Political Cortex: Brain Food for the Body Politic

OPINION



By CODY LYON

Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (KY-R) told Democrats in the Senate that `every election this fall will be a referendum" on health care reform.  McConnell, was rattling his saber after President Obama threw down the gauntlet, where he said congress owes the American people a final vote on healthcare reform.  The president gave his blessings to procedural `reconciliation,' a way by which Democrats bypass what could become unanimous Republican opposition to the legislation, in other words, get'er done!

Mind you, the healthcare reform bill is flawed.  And, the ways by which the miles high pile of details contained in this bill, the nuts and bolts of "what this legislation" would mean to the American people, have been short in coming to say the least.  Republicans and others have seized upon what they portray as frightening hints of socialism, portraying the bill as government interference into the private sector that they say serves us all well. But, truth be told, we live in a nation that is home to a healthcare system that serves some extraordinarily well, while it neglects our less fortunate, the uninsured citizens among us, a number now approaching 55 million people.  

Take note, a February 16 RAND Corporation analysis found that the Senate healthcare reform plan would cause overall health spending to increase by 2 percent because of increased utilization among newly insured people. The legislation would in fact, help drive down insurance premiums. Researchers at RAND estimated that premiums in the employer-sponsored market in 2019 would be 2 percent lower and premiums paid by individuals buying insurance through exchanges would be 3.7 percent lower than otherwise expected.

       Further the analysis found that by 2019, about 28 million people would purchase insurance through the Health Benefit Exchanges mandated by the legislation. The Exchanges would be state-run organizations through which private companies would sell health insurance to individuals. Researchers at RAND estimate that 15 million of those who use the exchanges would qualify for government subsidies to help pay for their insurance.

       Add to that, the RAND forecast predicts that among the 25 million Americans who would remain uninsured in 2019, about one-third (9 million) would be eligible for Medicaid but not enroll.

The study finds that health care legislation passed by the Senate would cut the number of uninsured Americans to 25 million by 2019 (a 53 percent decrease) and increase overall national spending on health care by about 2 percent cumulatively between 2013 and 2019.

What makes all of this back and forth over healthcare reform truly interesting is that Democrats have yet to seize the bull by the horns and sell the truth.  Truth be told, Democrats have failed to show Americans that they have gumption and the ability to forge legislation through to fruition that will impact the lives of their constituents in a positive way.  With this somewhat flawed, but still `incrementally' positive healthcare reform bill, Democrats have the chance to show they are proactive as leaders and that government can do good things for its people.  The President is correct to ask that they draw a line in the sand, and that they pass this bill.