Step back and consider how the Obama administration has been handling what is supposed to be its highest priority: health care reform. People who see themselves as progressives overwhelmingly supported the Obama run for president, sufficiently for him to beat the early favorite, Hillary Clinton. It is fair to conclude that within the progressive community, much of which may be also seen as liberal but not loyal members of the Democratic Party, there was considerable enthusiasm for a government single-payer system. But it did not take very long for the Obama administration to abandon this authentic reform for a government option.
It is true that a government single-payer system would deal a serious blow to the huge and hugely profitable health insurance industry, though it could survive by providing supplemental insurance, just as it does for Medicare. And what is wrong with greatly shrinking the health insurance industry that siphons off many billions of dollars annually from national health care spending to maintain itself, make profits and spend money on lobbying and advertising?
Few people seem to understand that more than one third of Americans now get their health insurance from the federal government, including 98 million with Medicare or Medicaid coverage and millions with coverage from the Veterans Administration. Then recognize the nearly 50 million without any health insurance and you account for half of the population. That leaves about half getting coverage from private health insurers. However, some 50 million people who work for government agencies (federal, state and local) and their families have access to the very best private insurance polities. So that leaves just a third of the population falling victim to the worst, most costly private medical insurance. They are the ones who have faced rapidly escalating copays, deductibles and premiums, plus encountering countless problems getting coverage for all kinds of medical services because of exclusions and limitations by insurance companies. And any reform law passed will surely let insurance companies keep escalating costs.
New York Times columnist Bob Herbert has it right: "The hope of a government-run insurance option is all but gone. So there will be no effective alternative for consumers in the market for health coverage, which means no competitive pressure for private insurers to rein in premiums and other charges. Insurance companies are delighted with the way "reform" is unfolding. Think of it: The government is planning to require most uninsured Americans to buy health coverage. Millions of young and healthy individuals will be herded into the industry's welcoming arms. This is the population the insurers drool over. This additional business - a gold mine - will more than offset the cost of important new regulations that, among other things, will prevent insurers from denying coverage to applicants with pre-existing conditions or imposing lifetime limits on benefits. Giving consumers the choice of an efficient, nonprofit, government-run insurance plan would have moved us toward real cost control, but that option has gone a-glimmering. The public deserves better."
Obama the change agent has capitulated to conservative Democrats and Republicans by moving away from insisting on a government option in a reform law, proving that he is just another phony politician willing to sell out to corporate interests, just as so many members of Congress have.
What is so amazing about what is going on is how the results of the last national election that put Democrats in control of Congress and the White House have not preempted the power of Republicans and their many nutty and lying right wing supporters to derail the health reform movement. They serve corporate interests, mainly the insurance and pharmaceutical sectors.
Obama has already lost credibility and deserves to lose still more from progressives, moderates, independents and Democrats. It is time for more people to seriously see the benefits of not passing an awful weak reform law; better to wait for a better effort to get serious and meaningful reform. If Congress passes something that mainly serves corporate interests, then Obama needs to have the integrity to say no and clearly blame Republicans, conservative Democrats, and corporate interests for derailing the reform effort. Americans deserve to have the kinds of changes they have been waiting for, reforms that truly serve broad public interests.
I cannot believe a minority of Republicans can derail anything this administration wants to accomplish. Even when there is serious division within the Democratic Party, the first reaction is to blame the Republicans.
This health-care debacle was dead when Obama the 'change agent' became Obama the 'shell-game artist'. Most of the objection to his bill (well, he really doesn't have a bill yet, but you know what I mean) is from Independents and conservative Democrats. Republicans can yell all they want, yet they haven't the power to do anything these days. Those town hall meetings are a great example: I've heard them called 'the mob', 'racist', 'astroturf', and more, and yet does that really help the Democrats? If the Democrats had a coherent (and consistent) message, we would have passage of health care reform by now. Instead we have the blame game, the usual party tricks, and of course the usual waste of time.
The Democrats need to forget about the Republicans, get their heads together to get one plan, then hammer it through. Is it really that hard?
Hey Joel. You've got it exactly right. The truly frightening part is that there is nothing we can do about any of it.
There is a line in the movie "Gangs of New York", when a politician is asked what happens if the people get mad about something, and the reply was something like "We'll just set one half of the poor upon another"
It seems to be working.
Grow a garden, get a chicken or two and hunker down.
» left by Graham Harris from France (144 days 21 hours ago.)
This is an excellent analysis of what is a complex array of seemingly conflicting political opinions and strategies in the health care debate.
The reality is that, as ever in this duplicitous world, the interests of corporate power and political control are protected and enhanced at the expense of morality and the public good.
Obama, Republicans and Democrats are now firmly in the delusory grip of the financial interests that are progressively taking control. Health care reform will not be permitted to prejudice the continued tightening of this control. It is the unelected, uncontrolled and increasingly powerful corporate entities in Banking, Insurance and Big Pharma that are manipulating an ever more docile and compliant political arena.
This article lucidly explains this process and the American public must take heed.
Thank you, Sir, for an excellent piece. I look forward to reading more of your work.
I get the distinct feeling that we have some pretty interesting times ahead, particularly during the next decade. I see a rapidly growing unrest at the grassroots level in this country regarding the stranglehold big corporations have on Washington. With any luck, Big Insurance will dig its own hole and bury itself. Then, maybe, we will start making some real progress towards Medicare For All / Single Payer Health Care.
» left by Evelyn Pringle from Wisconsin (142 days 1 hour ago.)
I would change the title of this article to:
Progressives Screwed, Democrats Bought, and Republicans as Usual.
Focusing on one sector of the health care industry will do nothing for healthcare reform. The entire health care system in this country is infected by greed and the result is a trickle-down effect from top to bottom.
If those at the top of the industries would agree to cut their salary, benefit and retirement packages in half, that alone would save billions.
If the industries were barred from paying millions upon millions to lobbyists and politicians every year, that alone would also save billions.
If the drug companies, device makers, doctors, surgeons, and hospitals didn't charge such outrageous prices the insurance companies wouldn't have justification to make the premiums and co-payments so high.
The Republicans no longer hold the top ranking position for money made off the health care industry. The Democrats are about equally indebted now. And as a result, Americans are seeing a bogus charade by both parties in enacting a healthcare reform bill that will benefit the American people and not the corporate interests.
We no longer have a political party in this country uncorruped by the healthcare industry.
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
or organization.
