Looks like they're headed towards 2 separate systems, Medicare and other, that will compete with each other for resources, starting with taking money away from Medicare. I keep reading about how Medicare payments are so low that large numbers of doctors are dropping out, and yet they think this is a good place to look for money?

We're going to need. Or at least assissted suicide as a covered "remedy." Now, they're out to kill off the oldsters who remember what liberalism means?

The Democratic Party is killing its future, if it goes along with this stuff.

Denial of care as The Fix. Sheesh.

We have this Repub Lite president who is showing leadership only to the right--who'dathunkit?

(Angry enough to spit nails.)

some whispered conversation about how this might also help the Social Security "problem?" You know, the sooner these old people die, the sooner their Social Security stops.

Anyone else find themselves wondering what Hillary thinks of all of this? I'm not claiming that she would be going in a different direction on this - although my opinion is she would be much more amenable to single-payer and would have worked to make sure that all voices were heard - but at least - at least - she understands the health care system from one end to the other, and would not need to be fed talking points - as Obama is, you can tell - and would be able to call bullshit when needed. Which would be often.

[Do you think if people had known that Obama was going to be a Republican president, they would have been able to overcome their CDS in order to elect a real Democrat?]

I think the Obama reform of health care is going to set a new standard for FUBAR.

The CAPITATION method was tried in the past. Failed miserably. Just puts pressure on providers to limit healthcare and to take the hit when their patients are sick or require expensive care . . . . The bottom line is that the health insurance companies are still making profits and still in business to make profits—profits before caring for patients. We need to get the insurance companies OUT of healthcare.

Capitation gives groups/ practices a flat payment based on the number of patients they treat. - SHOULD WE PAY LAWYERS A FLAT PAYMENT BASED ON THE NUMBER OF CLIENTS THEY SEE —and let them eat the costs for expensive clients and complex cases?

Big business is just proposing another method to make profits and pass along the costs to the providers. Providers can be quite efficient, but they can’t control unexpected costs for sick patients or costs for those patients who require expensive care (e.g., cancer, organ transplants, etc). And don’t forget the hidden and administrative costs that would occur with a capitated system. Supports the middlemen once again.

Healthcare should be a right, not a business.

Here.

The Commonwealth Fund seems to be involved in a lot of this. They're look like the drivers behind the national health insurance exchange idea.

too lazy to blog about this, but this is a great story about Dr. Paris and Steny Hoyer

Did you hear about the ABC from the White House? It's supposed to be all about health care, June 24. Apparently, ABC is airing it's prime time news from there and moderating a health care discussion from there as well.

Here's the link. Conservative sources (hence not officially reliable) say that WH position is the only one getting airtime.

Sorry this is OT for your post, but I couldn't figure how to send you a message privately.