Privileged Healthcare -- the Uniquely American Solution
The passage of House Bill H. R.3962 gives Americans a clearer view of Congress' best ideas on healthcare reform, including a long awaited public option. Despite the stated goals, key provisions of the House and Senate bills perpetuate the same privileged system that led to the crisis.
Santa Fe, NM (PRWEB) November 15, 2009
Middle-income families have reason to be concerned about Congress' healthcare reform ideas. Its proposals claim to be providing affordable healthcare for all, but a close look at the details reveals a different result.
Campbell-Graves' latest report, Privileged Healthcare - the Uniquely American Solution (http://www. campbell-graves. org/privilegedcare/), compares key provisions of the latest bill to pass the House of Representatives with two Senate proposals. The House bill brings with it the first look at a public insurance option. All three proposals frame how Congress intends to make healthcare affordable.
Author Phil Campbell-Graves warns, "When Congress says it is 'bending the cost curve,' it is talking about government spending." Two questions relate to the more meaningful cost issues. The first is whether proposals cut America's total spending, or just federal spending. The latter reallocates costs across society. The second question is how Congress allocates costs. Proposal details answer both questions. The answers indicate problems.
The report explores four topics that describe challenges confronting Congress. It then examines:
How proposals intend to control total costs; How proposed price restrictions would affect most Americans; How proposed mandates affect program performance; Whether consumer information proposals are sufficient; and, Whether the public option delivers what Congress promises. In their current form, Congress' ideas conflict with its stated goal. A promise of 'affordable' implies proportional to income. Affordable healthcare means everyone has a right to the same quality of medical care, irrespective of financial ability. Key provisions of all three proposals codify a privileged system. That system disproportionately burdens middle-income families. Moreover, one important quality is missing from all three proposals.
Privileged Healthcare - the Uniquely American Solution is a free, public-service report. The Adobe PDF file, with video, may be downloaded from campbell-graves. org.
ABOUT CAMPBELL-GRAVES. ORG: Campbell-Graves. org is a non-partisan public service project, founded in 1997. It focuses on policy topics related to the economy, mortgages, investments, taxes, and retirement. For more information, visit the Press section at Campbell-Graves. org (http://www. campbell-graves. org/press/) or contact the author, Phil Campbell-Graves, at 888-543-5130.
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