What is relatively unique in Daschle’s proposal is the recommendation for a Federal Health Board, based on a model similar to the Federal Reserve System. One of the more important functions would be to provide oversight of the private insurance industry in his multi-payer system, a role that would be unnecessary in a single payer system. The other functions he describes can easily be or already are provided by existing agencies, though introduction of a single payer system would certainly be accompanied with appropriate bureaucratic reform.
Although he recommends that this board be quasi-independent, insulated from political influence, there is still risk that ideological extremists could gain control. Think of the failure of the Federal Reserve System to provide adequate oversight of our financial system, contributing to our current financial meltdown. That might not have occurred if free-market ideologues such as Alan Greenspan had not been in charge of the Federal Reserve. The Supreme Court is also insulated from political interference, yet obviously it too is controlled by ideologues, over whom we have no control. Imagine if we had a Federal Health Board composed of those individuals who, through the Medicare Modernization Act, damaged our public Medicare program. If they had been in control of such a board, we could have been much further down the road toward their goal of a totally privatized Medicare system.
Most troubling is Sen. Daschle’s conclusions on single payer. He describes it as the model used by the “world’s highest-ranking health care systems.” He acknowledges, without dispute, that supporters say that it is “brilliantly simple, ensures equity by providing all people with the same benefits, and saves billions of dollars by creating economies of scale and streamlining administration.” Yet he rejects it merely because it is “politically problematic.” He would sacrifice the “ideal” system because he is “not willing to sacrifice worthy improvements on the altar of perfection.”
Single payer would save our country $350 BILLION dollars a year. Everyone who opposes single payer needs to explain why their idea confers $350 BILLION dollars of benefits every year.
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Insurers want fed "oversight" bcz they can ignore state regs--
among other things.
They can then ignore state requirement to offer particular or broader services--and bamboozle insurance purchasers who will have little or no assistance in making a choice among all the offerings. Real comparisons will be almost impossible.
It will be Medicare private drug assistance confusion cubed and cubed again.
We need single payer, universal coverage--which is simply there.
The Clintons' major problems was that they tried to avoid the attacks the Repubs would make against their healthcare program, instead of just going with what was best and optimal. It's impossible to foresee every single attack--and now there's the added problem that the private insurers want to use the Fed changes to protect their golden goose profits. They do not want to cover all people with the best care at the lowest cost.
Step up and show leadership, show courage. See where it gets us. Can always go back to the chickenshit approach if Repubs won't play ball. But the public will see who gave a damn and who didn't. Oh, an brand the program, OK? It's a Democratic goal and a Democratic program.
Daschle's proposal is truly scary. And it can be spun to sound sooooo practical. Help!
Daschle got the message when Bushco tried to kill him.
The message being, roll over and act Republican or we'll kill you.
He's never been the same since. (Or was he ever?)
JFK has been shot, we miss him a lot
He always knew what to do
-- Philly Cream