Thursday, December 22, 2011

Ideology's Collateral Damage

The Tea Party Caucus in the US House of Representatives is once again choosing to support their narrow ideology over the interests of the majority of Americans.  This time by refusing to vote on the Senate's bipartisan compromise that would have extended the payroll tax holiday for two months until a compromise can be reached on a longer extension.  For most of us, even a two month continuation of the break in deductions from our paychecks makes a difference.

Steve Benen of The Washington Monthy describes the scene in the House at this link: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_12/literally_walking_away_from_a034239.php

So it appears that even during this season of peace on earth and good will to all, House Republicans are operating from their minds & egos with their hearts nowhere in sight.

Monday, December 5, 2011

Moving on to a Single-Payer Health Care System?

I just read a couple of articles by Rick Unger of Forbes that gave me hope that private insurance companies , whom I believe add no value to our health care system , will soon get out of the health care business.

Here are the links:  The Bomb Buried in Obamacare Explodes  Today - Hallelujah!
and The Obamacare Bomb is Real Even if the Washington Post Doesn't Get It

Here's a sample from the first article:
I have long argued that the impact of the Affordable Care Act is not nearly as big of a deal as opponents would have you believe. At the end of the day, the law is – in the main – little more than a successful effort to put an end to some of the more egregious health insurer abuses while creating an environment that should bring more Americans into programs that will give them at least some of the health care coverage they need.

There is, however, one notable exception – and it’s one that should have a long lasting and powerful impact on the future of health care in our country. That would be the provision of the law, called the medical loss ratio, that requires health insurance companies to spend 80% of the consumers’ premium dollars they collect—85% for large group insurers—on actual medical care rather than overhead, marketing expenses and profit.

Both are worth a full read.