The changing health-care debate

The Washington Times ^ | January 19, 2007 | Masthead Editorial

[neverdem]

A few years down the road, January 2007 could be remembered as a turning point in American health care. A turn leftward, that is. This week, the groups best known for their stalwart opposition to Democratic universal health-care schemes in the 1990s announced two separate coalitions with former adversaries. This follows less-than-conservative health-care initiatives by Republican governors in California and Massachusetts within the past year. Viewed together, it looks like the political terrain on health care is shifting.

    In one of this week's coalitions, America's Health Insurance Plans, whose predecessor the Health Insurance Association of America helped torpedo HillaryCare with its "Harry and Louise" ad campaign, joins Families USA, one of Sen. Hillary Clinton's favorites, among other groups, to advocate a yet-to-be-detailed "overhaul" of health care. The other coalition joins the Business Roundtable with the Service Employees International Union, among others, for a similar purpose, also short on details. Not until the coalitions elaborate on the specifics will we know where the new health-care debate is headed.

    These are the key players in American health care, buttressed by the top representatives of corporate America generally: America's Health Insurance Plans, the Business Roundtable, plus the American Medical Association, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the American Hospital Association and others in addition to the above heavy hitters are also involved in these two coalitions. Together, this is quite nearly the entire universe of industry players -- with the important exception of the pharmaceuticals industry. All may now be signaling that they find market-based health care to be unacceptable.

    If SchwarzeneggerCare is any indication, the direction is likely to be measurably to the left of previous years. Mr. Schwarzenegger's plan for universal coverage includes "pay or play," a 4 percent payroll tax and a four percent tax on doctors and...

[speekinout]

put all the strong, healthy, men who are on welfare into a work program for their checks, including picking fruit or other crops.

Except are there any "strong, healthy men" on welfare? I think not. Almost all male welfare recipients are addicts, alcoholics or mentally ill. Or, in the case of CA, illegal immigrants.

[Arizona Carolyn]

Good point. What a mess.