Senate Group May Scuttle Public Option

Now this is a change that I can believe in. Especially if these are the things that they will get.

Like bills drafted by Democrats, the proposal under discussion by six members on the Senate Finance Committee would bar insurance companies from denying coverage to any applicant. Nor could insurers charge higher premiums on the basis of pre-existing medical conditions.

But it jettisons other core Democratic provisions in a reach for bipartisanship on an issue that has so far produced little.

I think this would be called insurance reform instead of tearing down 20% of the economy and hoping for the best. If they can add a super cheap catastrophic option where a person will be covered if they get a rare disease or is hit by a car or something then it would be a good piece of legislation. Also expand the scope and funding of mini-clinics and doctor-in-the-box operations so the emergency room isn't used for preventive medicine.

The other things I would like to see are reforming Medicare and wringing the savings out of the system first and then talk about insuring the uninsured. Also they had better cap malpractice rewards so doctors don't have to practice defensive medicine.