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The Spectacle Blog
Evidence continues to mount that it will be much more difficult to stop the Democrats from enacting some kind of universal healthcare than it was in 1993/1994. The Washington Post reports that Tom Daschle, who hasn’t even been formally named Secretary of Health and Human Services yet, is already engaging activists on the issue, asking for their input, and hoping build on the success that the Obama campaign had in mobilizing the grassroots during the campaign. This is not somebody who is taking the HHS job to manage its day-to-day bureaucracy.
Meanwhile, yesterday, America’s Health Insurance Plans, the largest trade group of insurance companies, proposed its own universal health care plan, declaring that, “now is the time for health care reform.” This is a stunning development, given that the insurance industry played a major role in the defeat of HillaryCare. In the proposal, insurers agree to cover individuals with pre-existing conditions, if the government imposes a mandate requiring that every American purchase health insurance. Meanwhile, to control costs, the group proposes “a public-private advisory group be created to provide specific policy recommendations to Congress on reducing health care costs” – which is similar to Daschle’s idea of a Federal Health Board. They also endorse an expansion of S-CHIP. Liberals are a bit less enthused by the group’s support for portable coverage that would be available to all states. But it will be difficult for conservatives to make the argument that the Obama administration plans a government takeover of health care if private insurers are on board with some of its major elements.
On the other hand, this does create a different sort of opportunity for conservatives. The individual insurance coverage mandate is typically the least popular element of any universal health care plan. Obama realizes this, which is why he astutely argued against a mandate during the campaign. Insurers want one because they need to be able to bring healthy people into the system to balance out their risk and offset the cost of treating the very ill. So if Obama reverses course, conservatives will be able argue that the big insurance companies are getting government to force Americans to purchase their products.
View all comments (184) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by Philip Klein
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Brian| 12.4.08 @ 11:45AM
The insurance companies are selling the Obama administration a rope.
No one likes paying for health insurance. They like paying for cable TV, they like paying for cell phones, they like paying for junk food, they like paying for liquor, cigarettes and lottery tickets, but health care should be "free".
So the Democrats will be inundated with pleas to "reduce health care costs", which will mean the insurance companies will get leaned on to lower premiums, reduce co-pays, etc., to the point that providers will refuse to take their crappy insurance and the insurers themselves will not be able to make a dime.
But they'll make it up on volume!
Might as well just move directly into Soviet-style, bribe-as-you-go, "free" care that's not worth the price, that's where were going eventually with anything mismanaged by idiot Democrats.
midge| 12.5.08 @ 3:30PM
"...anything mismanaged by idiot Democrats."
Hey, why should Republicans have all the fun? I think Democrats deserve to eff up America for seven years too. Equality, baby.
Deborah | 12.18.08 @ 1:15AM
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Acai | 12.20.08 @ 7:47AM
well obama will do something about it.
colon | 12.23.08 @ 8:57PM
yeah obama will def do something about it im sure.
Anthony | 12.27.08 @ 4:08PM
"Hey, why should Republicans have all the fun? I think Democrats deserve to eff up America for seven years too. Equality, baby. "
Yeah let the Dem have a chance to "fix" this mess we are in. Lets see what they can do.
acai berry | 2.26.09 @ 4:42PM
I'm sure Obama will come in and fix this whole mess up.
Acai Berry | 3.11.09 @ 5:35AM
well obama will do something about it.
Resveratrol | 4.5.09 @ 12:43AM
We can only rely so much on Obama. We must demand better attention to this problem
Acai Berry | 4.13.09 @ 3:06AM
As my knowledge is concern about the US President he will definitely think about it , implement the low about universal health care plan.
Acai Berry Information | 4.13.09 @ 3:11AM
People wants to be insured because they need to be able to bring healthy people into the system to balance out their risk and offset the cost of treating the very ill. I think surely Obama will do somethings for that.
Acai Berry | 4.22.09 @ 6:50AM
I think Democrats deserve to eff up America for seven years too. Equality, baby. "
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Acai | 5.15.09 @ 7:57AM
well obama will do nice for his country and health.
I think Democrats deserve to eff up America for seven years
Acai Berry | 5.17.09 @ 3:27AM
yeah obama will def do something about it im sure.
Acai Berry Fruit | 5.21.09 @ 6:26AM
Well that's interesting blog..Hope Obama would do something about it and Americans would have to pay less to stay healthy.....
Acai Berry Fruit | 5.27.09 @ 7:15AM
Health Care is the crucial aspect in everbody's life.It must be taken care of.Lets see what Obama will do for Americans now.
Wrinkle Cream | 6.1.09 @ 12:29AM
Is the USA collapsing because they didn't take care of themselves after 911 but fought instead?
What if the USA would have made sure they had a strong foudation & not went to war. What if they decided not to kill but instead to care for those without health care, jobs & education. Is the collapse happening because the USA didn't see 911 as the wake up call it was but instead was impulsive & sinned by killing & fighting instead of going within for guidance & taking a moral direction instead of a sinning choice? What do you think the USA should have done instead?
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People wants to be insured because they need to be able to bring healthy people into the system to balance out their risk and offset the cost of treating the very ill. I think surely Obama will do somethings for that.
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Powell | 9.3.09 @ 5:35AM
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Mikio Miles| 2.3.10 @ 5:10PM
"Hey, why should Republicans have all the fun? I think Democrats deserve to eff up America for seven years too. Equality, baby. "
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No one likes paying for health insurance. They like paying for cable TV, they like paying for cell phones, they like paying for junk food, they like paying for liquor, cigarettes and lottery tickets, but health care should be "free". Exactly.
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