Transparency...........

[GaryC 7]

The unfortunate truth is that nothing major ever gets done in an election year. As we all know, 2010 will be an election year and there will be no health care reform measure going through Congress. It's sad but it's that simple. If nothing happens this year, certainly nothing is going to happen next year and to try and pick this back up in 2011 is wishful thinking at best.

I am not at all happy with what is circulating through Congress right now - there's unfortunately not much - if anything - in terms of reform in these bills. They had a good discussion on the News Hours last night with two Senators (Alexander (R,TN) and Dodd (D, CT)) and two Congressmen (Cooper (D,TN) and Ryan (R,WI)) talked about whether and how a bi-partisan deal can be reached. All but one of them - Dodd - seem to agree that - seeing that we're already paying 2.5 times per capita on healthcare compared to other developed nations with universal health care models - we should be able to get at least near universal coverage without increasing the total cost of the health care system.

What none of them said, however, was that in order for more people to get care for the same total sum, someone will have to get paid less. This is what they're all afraid of - to tell the medical providers, the pharma industry and - first and foremost - the insurance companies that the fat years are over. Until this is said and until this gets done, nothing will be reformed.

Since every other year is an election year we will always have this problem. The only real way to get this done is to have both sides agree rather than one side ramming it through. In reality coming up with a bi-partisan bill would probably be the best way anyway. This is my major gripe with Washington. Both sides are being inflexible and want it all their own way. What we will end up with is either nothing or a totally one sided bill. At this point I would rather see nothing but I have a feeling what we will get is a one sided bill that will not work or worse make things much worse than we have now. Why cant both sides start acting like adults and come up with something that is well thought out?