Health care talking points

I've been doing my health care blogging at DetNews for a number of reasons. One, my readership there is the demo that needs convincing. Two, we now have several sitting US Representatives as front page bloggers and one hopes they might read my posts. And three, you high denonimator readers don't need the education. But it occurs to me that it might be useful to share the talking points I come across if you're posting on it too, so here's a few links.

Dr Krugman's transition to DFH is nearly complete. Loving his columns more and more every day. Here's a snip of today's offering.

I’m not that worried about the issue of costs. Yes, the Congressional Budget Office’s preliminary cost estimates for Senate plans were higher than expected, and caused considerable consternation last week. But the fundamental fact is that we can afford universal health insurance — even those high estimates were less than the $1.8 trillion cost of the Bush tax cuts. ...

The real risk is that health care reform will be undermined by “centrist” Democratic senators who either prevent the passage of a bill or insist on watering down key elements of reform. I use scare quotes around “centrist,” by the way, because if the center means the position held by most Americans, the self-proclaimed centrists are in fact way out in right field.

Well worth reading in full.

Digby has a good post on the "competition" in the private health insurance market. Key points:

In Arkansas — Senator Lincoln should take note — Blue Cross Blue Shield has 75 percent of the market. [...]

Here is a clue to the Arkansas problem — and the national one, too. From 2000 to 2007, the median earnings of Arkansas workers rose only 12 percent, from $20,328 to $22,692. Health insurance premiums for the average working Arkansas family rose over the same period by 66 percent.

And Reuters has some revealing numbers on the struggle to pay for health insurance.

*25 percent of households have trouble paying
*40 percent expect to delay care this summer
*Baby boomers hardest hit

People born before 1946 were the least likely to delay care, probably because most can take part in Medicare, the federal health insurance plan for the elderly, the researchers found.

It's getting so bad out there that even GOP pollsters are finding Republicans and so-called moderate Independents are supporting a public option.

[More posts daily at The Detroit News]