Is the Obama Health Care Plan Really Better Than Nothing?

[Better Believe It]

Is the Obama Health Care Plan Really Better Than Nothing?
By Bruce A Dixon
Black Agenda Report managing editor
July 22, 2009

Candidate Barack Obama told us to judge his first term by whether he delivers quality affordable health care for all Americans, including nearly fifty million uninsured. So why does his proposal not cover the uninsured till 2013, after the next presidential election when Medicare took only 11 months to cover its first 40 million seniors? Why are corporate media pretending that no opinions exist to Obama's left? And why has the public option part of the Obama health care plan shrunk from covering 130 million to only 10 million, with 16 million left uninsured altogether?

Under the Obama plan, we're told, employers will have to insure their employees or pay into a fund that does it for them. Individuals will be required under penalty of law to buy private insurance policies and for those that can't afford it or prefer not to use a private insurer there will be something called a “public option.” This “public option, the story goes, is bitterly fought by the bad guys because it will make private insurers accountable by competing with them, forcing them to lower their costs. Both the president's backers and opponents agree that the whole thing will be fantastically expensive, and the president proposes to fund it with cuts in existing programs like Medicaid which pay for the care of the poorest Americans and a tax on those making more than $300,000, later raised to $1 million a year.

The “public option” has that magic word “public” in it, and that's reassuring to progressives and to most of the American people. Taxing the rich is a popular idea too. So if you rely on corporate media, the administration, or some of the so-called progressive blogs to identify the players and keep the score, it seems a pretty clear case of President Obama on the side of the angels, battling the greedy insurance companies, Republicans and blue dog Democrats to bring us universal, affordable health care.

That whole picture has about as much reality as the ones the same corporate media and most of the same politicians drew for us about Iraq, 9-11, weapons of mass destruction and some people over there who wanted us to free them. Iraq and the White House were and remain actual places, and there really is a problem called health care. But the places, problems and solutions are very different from the bubble of fake reality blown around them.

The Obama plan is about health insurance, not health care.

As BAR has been reporting since January 2007, the Obama plan is not a health care plan at all, it is a health insurance plan. Based largely upon the failed model in place in Massachusetts since 2006, the Obama plan will require employers to provide coverage or pay a special tax. Everybody not covered by an employer will be required to purchase insurance under penalty of law, in much the same manner as you're currently required to buy car insurance.

As private insurers use their marketing muscle to recruit younger, healthier people who'll pay for but not use their benefits, the public option will be a dumping ground for the customers they don't want... the middle-aged, the poor, those with pre-existing conditions. And of course the Obama plan's “public option' will be managed by contractors from the private insurance industry.

So far, discipline is holding. Nobody in corporate media, the administration, or among Democrats in Washington has gotten round to telling us that the public option has been eviscerated. But its powerful appeal and the awesome power of the word “public” are offered by Obama supporters as the central reasons to shut up, clap harder, and get behind the president on this.

Please read the complete article at:

http://www.blackagendareport.com/?q=content/obama-health-care-plan-really-better-nothing

[MichiganVote]

1. So apparantly everyone is supp. to stay healthy until 2013? Stupid.

Edit to add....and another thing, I thought this was supposed to be the biggest draw on the economy? Not to mention that health care costs are still rising as they keep reminding us dumb people who aren't supposed to recognize the BS in this.

No, a thousand times, No. Congress and the healthcare industry have had over 40 years to get this thing straight and now its a vacation in August and three years after that. Sure. What's next, A roulette table in Vegas?

[valerief]

2. I thought it was still the Congress Health Plan. nt

[alc]

7. nobody wants credit for it

> I thought it was still the Congress Health Plan
I've been noticing for 2 weeks that Obama answers questions saying things like "It's not Obamacare - not my plan, it's congress' plan and I'll veto or not based on how good a job I think they do". Meanwhile, congressmen/women are calling it "Obama's plan". Seems like they are already blaming each other or at least setting up to distance themselves from it in the next election. If it works, everyone will want credit, but they need to take responsibility and accountability too.

[Name removed]

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[MichiganVote]

5. He should blame Congress. They were given a simple enough mandate.

And the same white haired multi millionaire dunderheads have been in the Senate since the dark ages. If they had to mow the front lawn, it'd be a permanent weed patch by now.

[dionysus]

4. i never knew obama writes legislation as president. how informative.

[frebrd]

6. No! We'll never get decent healthcare in this country until it's.......

taken out from under the control of the blood-sucking insurance industry. That obviously isn't going to happen!

:(

[ipaint]

8. What will sell this is the middle class

will see their premiums reduced a bit and the threat of ending up like the other 50 million will be put off for awhile. The rot from below is just a little too close for comfort.
The public option is meant to appease their collective conscience as they legally tie millions of working class people to horrendous insurance corporations with a track record of death and suffering as a trade off for a few years of being less fearful and that bit of savings they can now invest in their retirement accounts or stocks.

If congress can get the uninsured down to an acceptable level, say 20-25 million, and label them deadbeats and slackers the middle class won't know or care that they exist and it'll be another hollow, phony mission accomplished.


"Nobody in corporate media, the administration, or among Democrats in Washington has gotten round to telling us that the public option has been eviscerated. But its powerful appeal and the awesome power of the word “public” are offered by Obama supporters as the central reasons to shut up, clap harder, and get behind the president on this."

[TomCADem]

9. We don't have nothing. We have the most expensive healthcare system in the world.

If we had nothing, then we could implement single payer. Unfortunately, we have a convoluted mess. In a perfect world, we scrap medicare, medicaid, etc., and start from scratch with single payer.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=8555485&mesg_id=8555485

[RaleighNCDUer]

11. Actually, folding medicare, medicaid and VA into single-payer

would be the easy part. For the most part, it would be just a change in the letterheads. Next, transfer all the government plan BC/BS into single-payer. With all that you already have half the population covered. Open up single-payer to ALL the uninsured - there's another 50 million.

We don't really need to 'start from scratch'. The framework is already there.

[Laelth]

12. Very true. The powers that be want us to THINK it would be hard to switch to single-payer. n/t

:dem:

-Laelth

[ProSense]

10. Yes, much better. It will protect Americans

just ask Kucinich.

To quote Obama, the alternative is the "status quo.

Next question?

[WinkyDink]

13. I don't know. Who does? Does he? What IS in the details?

[karynnj]

14. Yes it is

Here is the simplest best write up I have seen that shows how people benefit - http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/26/opinion/26sun1.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2

[TheKentuckian]

15. I see we picked up something from the Republicans in messaging

See lots of similar headlines that usually go on to give the merits of a single payer system but fail to demonstrate the point that somehow what we have today is preferable to a public option using the principles outlined by Obama. Realistically, even just some regulatory changes would be an improvement. Far short of what is needed? Sure, but worse than nothing is a bullshit and nonsensical frame.