skippy the bush kangaroo: reform madness

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

reform madness

maha points out the opposing opinion to bob herbert's rant against the tax on "cadillac" insurance policies:

in yesterday’s washington post, an mit economics professor named jonathan gruber presented an enthusiastic endorsement of the excise tax on “cadillac’ health insurance policies. gruber calls it “an innovative way of financing the health reform we so desperately need.” on the other hand, in today’s new york times, bob herbert says the tax “will hammer millions of middle-class policyholders, forcing them to scale back their access to medical care.”

so who’s right? hell if i know. maybe they both are — the excise tax is a means of financing health reform that will impact many middle-class policyholders. or not. hard to say. note that ezra klein is less enthusiastic about the tax than mr. gruber but less alarmed than mr. herbert. exactly how the tax would impact individuals depends on a lot of other factors, apparently.

meanwhile, howard dean, after coming out against the bill, then walking his objections back again, now seems to be at his original position:

if i were a senator, i would not vote for the current health-care bill. any measure that expands private insurers’ monopoly over health care and transfers millions of taxpayer dollars to private corporations is not real health-care reform. real reform would insert competition into insurance markets, force insurers to cut unnecessary administrative expenses and spend health-care dollars caring for people. real reform would significantly lower costs, improve the delivery of health care and give all americans a meaningful choice of coverage. the current senate bill accomplishes none of these…

i have worked for health-care reform all my political life. in my home state of vermont, we have accomplished universal health care for children younger than 18 and real insurance reform — which not only bans discrimination against preexisting conditions but also prevents insurers from charging outrageous sums for policies as a way of keeping out high-risk people. i know health reform when i see it, and there isn’t much left in the senate bill. i reluctantly conclude that, as it stands, this bill would do more harm than good to the future of america. (via)

posted by skippy at 3:10 PM |