Wendell Potter's Blog, page 15

‘Socialized’ or Not, Britain’s Health Care System is Superior

Fear of single-payer system fueled by American insurance companies. America is the home of the brave, they say, but a lot of us brave folks are terrified of the way the British do health care. We’re even afraid of other Americans who aren’t afraid of it, like Dr. Donald Berwick. President Obama nominated Berwick to […]

Why I’m OK Having a Mid-Level Dental Practitioner Work on My Teeth

Would you trust someone with two years of dental training to pull one of your teeth or fill a cavity? If you’re like me–or like I used to be–I’m pretty sure you’re saying, “Not a chance.” Until a few years ago, I wouldn’t have believed that anyone with 24 months of training (plus a six- […]

Elimination of ‘Public Option’ Threw Consumers to the Insurance Wolves

Big firms and their campaign cash found a friend in Joe Lieberman. When members of Congress caved to demands from the insurance industry and ditched their plan to establish a “public option” health plan, the lawmakers  also ditched one of their favorite talking points, that a government-run plan was necessary to “keep insurers honest.” Getting […]

Republican ‘Alternative’ to Obamacare Really no Alternative at All

Skeletal proposal would reduce consumer protections. We got a glimpse last week of what would happen to our health care system if Republicans increase their control of Congress and win the White House in 2016. Gone would be the part of Obamacare that Americans tell pollsters they don’t like: the requirement that they enroll in [...]

Millions of Middle Class Americans Will Remain Uninsured Despite Obamacare

No-man’s land captures those too rich for subsidies but too poor for sanctions. The good news from last week’s Congressional Budget Office report was that Obamacare will cost 20 percent less through 2019 than originally expected. That’s in  part because medical inflation has slowed more than the CBO anticipated back in 2010 when the law [...]

Health Insurers Watch Profits Soar as They dump Small Business Customers

Record stock prices reward investors but leave mom-and-pop firms in the cold. Several million previously uninsured Americans now have coverage because of Obamacare, but it could be argued that the people who have benefited most from the law—at least financially—are the top executives and shareholders of the country’s health insurance companies. Among those who apparently [...]

Selling Out for Big Business: Business as Usual on Capitol Hill

Obamacare bills reflect a narrow agenda. In coming weeks, we can expect the Republican-controlled Congress to push two Obamacare bills that would hike profits for some businesses. What we can’t expect, from either Republicans or Democrats, unfortunately, is any effort to help families, even those with insurance, to stay out of bankruptcy court because of [...]

Good News on Health Care in 2014, but We’re Still Spending Too Much

Fewer uninsured and less inflation, but debt, mental health coverage and dental care are on the agenda for 2015. The end of the year is always a good time to reflect on what went right and what didn’t and to speculate about what might happen in the coming 12 months. So let’s take a look [...]

Good News on Health Care in 2014, but We’re Still Spending Too Much

Fewer uninsured and less inflation, but debt, mental health coverage and dental care are on the agenda for 2015. The end of the year is always a good time to reflect on what went right and what didn’t and to speculate about what might happen in the coming 12 months. So let’s take a look […]

High-Stakes Health Care Battle in the Green Mountain State

Upcoming financing plan will reignite debate over single-payer system in Vermont. Two weeks from now, Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin will describe how he thinks the country’s first state-based single payer system will be financed. Whether the Green Mountain State keeps moving forward with its goal of achieving universal coverage while also reducing the growth of [...]