Healthcare Reform 101 for Democrats, Health Insurers and Main Street

Health insurance companies, noting the evolution of Sen. Max Baucus’(D-Mo.) Senate Finance Committee Healthcare bill (America’s Healthy Future Act), have mounted a campaign to stymie additional government intrusion into the marketplace. America’s Health Insurance Plans commissioned an analysis prepared by Price Waterhouse. PW found exactly what I’ve repeatedly stated in this column: “It simply taxes those who have health coverage and uses the money to give care to others.” The administration responded, but the response comes up short because the actual bill isn't finished.

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More broken promises as Senate Finance shoots down transparency on healthcare bill

Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of Health and Human Services, says she got a seasonal flu shot. According to Sen. John Kyl (R-Ariz.) said Sebelius issued a gag order about healthcare legislation. This effectively bars the public and members of Congress from being able to analyze and research the bill, or to answer constituents' questions.Democrats in Congress are running like a pack of donkeys set loose on a corn field, and the latest consequence of panic over healthcare reform occurred when the Senate Finance Committee rejected on Wednesday, along party lines, a transparency measure introduced by Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) that would give Americans 72 hours to review the text of the Baucus healthcare reform bill before it is voted on by the panel.

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