Yay! I'm now praying for a) it to pass the House, and b) if it does, that it doesn't get insanely watered down in the Senate.

This is the first time I've ever felt optimistic about finally getting the healthcare reform we need. It feels good, this hope thing.

Skippy,

Sorry to rain on your parade, but there is some relevent news today-

"Under questioning by members of the Senate Budget Committee, Douglas Elmendorf, director of the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, said bills crafted by House leaders and the Senate health committee do not propose "the sort of fundamental changes" necessary to rein in the skyrocketing cost of government health programs, particularly Medicare. On the contrary, Elmendorf said, the measures would pile on an expensive new program to cover the uninsured."

"Though President Obama and Democratic leaders have repeatedly pledged to alter the soaring trajectory -- or cost curve -- of federal health spending, the proposals so far would not meet that goal, Elmendorf said, noting, "The curve is being raised." His remarks suggested that rather than averting a looming fiscal crisis, the measures could make the nation's bleak budget outlook even worse."

R & T, I had to take my next-door neighbor to the hospital a little while ago. He's unemployed and lacks insurance. Two days ago he woke up with an infected tooth that's not only extremely painful, but has swollen up his face and neck like a scene from a horror movie.

Instead of being able to see a dentist or a doctor, he waited as long as possible and went to the ER for indigent care. That is THE MOST EXPENSIVE way to deliver care -- about 20 TIMES as expensive as a visit to the MD's office.

The way to control costs is to let the indigent see a doctor when they're sick!

Wonder what would happen if Medicare tax was raised from 1.25% to 1.5%?

Kucinich introduced HR 676 today.
HR676 calls for a universal single-payer health care system in the United States, Medicare for All. It has over 85 co-sponsors in Congress with the support of millions of Americans and countless physicians and nurses. How does HR-676 control costs and cover everyone? It cuts out the for-profit middle men and delivers care directly to consumers and Medicare acts as the single payer of bills. It also recognizes that under the current system for-profit insurance companies make money NOT providing health care.
Full text is here
Want universal,lower cost health care? Ask your Congresscritter to support HR 676

adding - not the text of HR676. The text of Kucinich's statement.

Matt-

I agree with you. The problem is that CBO says that the plans as presented do not reduce costs, but actually add to them. Obama said the plan must be cost neutral; they are not.

What distresses me is that we had the money orginally, but spent it on corporate bailouts and a stimulus that ended up going to pet projects, instead of what was promised. We could have had healthcare with all that money, but now they have overspent, to the point that it greatly hinders healthcare reform.

R&T that is not true.. actually it is only the HELP Senate bill that the CBO said would not lower the costs but that is because it does not access Medicare and Medicaid, that is in the Finance committee. If you are going to tell the story please get your facts straight.

Annette-

The information I provided was a quote, not my words. Your statement that the CBO said it was just the HELP Senate bill does not seem to jive with the quote however.

"Under questioning by members of the Senate Budget Committee, Douglas Elmendorf, director of the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, said bills crafted by House leaders and the Senate health committee do not propose "the sort of fundamental changes" necessary to rein in the skyrocketing cost of government health programs, particularly Medicare. On the contrary, Elmendorf said, the measures would pile on an expensive new program to cover the uninsured."

It says the "bills" and it says "crafted by House leaders" and "the Senate health committee".

The quote is just that, a quote. It does not have anything to do with me getting my facts straight.

Here is the link so that you can review it for yourself.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/16/AR2009071602242.html