tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1522121129844880066.post7626954271893546696..comments2023-10-24T11:23:31.580-04:00Comments on Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion: Latest Health Care Wolf In Sheep's Clothing Inside A Trojan HorseWilliam A. Jacobsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16433685588536441422noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1522121129844880066.post-88431511719303833482009-12-08T11:44:05.191-05:002009-12-08T11:44:05.191-05:00I agree it's a nightmare and that it would rep...I agree it's a nightmare and that it would represent another big step toward fully-socialized medicine, but I think if forced to choose between the proposed expansion of Medicare and a public option that would threaten to immediately kill off the private health insurance industry, I'd have to take the former. And I would take either one ahead of single payer. <br /><br />At this point, I fear that the "best" alternative (assuming Reid can get 60 votes on some kind of bill) is whatever "reform" can most readily be undone by a future Congress. Since I believe the best health care system is the one with the least amount of government involvement, I think it makes sense to favor whichever alternative that at least doesn't destroy the private insurance industry over any alternatives that would, in fact, destroy that industry.<br /><br />Clearly, none of these proposals is going to "work." They all involve shifting costs around and adding layers of bureaucracy that can only drive costs higher. Some lucky people will come out somewhat better in the reshuffling, but there won't be any net improvement and most people will be ultimately dissatisfied with the results. What happens then? Hopefully, people wil wake up and realize that the system is broken BECAUSE of the government and we can rally support for some sensible, market-based reforms.Conrad Bibbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05422935506611755825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1522121129844880066.post-26998682775005798592009-12-08T10:37:51.684-05:002009-12-08T10:37:51.684-05:00@Conrad - Lower the age on Medicare, raise the fam...@Conrad - Lower the age on Medicare, raise the family income qualifications for Medicare, S-Chip and general health care subsidies into the high 5-figures, who's left not receiving government funded care? And what then would be the justification for not extending government funding to this remaining group, when so many other people are getting it?William A. Jacobsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16433685588536441422noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1522121129844880066.post-19509218111083556602009-12-08T10:31:39.701-05:002009-12-08T10:31:39.701-05:00I hate everything about this so-called HC "re...I hate everything about this so-called HC "reform," but please help me to understand something: How is an expansion of Medicare to folks age 55 or 60 "a complete victory" for advocates of single payer? With a "strong" public option -- I'm also not clear on what makes a public option weak or strong -- you would likely see employers immediately starting to dump workers onto Obamacare, thus decimating the market for private health insurance and wrecking that industry. The proposed expansion of Medicare would presumably have the same kind of effect, but it would only apply to a relatively small slice of the population, i.e., those in either the 55-64 or 60-64 age groups. Perhaps the loss of a lot of people in those age consorts would be a tipping point for private insurance, and of course there's always the risk that the age eligibility would be reduced again in the future; but Medicare expansion wouldn't be as bad NOW as a public option, and certainly not nearly as awful as an outright single payer would be. What am I missing? <br /><br />Asked another way: If lowering the age for Medicare from 65 to 60 would be tantamount to a single-payer system, would the same be true for age 61? Okay, how about age 64 and 6 months? Again, I realize that this is all a slippery slope to eventually get everyone onto some form of public health care, but is it really true that every single point along the slippery slope is just as bad as the others?Conrad Bibbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05422935506611755825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1522121129844880066.post-85825756461431567772009-12-08T10:08:18.923-05:002009-12-08T10:08:18.923-05:00The basically insane but long-standing loan policy...The basically insane but long-standing loan policy of the Dems is to force banks to grant mortgages to those whose records clearly show that they are the kind of folks who are unwilling or unable to pay off mortgages. This policy continues in effect even though it was one of the main causes of the recession we so much enjoy today. Frank is working like hell to expand on this great achievement.Fred Beloithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08255955612439460982noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1522121129844880066.post-74422107688277871632009-12-08T07:16:03.479-05:002009-12-08T07:16:03.479-05:00ironhoramn - of course this is a "stealth&quo...ironhoramn - of course this is a "stealth" public option. And the cost of this option would be beneath that the private insurance companies and just as effectively put them out of business as the previous predatory piece of scatalogical public "option."<br /><br />Meanwhile, while the focus is on health care, talk about "stealth," Barney Frank is quietly tinkering with money and markets and has come up with an amendment to a fiscal reform bill that would re-structure the Fed. Additionally, he would like TARP funds to help the mortgage situation. see http://samandimp.wordpress.com under "Barney Frank Can't Stop Tinkering with Money and Markets.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1522121129844880066.post-86788830686527091352009-12-07T21:45:05.095-05:002009-12-07T21:45:05.095-05:00Hmmm....Eligibility age for 'S-CHIP' goes ...Hmmm....Eligibility age for 'S-CHIP' goes UP....age for eligibility for Medicare goes DOWN.<br /><br />Perhaps this is a 'stealth' public option that could be fully implemented in about the same time frame as the present 'public option' plan.ironhorzmnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02629117321110227536noreply@blogger.com