House health plan boosts taxes on rich, continued

Download
July 15, 2009

House Democrats have unveiled sweeping legislation to overhaul the nation's health care system. The proposal would require health insurance companies to sell policies to individuals regardless of any pre-existing conditions. The plan would also require employers to provide health insurance and it would require individuals to purchase it. A new, government-run health insurance program would be created to compete with private coverage. Financing would come from a federal surtax of up to 5.4 percent on taxpayers making more than $1 million a year. Not all House members support the plan, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi expressed confidence that the bill would be passed before the August recess. Larry Mantle discusses the House's health care plan further with guests and listeners.

Also on this episode

Theodore Marmor, Professor Emeritus of Public Management and Political Science at Yale University. His most recent book is "Fads, Fallacies and Foolishness in Medical Care Management and Policy"

martha stevens
4 months, 1 week ago

In listening to your program yesterday, I heard Larry Mantle say that most people with health insurance are happy with what they have and would not want to change. I don't believe this is anywhere near the truth. Many people with health insurance may be happy when they are well, but should they have the misfortune to get sick, they find they are underinsured (a good 60%+ of them) or, like myself, they lose their insurance. I was perfectly happy with my insurance until I was diagnosed with cancer. Blue Cross got rid of me as fast as it could, and I became an untouchable in the world of insurance. Because I have always been self employed, I've had to buy my own insurance. After cancer no one in the insurance world would even speak to me. By the way, no one ever invites the self employed to the table when it comes to talking about health insurance.

Debra Lesslie
4 months ago

The discussion w/ Dr. Marmor was the best I've heard in ages. Charlotte's call was right on, Larry. And b/c people like you keep referring to single payer or non-profit medicine as 'radical' we keep losing this battle.

I am a teacher. I had to get a long and expensive education. And I work in a non-profit 'industry.' Why do we accept this so easily yet consider equating doctors to teachers 'radical'? Why do we take it as read that someone in medicine DESERVES a 750K+ a year salary? (That would pay 15 teachers, BTW.) Why do we accept the idea that an insurance company has a RIGHT to make money on my broken leg?

Comments disabled after 14 days