Daily News Updates - Health Insurance News

Assessing Obama’s Divergence From McCain, Pt.9 – Tough sell, but tougher times.

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Previous… Of course, mandating that everyone carry health insurance will invoke a strong reaction among the American public. But all lawmakers know that enacting any health insurance effort of this magnitude into law is going to involve many compromises and changes if it is to survive. The element in question here is the pivotal health insurance mandate to cover ‘all’ (most) Americans and, right now, it appears to be a ‘two in favor’ and ‘one undecided’ situation. So the situation appears to favorably negotiable.

Another health insurance funding issue that could turn favorable is that of the Medicare Program. Right now, topping $450 billion a year, the program appears to be ‘bloated with pork’. As successful and efficient as the program is, there is room for much more opportunity still. Even enough to ‘fill the bill’. Critics and analysts are bringing out the point that, if the government were to institute some degree of means testing for wealthier people enrolled in Medicare, as they have done for the VA Medical branch, there would be enough in savings to fund most of Obama’s new health insurance proposals. Not as simple as it sounds though, this could prove to be a bloody fight, politically. Stiff resistance is expected from the ‘vocal wealthy’ who, would be adversely affected by it.

The overall assessment comes from Len Nichols. Mr. Nichols is a director at the New America Foundation over the health policy program. This foundation is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy institute. Mr. Nichols’ final assessment is that: “Obama's plan would provide nearly universal access to health care and necessary regulation of quality.” He advises, however, that the cost of funding could easily double what is projected by Mr. Obama at this time. As far as getting such an aggressive change through Congress, things will heavily depend on ‘political will’. He adds the critical observation that the growing desperation of such a substantial percentage of Americans and their demand for health insurance/care reform may have the backing needed to breach the hurdles.

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