"Public insurer support fading; Moderates move away from option" by Lisa Wangsness, Globe Staff | September 14, 2009
WASHINGTON - Leading moderates in both parties retreated further from the government-backed health insurance option yesterday, echoing the argument President Obama made last week that the issue had been overblown and that alternatives, such as private nonprofit cooperatives, might be acceptable.
Senator Claire McCaskill, Democrat of Missouri, said the issue had become a “distraction’’ and Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Democrat of New Hampshire, voiced support for a public option but said Democrats should keep the big picture in mind.
Related: A Healthy Democracy
Why Obama Wants A Health Care Bill This Year
I just want to know when my liberal friends are going to see through this s***.
Senator Olympia J. Snowe, a Republican from Maine who is one of the most influential voices in the debate, said the public option is politically out of the question....
Which means SINGLE PAYER was NEVER EVEN in the room!
The momentum for a public option appears to have slackened considerably....
Yeah, I WANT SINGLE PAYER or NOTHING AT ALL because ALL WE ARE GETTING is a TAX!
NO EMPLOYER MANDATE and NO PUBLIC OPTION = NO REFORM!
A strong current of opposition from grass-roots conservatives across the country....
Well, I'm sort of one.
On Saturday thousands of people from across the country converged on the mall, angrily protesting Obama’s health care plans, deficit spending, and overall agenda....
And THEN THEY WENT HOME! That is the PROBLEM!
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Now about those co-ops:
"Health co-ops’ fans like cost and care; But successful models still rare nationwide" by Michael Kranish, Globe Staff | August 19, 2009
WASHINGTON - A collection of little-known insurance cooperatives around the country is winning attention as being key to a possible health reform compromise in Washington, but while some of their practices have cut costs and serve as models for change, big questions remain about their ability to transform American health care.
Specialists, including advocates for cooperatives, said in interviews that their patient-controlled structure and nonprofit status are not what will ultimately prove most useful. Rather, it is the way they pay doctors and care for patients that holds the most potential for savings....
Another key feature: Dr. Barbara Detering, a family physician at Seattle’s Group Health insurance cooperative, and other Group Health doctors are paid salaries instead of getting compensated for every service or procedure they provide. That eliminates the financial incentive - common throughout US health care - to provide lots of expensive care....
Yeah, that ain't gonna fly in AmeriKa!
“If you are a gung ho orthopedic surgeon and want to make $2 million, this is not the place for you.’’
That integrated approach, combined with a heavy use of electronic records and follow-up communication, has led to big savings, according to Group Health’s executives. Group Health has been a key factor in helping Washington state maintain some of nation’s lowest insurance rates. Massachusetts insurance rates are among the nation’s highest.
Related:
Why the Nation Doesn't Need Massachusetts Health Care
Massachusetts Health Care Takes a Seat on the S***ter
While Group Health is widely viewed as a success, it is not clear whether other co-ops could emulate it. There are only a handful of health co-ops across the country, with a number having gone out of business over the years, making them only a tiny player in a field dominated by huge insurance companies.
Even advocates said it would be difficult for new co-ops to be established and acquire the necessary 500,000 or so members to create financial leverage. As a result, proponents in Congress have suggested providing billions of dollars of government support to start up new co-ops, a process that could take years....
Well, SO MUCH for HEALTH REFORM!!!!
And they think they are going to cut costs, huh?
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