That’s too bad – I happen to think that redistribution of wealth is one of the most important functions of government, and something only government can do. We have massive chasms between the rich and poor in this country, and only government can close the gap.

I don’t think the reform bill is disruptive ENOUGH to the American health non-system. I want to turn it completely on its head so that everything costs less. Imagine Medicare for all. If there are no private insurers to shift the costs to, then the costs will just go down: they HAVE TO.

Just look at the medical costs in Canada, the UK, France, etc. – all vastly lower than they are here.

Of course the best way to finance this is through highly progressive taxation. The problem with Medicare is not that it’s a bad idea, but that our taxes are too low.

I concur with much of what you have said. Here is part of my solution http://healthyprotocols.com/2_health_care.htm

With H.S.A.’s we improve individual choice, control risk, take the government and insurance companies out of micromanaging the small decisions, improve the fiduciary relationship between providers and patients (the doctor is not an agent of the insurance company), and stabilize insurance cost obligations of providers. It can even solve the poor uninsured problem with government funded vouchers (giving the poor the same choices as others).

A high deductible insurance policy for every one of the 12,000,000 poor uninsured (not counting the 12,000,000 illegal aliens, or the 9,000,000 who are between jobs, or the 13,000,000 who can afford, but choose not to buy insurance), would cost (at $200/month/person) only $28,000,000 per year. Chump change to the Obama crowd!

The legislation is in place, the tax law is in place, and the Democrat socialists won’t have any part of it, because it dis-empowers them and their union collaborators.