Matt Davies for July 16, 2014

By any objective standard, it has been wildly successful. I am impressed, as this was not MY first choice, either. We could gain massive improvements if we went to single-payer, but at least we are getting some competition into the insurance system, and more coverage for Americans, which frees them up to do better things than low-wage jobs just to pay the hospital bills.

You need to label the drag chute the GOP house of representatives only. They are the problem.

“But I’m just a conservative loon.”Not always, but sometimes…

When I first saw this cartoon I thought the plane was on a dive! and that the GOP was the only thing slowing down the fall. I wonder if this is not prophetic in some ways. I’m all for universal health care, but if it’s going to be run like the VA hospitals!! forget it.

“And I hope it will eventually take the pressure off the physicians in dealing with the insurance companies.”

Would that this were true. The beginning of the end of affordable, outcome-based health care came in the early 1980s when the insurance industry stopped being a financial intermediary between patient and doctor, and became a monolithic plantation owner.

The resulting system rewards quantity, and is not at all concerned with quality. (This is not totally true; they care if your patient gets an infection while in the hospital to treat a broken bone. They don’t care if the patient has to go to several doctors for the same problem, because none of the doctors were successful at treating it.)

The biggest failing of Obamacare is that it gives insurance companies even more power, as now everyone is a captive audience.

And this is why we need single payer.

And I know that VA is single payer, and VA is a mess. But the fact that people in positions of responsibility abdicate that responsibility does not mean that the system cannot work. It DOES mean that we need more responsible people, and failing that, we will need more accountability measures.

Y’know, there are health insurance companies that do not have stockholders. -O’ course, that’s a form of socialized medicine, so even though the care is better at a lower cost, they should be done away with.

it’s still on the taxiway. the biggies (small and large employer mandates, policy pricing) haven’t even started yet. why has that been deferred until after the election?

Congratulations to Matt Davies on being hired by New York Newsday.

The only “drag” is indeed the GOP, and the House Republican Committee members who wrote most of the flaws into the legislation, like not allowing “single payer” to pass, and instead requiring their friends in the insurance industry to maintain or increase their profits.

While nothing speaks like success, it’s not as loud as the “Newspeak” the GOP trots out constantly.

What’s even more disturbing, not just with the ACA, is that even when Obama does exactly what the GOP asked for, they turn themselves around and condemn his actions! Bad enough they don’t seem to realize their statements have been on tape, they even deny what THEY WROTE into legislation, or published documents. It’s just nuts.

With a not so conservative idea.

Mikefive: among other things, go to Thomas and check out bills in their various forms as they progress through committee, to the House, over to the Senate, and back. You can also as things are happening check out what the committees are doing, available at the Congressional web site, and go to the various committees.

Congrats on th e new job!

by any objective standard aca has been a disaster and will get worst when the delays come home to roost

The jet is obviously pointing downward into a violent crash.