Reply #31: It's All Implicit At This Point... [View All]

[KharmaTrain]

We all believe what we want to...or take the words of those "in the know"...but neither of us have any idea what the ramifications of either House or Senate bill will be. Lots of conjecture, but that's creating a lot of spin and disinformation. Yes, the status quo means millions will go bankrupt due to the inability to afford insurance, but both bills address stipends to those who will have problems meeting the premiums. We also hear wide claims as to what the "cadillac tax" would entail...which policies and incomes would be taxed. It'd be pound foolish for Democrats (or any politician) to favor a bill that will cost their constituents more than what it delivers. Thus I "split the difference" in much of what I hear from all sides with the truth lying somewhere in the middle.

Little improvement is better than none...or worse...scaring politicians away from this serious issue until something catastrophic happens. A bill that doesn't increase coverage is a failure by all accounts. The Senate bill includes 10,000 health clinics...that's not presumption, that's in the bill. The plan to create some kind of financial assistance to those with no or limited coverage or based on income is also part of both bills that is sure to help millions. Lastly the ban on cancellation based pre-existing conditions WILL save lives.

Again...the bill is far from what I had hoped for and see the need for revisions in the future, but that's what happens to many bills of this stature. The options right now are to take what's being offered and use it as a framework for fixing...which can be done a lot easier than walking away and hoping to start all over.

I'll stand with people like Paul Krugman, Bernie Sanders and Howard Dean on this one...