Relevant and even prescient commentary on news, politics and the economy.

Energy & Commerce version of HR3200: a treat for the Read the Billers

by Bruce Webb How many people in the “Read the Bill” movement will in fact read the bill? Well here is their chance.HR3200: Energy and Commerce passed version I would be interested in knowing how this bill saves $100 billion over the version reported out by Education and Labor House Tri-Committee Health Care Bill. First […]

Was it a Gang of Seven?

by Bruce Webb Max Baucus of Montana (pop 935,670- 89.2% white)Kent Conrad of North Dakota (pop 636,677- 90.1% white)Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico (pop 1,928,384- 42.8% white)Michael B. Enzi of Wyoming (pop 509,294- 88.8% white)Charles E. Grassley of Iowa (pop 2,966,334- 91.5% white)Olympia Snowe of Maine (pop 1,321,505 – 96% white). Most people following the […]

Taxing wealthy to pay for health care

by divorced one like Bush As we are talking about taxes and health care this is The Real News Network article regarding raising taxes on the wealthy to pay for health care. (The Real News Network is a global online video news network that listens to and is dependent on its audience. No ads. No […]

What is competition?

rdan A reader commented that market share statistics do not reflect whether competition occurs in a health insurance market. To stress a point he stated competition occurs when companies >1, and many states have competition of >2 major players, which makes for a more competitive market than a monopoly allows. Competition to me means that […]

Fixing the fixing. Health care Deja vu

by divorced one like Bush Responding to a couple of comments to my post yesterday, I want to present some history. PARCA. Patient Access to Responsible Care Act. 1997 by Alfonse D’Amato (R-N.Y.) and Rep. Charlie Norwood, a Georgia Republican and licensed dentist who argues: “If we can protect trees and animals, why can’t we […]

Massachusetts is fixing the fixed health care system: more administration?

by divorced one like Bush In this debate on how to finance health care, we are hearing about the costs to deliver health care and how to bring them down. Mass is now proposing a capitated payment system that will be government created. It is the latest fix to a herald “fixed” problem. Which begs […]

Wingnut 102A: When private insurance is outlawed only outlaws will have insurance

OR; HR3200 Sec 102 revisited. by Bruce Webb We first visited the health care reform meme sweeping the right wing of the Blogosphere with this post HR3200 abolishes private health insurance. This seemed at first to be a simple confusion of the limits of the following from Sec 102 of the legislation: 1) LIMITATION ON […]

Wingnut 102: How HR3200 Outlaws Private Health Insurance

by Bruce Webb Did you know that the House Tri-Committee Bill HR3200 openly and brazenly outlaws new private individual health insurance plans after Year 1 (now set for 2013)? Well me neither, mainly because it is only not true but in total context absurd. Not quite as absurd as the idea that the Moon landings […]

Fox Noise on Canadian private insurance boom

By: Divorced one like Bush This is a heads up. Fox news has a report out that there is a rise in private insurance activity in Canada. The article suggests that it is because of all the wait time that people are tired of do to a shortage of doctors and possibly the low fees. […]

Kennedy-Dodd HELP Bill with CBO Scoring

by Bruce Webb I haven’t gone through the text or the numbers, make of this what you will. But at least we can start with some actual numbers attached.McClatchy: Kennedy-Dodd unveil cheaper health care bill Bill Text: SHORTTITLE.—This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Affordable Health Choices Act” CBO ScoreExcerpts and updates may be added […]