Why So Scared of a Public Plan?

TruthDig by Joe Conason | Jun. 11, 2009 (Opinion)

Within the coming weeks, Americans will begin to consider critical issues concerning the future of health care for themselves and their children, including universal coverage, taxation of benefits, computerized records and the controlling of costs. But before the debate commences in Congress and the media, big insurance and pharmaceutical companies are lobbying frantically (and spending millions of dollars) to foreclose the possibility of the most ... Full Story »

Posted by Kaizar Campwala

More Info

Tags Help
Subjects: U.S., Politics, Health
Topics: Health Care
Editorial Help
Posted by: Posted by Kaizar Campwala - Jun 11, 2009 - 5:51 AM PDT
Reviewed by: Kaizar Campwala (review), Glenn LaBauve (review), Jack Dinkmeyer (review), Richard McIlnay (review), Patricia Blochowiak (review), Harry A Farr (review)
Content Type: Article
Edit Lock: This story can be edited
Edited by: Kaizar Campwala - Jun 11, 2009 - 5:51 AM PDT
Related Comments: Health Care (8)

Reviews

Show All Comments
Show All | Notes | Comments | Quotes | Links
Jack Dinkmeyer
2.9
 by Jack Dinkmeyer - Jun. 17, 2009

A story which argues against the neocon playbook hysteria that America cannot afford "socialized medicine" because it will destroy medicine as we know it, bankrupt America, and depreciate healthcare. While all the time hiding their servitude to healthcare special interests, and the horrors we've all experienced from greedy private healthcare insurers.

What neocons overlook is that many services, including utilities, are already socialized. That's the only way they can work.

See Full Review » (19 answers)
Harry A Farr
4.8
 by Harry A Farr - Jun. 18, 2009
See Full Review » (5 answers)
Patricia Blochowiak
4.0
 by Patricia Blochowiak - Jun. 17, 2009
See Full Review » (17 answers)
Glenn LaBauve
4.2
 by Glenn LaBauve - Jun. 11, 2009

It addresses the elephant in the room.

The private insurers will complain that this is “unfair” competition, but if the private sector is truly the efficient solution to our costly, wasteful and unfair ... More »

See Full Review » (13 answers)
Kaizar Campwala
3.5
 by Kaizar Campwala - Jun. 11, 2009

Private insurers consistently spend more on overhead and administration than Medicare. To anyone who shares the broad prejudice against government, the difference will be ... More »

Kaizar posted this story.
See Full Review » (11 answers)
Richard McIlnay
4.0
 by Richard McIlnay - Jun. 12, 2009

The writer uses the classic rhetorical technique of setting forth the arguments against public medicine and then refuting them.

The payment for public health care should be viewed not as a tax, but as an insurancepremium. So viewed it will become apparent how much cheaper the public plan is.

See Full Review » (7 answers)

Comments on this story Help (BETA)

Sort by: Oldest | Newest Hide All Replies
NT Rating | My Rating

Ratings

3.9

Good
from 6 reviews (50% confidence)
Quality
3.9
Facts
3.0
Fairness
2.5
Information
3.7
Insight
4.3
Style
4.2
Accuracy
4.5
Balance
1.5
Context
3.2
Depth
3.0
Enterprise
3.5
Expertise
2.5
Originality
2.8
Relevance
4.5
Transparency
1.5
Responsibility
4.0
Popularity
3.9
Recommendation
4.2
Credibility
3.8
# Reviews
3.0
# Views
5.0
# Likes
1.0
# Emails
1.0
More
How our ratings work »
(See these related stories.)

Links Help

No links yet. Please review this story to add some!