All the confusion and opaqueness of the current health care debate is scaring the hell out of ordinary people, especially those who still have private or employer paid medical coverage. Hell, it confuses me and I have actually put considerable effort into keeping current with the proposals. Josh Marshall asks why not just present the public option as a voluntary choice to buy into Medicare at any age. Medicare is familiar to most people through their parents/ grandparents. It's not some nebulous unknown that leaves them worried that they and their kids won't be able to get decent medical care.

For me at least that kind of clarifies what the debate is really about.

Marshall's Article

Even Dick Armey approves.

I'd like it because my current health care plan sucks and I wouldn't want to have to stay in a job I hated just to keep healthcare.

I think the simplest and most sensible thing is as follows:

Everybody can buy into Medicare, at cost within 50% of poverty, up to 15% over based on income, maybe with enrollment capped at some income level.

Everybody can buy into the senate health plan, starting at 5% over cost, up to 15-25% over.

The extra money ensures Medicare is set, and once that's accomplished could be used to reach-out to those who can't afford.

Everybody could get health care regardless of employment or medical condition. Some margin is left for private competition, though they should also be better regulated (no kicking people off, etc).

Probably makes way too much sense to have a snowball's chance in hell.

my current health care plan sucks

Rather than cancel health insurance flat out, many employers attempt to offset ever rising premiums with cuts in coverage. Eventually you wind up with a "medical policy" that is going to put you in bankruptcy court if you have a serious illness. It's a harbinger of the collapse of our employer based system.

JKane: E-mail your congressman. I guarentee every employee of every insurance agency in your district has been prompted to do so by industry lobby groups.

Given that we spend so much tax money that we get no return on at all, I can't believe that people would be put off by their tax dollars going to help them stay healthy.

We are the only western country that doesn't do this.

If we reject this what's next - we'll decide we'd rather private police forces than local cops?

I am currently in the process of buying medical insurance. I was not able to find a policy in the USA that covered me overseas that didn't cost 1k or more a month. I finally found a global plan that covers 100 percent of all my medical expenses (less 1k per year deductible) and for about 360 USD a month. I was thrilled.

I am now excited to see what becomes of the health care plan that finally comes out of Congress. It is something that is needed. I am just not sure I'll see vast changes in the next few years.

It just pisses me off that the republicans are so insane about this.

It's the one thing I actually want my government to provide.

Do they think schools and police are socialism as well? Or fire fighters?

I finally found a global plan that covers 100 percent of all my medical expenses (less 1k per year deductible) and for about 360 USD a month. I was thrilled.

This sounds great. I am looking for the same thing.

Would you mind naming the provider?

This sounds great. I am looking for the same thing.

Would you mind naming the provider?

http://www.imglobal.com/insurance_plans.cfm?imgac=231894

Traveler Jim's Insurance

Telephone: 011-66-087-061-1470

Email: jmiller161@hotmail.com

Website: www.tjinsurance.com

I got the Global one Platinum. It covers up to 7 Million lifetime. I researched it a great deal before I decided on this one. Jim is gay and also a nice guy.

The first link is also a link for him.

This link is the plan I choose.

https://www.imglobal.com/travelinsurance/in...IG3,GMIP2,GMIP3

It just pisses me off that the republicans are so insane about this.

It's the one thing I actually want my government to provide.

Do they think schools and police are socialism as well? Or fire fighters?

As usual, they're being massively hypocritical. It's good enough for their parents (Medicare) and for them (Senate heath plan) but would be horrible for everybody else...

Maybe they just want poor people to die?

In this guy's view it's all on the Democrats. I agree. LBJ ran into this same lobby driven socialized medicine shit storm with Medicare in 1965 and he vowed to get his bill through Congress if he had to hump every democrat on the Hill.

It's all on the Democrats

In this guy's view it's all on the Democrats. I agree. LBJ ran into this same lobby driven socialized medicine shit storm with Medicare in 1965 and he vowed to get his bill through Congress if he had to hump every democrat on the Hill.

Perhaps Hillary would have been a better choice for the humping? I don't think many of those in Congress are open to getting humped by Obama. Although, if I were there, I would.

I don't think many of those in Congress are open to getting humped by Obama.

Maybe Obama could roll over some of those closeted Republicans? As to LBJ, I think all but the most Daddy obsessed would read that statement as a threat rather than an inducement.

I hate that I have no coverage portability.

I have a great plan, but if I get fired or quit, I'm screwed. We've been involved in a couple of hostile takeovers and it could happen to us and I'm out the door.

We want competitive, risk taking workforces. Why wouldn't we want everyone to have reasonable access to health coverage? Why make losing a job carry such a risk?

Because the powers that be don't really want risk taking work forces.

They want people to be trapped in drudge jobs because someone has to do them.

I hate that I have no coverage portability.

I have a great plan, but if I get fired or quit, I'm screwed. We've been involved in a couple of hostile takeovers and it could happen to us and I'm out the door.

We want competitive, risk taking workforces. Why wouldn't we want everyone to have reasonable access to health coverage? Why make losing a job carry such a risk?

Well, if you get fired there's Cobra--and thanks to Obama's recent actions it's actually affordable the first 9 months or so. But yeah, after that--or if you quit--you're fucked.

But come on now, what's more important? Healthcare coverage for anybody who needs it or the profits of a private industry that didn't even exist 30 years ago?

I've always thought the insurance industry would be much more likely to create death panels than the the government would.