There are some encouraging signs that Obama might be considering a more ambitious health care plan than he campaigned on. A combination of heavy congressional wins and a worsening economy might give Obama the room he needs to do something no one thought possible in America. Could we see something along the lines of single-payer? Could we be talking about the end of employer-based health care?
It’s too early to say for sure.
Daschle, who was developing a passion for health care, did not want to be HHS secretary – or at least was lukewarm on it – unless he was given a health-czar role. HHS is a monstrous bureaucracy (NIH, FDA, etc.) and is not a place to effect health-care reform. Although you won’t hear them making the analogy, Obama aides want to use the Cheney-energy-task-force model of using the White House as a place to hash out issues before they got to the Hill and Cabinet. So the Office of Health Reform will be like a special-projects arm of the White House. By adding that role to his spot in the Cabinet, HE’S ALIGNING THE PLANETS TO ALLOW HIM TO PUSH FOR SIGNIFICANT CHANGES – TO TRY FOR HEALTH REFORM MORE AMBITIOUS THAN PEOPLE ARE THINKING.
I had that thought listening to him speak this morning on my way to work. I really hope that IS the case – that he’s going to push for something closer to (or exactly like) single payer. It’s way past time for that, in this country.
I always thought the signals were pointed towards that with who he has chosen.
I hope this country can get something like affordable single-payer no matter what they call it to avoid cries of “ZOMG, socialism!” Hubby and I have gone 4 years now without insurance, ever since he was laid-off from his last corporate job and we couldn’t afford the Cobra payment without that level of income.
We’ve discovered that many doctors give discounts to patients who don’t require forms in triplicate and pay upon service instead of dithering for three months like the insurance companies do. But, we’ve still got the fear that if something major happened to one of us we’d be s.o.l.
I am saddened to hear that. This system is just wrong. In every way.
this is certainly indicative of something a bit more inclusive than his initial proposal.
the NYT even referenced daschle’s recent book Critical: What We Can Do About the Health-Care Crisis where he lays out some pretty sweeping ideas regarding reform, and it’s probably as good an indication as any of the direction that they may be headed.
the usual caveats apply. even though there may be an overwhelming will on the part of the people, and a strong desire from the obama administration to enact sweeping changes, the RAT’s are already lining up to oppose them. as evidenced by the nyt article:
it’s going to be a struggle against some very powerful lobbies and entrenched interests. additionally, the RAT’s have already made it very clear with their filibuster threats re: the auto bailout, there will be no cease fire in the partisan warfare in the senate.
we shall see.
We need to start pressuring every single candidate that we think might vote against this issue NOW. Make it clear that we will accept no substitutes and no excuses. And I mean politicians on both sides of the aisle.
What would happen if they rmoved the age requirements from Medicare and the income requirements from Medicaid?
If they removed the age requirements and income requirements from medicare, 50,000,000 more people would get coverage (actually more than that because millions more have junk insurance — my wife has coverage after the first $250,000 of bills, plus large copays after that) all on a job that pays $200 a week but she is listed as “insured” –what’s up with that?). The cost , with a single payer program — eliminate the insurance companied — would fall to roughly half of the nation’s present medical care — again don’t forget the heavy insurance cost and prophet, and unreimbursed emergency hospital care for the medically desperate — and all medical and pharmacy care would be covered. Even with millions more covered.
That, gasp is what we call socialized medicine.
I always suspected that Obama’s campaign promise was more of a worst-case scenario than what he really wanted. Maybe the environment is starting to look better for something closer to what most developed countries have. Hope so.
I must say that Obama is one of the most effective politicians ever.
Here we have “progressives” or “liberals” resigned to one main progressive hope for the next 4 years (health care) and instead of lobbying or making the case or changing the facts on the ground they are left hoping their Dear Leader eventually decided the issue in their favor.
But Obama has not only done that. He’s got it so these people that care the most about this issue don’t pressure him because they don’t want to upset him.
Man. He really is good.
If Obama were to get the people single payer universal health care… I might have to give up Blogging on politics and work for him for free in any way he deems necessary for the next 7 years or so.
I think I might not even be kidding there?