two good developments in health care reform!

OK, I am feeling a bit optimistic about the progress of the health care reform in congress. Two items of news made me happy:

first the senate voted down the anti abortion ammendment and that was just a horrible attack on poor women. It is still in the House Bill and must be defeated. It says women cannot buy insurance that covers abortion. This means only women who can pay out of their own pocket can afford abortions. This would be most hurtful to those who have complications late in a wanted pregnancy and must pay for an EXPENSIVE emergancy abortion that is already something they do not really want to do. BAD. And for the poor it will return folks to back alley abortions.

second the senate says they may scrap the public option and hire a private insurance company to run the "public option". I just love this irony!!!! BUT there are two good things that I like about this plan.

First the public option was going to be so shitty that it would discredit the who idea of a public option. This way in the future there will still be the desire for a public option and we just may get a stronger one.

Second, they said instead they may lower the enrollment age for medicare to 55 years old. THIS is a brilliant plan! The infrastructure is already there. If that works out then perhaps we can lower it even further in the future, and then further, and then finally have the OPTION of medicare for anyone who would like it. GREAT IDEA, didn't I say that a long time ago. Me and many others, I can't take credit for the idea.