener Pastures
- Sometimes The Truth Hurts
- Unsourced Rhetoric
- Cutting Off The Tea-Bagger's Noses
- Pushing The Envelope
- The Attention Whore Returns
- Cheney Said What?
- The Root Cause
- The Hand That Feeds
- Devout Racism
- Beck's Losing Ad Revenue
- Of Course They Are
- Tea Baggers Preparing For War?
- O'Donnell's Had Enough
-
▼
February
(152)
1 comment:
Healthcare reform can start now with no high price tag
Obama and Congress are taking the entirely wrong approach to healthcare reform. We can be doing so much right now to improve healthcare without suspicious price tags. There is nothing wrong with carrying out reform in two phases: the immediate and low price-tag phase, and the longer-term, let's-find-the-money-first phase.
What can be done now, with little public opposition:
One group plan
Everyone would have access to insurance if all insurance companies were required to offer a plan to individuals as though they were all in one large company group plan, with the same rate and no exclusions. There is no cost to taxpayers; premiums are paid by the insured.
Guaranteed coverage and insurance market reforms
Few would argue with such provisions. The health insurance industry has been such a Wild West that companies could promise anything and provide nothing. They suffered no bad consequences when they blatantly breached contracts with subscribers. Other than enforcement, there would be no cost to taxpayers.
Essential benefits
An independent committee would define an "essential benefit package" as a minimum quality standard. It would include preventive services with no co-pays or deductibles, mental health services, and oral health and vision for children. It would cap the amount that consumers have to spend per year, and cost taxpayers nothing. Insurance companies could add features to this basic package. Now they can get away with not paying for basic services because most people do not have a choice of plans, and insurance plans are far too complicated to easily compare.
Individual responsibility
It is time for the government to be honest about the lifestyle factors that cause many of our healthcare problems. According to an article at preventdisease.com that is based on research reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, "preventable illness makes up approximately 80% of the burden of illness and 90% of all healthcare costs," and "preventable illnesses account for eight of the nine leading categories of death." This is the single most important factor in lowering healthcare costs and making people healthier. But in most ways it is not a role for government. It is up to individuals to change their habits. However, the federal government certainly shouldn't be making the situation worse. That means telling the truth about the fast food and prepared food industries. And it means requiring that government agencies and contractors use part-time and telecommuting work arrangements so people have time to exercise and prepare food at home. A national campaign aimed at employers, encouraging them to use flexible schedules for workers, such as part-time and telecommuting, could do a lot of good, with the government itself taking the lead. Cost to taxpayers: nothing. In fact, there are potentially huge savings in lowered healthcare costs.
Please read the rest of the article at http://www.pbzproductions.com/newsletter-green%20living/healthcare%20reform%2002-11-10.html
These no- or low-cost changes would greatly improve care and save millions. They are the first step. There is no reason to delay them in order to get a “comprehensive” healthcare reform. No reform can possibly work without them in place first.
Patty Zevallos
media producer – web, video, print
www.pbzproductions.com
Post a Comment