Friday, December 18, 2009

US Healthcare: Reform, what reform?

What it is a major breakthough, is forcing insurance companies not to deny coverage to individuals due to pre-existing health conditions enough of a healthcare reform?

Howard Dean, former governor of Vermont, chairman of DNC and a doctor, had led in recent day a group of liberal Democrats that argue that the Senate healthcare bill (that now needs 60 votes to pass out of 100 instead of 51 under conciliation process) that Obama supports and which is moving toward a possible vote in coming days should be killed, in favor on relaunching a new, more ambitious healthcare reform initiative that would require 51 votes to pass in the Senate rather than 60.

In an ABC News interview on Wednesday, Obama claimed the legislation at hand
a) will reduce the budget deficit over the long term,
b) will help reduce insurance premiums for families,
c) will force companies not to deny coverage to individuals due to pre-existing health conditions, and
d) permit 30 million uninsured to get coverage.

But are those elements enough of a US healthcare reform?

Maybe a US referendum would be a solution, let the people decide?

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