The Senate Finance Committee has moved along the Baucus bill and the next step is on the floor of the Senate. Olympia Snow voted for the bill in spite of the fact that Maine has seen the failure of a similar “reform.” Maine has a plan somewhat similar to the Baucus bill. It is not doing well and the solutions for its problems sound like the criticisms of the Baucus bill.
One of the co-authors of the original Dirigo legislation recognizes that it “in its current form is not the panacea some pundits were predicting.” He advocates three changes to the plan: the requirement that all citizens participate (an end to the voluntary aspect of the program), movement away from employer-provided coverage, and “a return to the concept of insurance as coverage for the unexpected and unaffordable.” (Chris O’Neil, Portland Herald Press, January 20, 2005.)
Thus, the “weak mandate” that is in the Baucus bill doesn’t work and pre-paid care called insurance isn’t affordable.
The Democrats are creating a mess that will take decades to unravel and it puts real reform back by at least a decade, whether or not this bill passes.
I read a few topics. I respect your work and added blog to favorites.
in spite of the fact that Maine has seen the failure of a similar “reform.” Maine has a plan somewhat similar to the Baucus bill.
I suspect the left subscribes to the old communist saw about “socialism in one country,” that it won’t work unless all countries are socialist. Likewise they think these reforms will work if only all the states were bound…ugh.
Mike,
I just got back from Key West on Monday night.
I should have stayed and drank myself to death.
This is a nightmare.
They’re actually going to do it.
Snowe should have been told privately that if she voted “yea” on the bill in Committee that she would be expelled from the GOP.
The GOP will never get me back as long as they have people like Olympia Snowe representing it in Washington DC.
BILL
Why did you wipe my comment, Mike?
I dunno. I delete spam several times a day and maybe it got caught up in that. Sorry. I’m trying to add some rules for the most egregious spammers. Sometimes, it’s a mystery because Bill has had a couple of times when his comments didn’t get posted.