Archive for May 5, 2009
The Cart Before The Horse?
It’s time to change the conversation about health care reform from protecting private insurance companies to protecting the American people. Senator Charles Schumer is quoted in today’s New York Times as saying any public plan included in health care reform must comply with private insurance requirements.
Senator Schumer has it backwards. Since when is health care for Americans about making things work for private, profit-making insurance companies? Isn’t the moral imperative to provide for the medical needs of American citizens? If we are looking to equalize public and private offerings, how about eliminating profits for private companies, requiring standardized benefits, notices, appeal rights, and full due process, with full and complete access by the public to all their records – as would be the case with a public plan.
CMA Health Policy Blog 