Excellent Question
No one has been able to answer this question: not the President, not his defenders, not the “pass the bill now” crowd.
The real answer to our health care problem is either single payer (as they have in Canada) or highly, rigorously regulated private insurers (as in Holland). What the Democrats are trying to pass forces people to buy insurance from the same companies that have been profiting by denial of services, with a few fig-leafs of protection thrown in (for example, and end to the pre-existing condition). But with no competition, what keeps these companies from raising premiums and deductibles to the point that this mandatory purchase is unaffordable to use? And for the record, the Massachusetts model that Obama borrows from (aka Romneycare) ain’t workin’ out so well: Over ninety percent of adults in Massachusetts have a usual source of care and most reported seeing a doctor in the previous year. However, the affordability of health care remains a barrier to receiving care for some residents. Of the total population, 21 percent went without needed care in the previous year because of cost. People with disabilities and those in fair and poor health experienced the greatest barriers to accessing care.
The senate’s bill is not affordable: I’m lucky enough to have insurance through my employer, but I don’t think I could afford the increased premiums in the Senate bill. And that says nothing about the unacceptable abortion language.
When the Democrats lose big in November, it’s going to be because of dunderheaded, corrupt decisions like this. Bet on it.
