The purpose of a public plan, according to its advocates, is to assure a competitive marketplace. The result will be lower costs, they argue, because a government-run health plan will keep private carriers honest. Senator Charles Schumer, speaking at a rally sponsored by Health Care for America Now!, put it this way, “A public health […]

Just looking at the broad facts, liberals should be riding high. President Barack Obama occupies the White House. Democrats hold a 60-40 super-majority in the U.S. Senate and a commanding 256-178 majority in the House (with one more on the way after a special election in California later this year). Republicans are on an electoral […]

We’re getting closer to seeing what the health care reform likely to emerge from Congress will actually look like. The Senate Finance Committee is likely to unveil its bi-partisan reform plan in the next few days. While it’s likely to disappoint members of both parties, it also holds out the greatest promise for serving as […]

Ouch! That’s one word that comes to mind after reading the results of a Gallup Poll asking Americans which of several groups they have confidence in when it comes to health care reform. The results are clear: if you deliver health care or are an objective authority on health care policy, the public trusts you. […]

The campaign for health care reform is making a lot of people nervous. Every day the media is reporting on a crippling blow President Barack Obama’s reform effort has suffered or on the inevitability of passage. It’s like watching an episode of 24 or Lost – every episode (or news cycle, as the case may […]

The reality is that Congress will miss President Barack Obama’s August deadline for health care reform. The Administration had wanted each Chamber to pass a bill before Congress recesses in early-August. Members of a Conference Committee would then spend the recess working through differences between the bills and Congress would be in a position to send legislation to […]

Health care in America is complicated, pervasive and critical. There’s a lot that works well in the current system. There is much that needs to be fixed. Getting health care reform right will take patience, determination and constructive debate. That’s why it makes sense to worry less about deadlines and more about getting reform right. […]

A few hours ago I wrote about how President Barack Obama was ratcheting up the heat and pressure on Congress to pass comprehensive health care reform in August. Today he turned down the heat a bit, but kept the pressure on. In a skillful speech he laid out to the American people the benefits they […]

President Barack Obama, as expected, has launched a full-court press on health care reform. For the fourth day in a row he spoke out on the issue, his tone becoming increasingly impatient. He consistent message is for Congress to pass comprehensive health care reform passed in August, which is a shame. His passion should be […]