Republicans Win Their Seat At The Table – They Should Bring C-Span With Them
by Andrew MarcusPREDICTION:
The Republicans are going to suddenly have that seat at the table, now that the Progressives can’t ram their agenda through unilaterally.
Republicans should demand to bring C-SPAN with them to the table in a non-partisan effort to help the President fulfill his campaign promise.
What do you say, Madam Speaker? Do you still feel like laughing today?
Email this to a friend | Print |
Share on Facebook
| Tweet this
| 
Follow Us on Twitter
Subscribe via RSS
Got a Tip?
105 Comments
Love to see this happen – Just do it ! It would be like turning on the light in a roach infested room….
From that picture at the top – what doesn't belong? LOL! What is that guy doing back there? Don't they have security there?
Non-partisan effort? That's a bit pie in the sky don't you think? Personally I would settle for a Bi-partisan effort but considering how hard the democrats have worked to keep the republicans out of the mix I don't believe they will be so willing to compromise. If they were interested in a universal effort to write a real reform bill they would have done so from the beginning.
great suggestion- and one the Republicans should demand…
And watch the Dems effortlessly embrace it like it was their idea. They will use the Republicans to rally their base around the public option, since now they can't get it they'll hold out for it. The chicanery you are going to see will be pretty mind blowing…
I think the Republicans should at least propose it to see what the secretive, lying, scumbag dems do/say.
C-SPAN?
How about renting out an empty hall, bring in some high intensity spotlights, turn on the microphone and then asking Reid and Pelosi – "excuse me, what were saying concerning healthcare?" "Details, please."
One thing they CAN'T say is that Obama NEVER asked for C-SPAN coverage…
Nope, not if that is the White House.
How much you want to bet Berry's handlers also hired acting coaches for his speeches? Always trying to look like some god or deity… Makes me sick. That's what you get for voting in a Kenyan Muslim.
Republicans earned their seat???????????????? The unaffilated said you better earn our office or you will be gone.
Hey guys? Can someone please set this straight for me? There are words that had just came out stating that Brown is a RINO. Glenn Beck thinks he is. Brown has also helped passed the Universal Healthcare in MA. I'm not sure if any of this is true. Even though he said repeatedly that he'll stop the Obamacare.
Not only should it be transparent, but the Repubs need to have some good ideas for attacking the real underlying costs of healthcare.
Scott will get big points if he responds to Obama's address ( assuming he is the pick, and he should be the man of the moment )
He should call out the Left on transparency and demand they open up the legislative process
In all fairness maybe Obama got confused and what he really meant was that he wanted to see Congress in Spandex not C-Span…….Kinky.
Looks like Tiger Woods….
Quite frankly, the Republicans haven't "won" or "earned" anything, including our trust.
Scott Brown an election yesterday, but as of that, not much else has chamged. Due to the fact that Brown won, and the way he did, he certainly has more credability than most. He has a small window of opportunity, to step up to the plate and prove he is a standup guy.
If he doesn't, he will be regaled and regarded just as the rest of them currently are.
II think the response to the state of the union address would be the place to do that.
Call for a one step at a time approach to the issues, jobs, health care etc. and DEMAND that all legislation debates and meetings be open to both parties, no back room meetings, no bribery or deals, a free exchange of ideas all covered by C-SPAN
The language and message would have to be war-gammed a bit because the danger is that the left would try and co-opt this into simple political theatre.
Get them to agree or face the charge of more business as usual in DC.
This would be damn funny because regardless of their desire to look good the temptation to slink back into the shadows will be too great for them.
Amen to that brother.
I have no idea how conservatarian the guy is, but he better understand a spot-light is focused on him like a laser, the left will be looking to destroy him, the RINO's to Co-opt him.
Its a fricking mine field. If he waffles then his political captial is spent, God help the republic if he goes left of center.
Everyone deserves a chance, Brown included, but the mood of the populace is no more "biddness as usual". It is either put up, or shut up; or more specifically, deliver or get gone.
Time is a wastin; and the clock is a tickin'.
Tick tock, tick tock……..
The only thing the Republicans have to bring with them is their Coglioni's. Don't leave home without Them.
Most definitely.
Imagine how much fun this will be this year at local tea parties across the nation.
http://RightWingStuff.com
you rate them that high eh?
On a side note……..it's starting !
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/22f1bd26-05db-11df-8c97...
brown has much riding on his shoulders. he's takes with him to washington the hopes of a conservative nation. i pray he lives up to the hype. let the cameras in….
brown has much riding on his shoulders. he's takes with him to washington the hopes of a conservative nation. i pray he lives up to the hype. let the cameras in….
Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi respond with "Are you serious"?
You Tube video: The Wizard of Obama (on transparency): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUqLeNpdoYo
Yes we are still having to look up his nostrils if we care to watch a speech.
I can't get there from here.
"… in a non-partisan effort to help the President fulfill his campaign promise."
In the parlence of the typical Obama voter… Dude! WTF?
The current bills need to DIE DIE DIE!!
The Repubs better grow a pair, or they're next to be shown the door.
What a wonderful idea! C-Span at the table with the Repubs!
You are right.
I sure wouldn't want the weight of the world on my shoulders, like Brown now has.
He ran on healthcare. he is the ONLY now that can make a difference. if he derails it, he will have the wrath of the left descend upon him. If he screws US, he will have our wrath upon him.
Either way, he is screwed.
Lied? Lied? Obama lied? Ask Joe Wilson R-SC. He has had it right for a long time and told us all early on.
tort reform and portability…
Sorry about that…Russia is moving away from US $…top story pn left column on drudge….
http://drudgereport.com/
And it isn't just him. On any piece of Progressive legislation, all they have to do is peel off 1 Republican. Just 1.
So far they have all held tight, but that is easy to do when there is no consequence to standing against the Dems. Now that holding together will actually effect something, the pressure is gong to be tremendous on them to cave. Anyone want to bet which Republicans have a price?
This goes way beyond Scott Brown.
He evidently escaped the sex rehab in Hattiesburg, MS and is hiding from his wife. Probably got a side gig as a body double for Barrack.
I've heard that, too. I still supported to Scott Brown and donated 3x to the money bomb and here's why:
He said he would be the 41st vote against the Senate health care bill. Period.
After that, his responsibilities are to the voters of Massachusetts. He answers to them and they are a liberal state. Although, he said something else in his acceptance speech that I liked and that was that he believes that taxpayers' money should be spent on weapons for our troops defeating the enemy rather than going for lawyers for terrorists. And he believes in cutting taxes. So far, he's got 3 points on my scorecard.
Bill Whittle from PJTV said that in retaking this country, we need to vote for the lessor of two evils-i.e. a RINO over a Democrat, a Democrat over a Progressive, a Progressive over Marxist and a Marxist over a nihilist. Because it was the Lessor of Two Evils.
My hope and prayer is that now that We, the People are wide awake, we will stay heavily involved in supporting more conservative candidates so we don't ever have to choose between a Progressive and a Marxist–God forbid.
We can never, ever go back to way the were before. The enemy is inside the institution and beating them back will be step by step.
Please Republicans…………
We have given you a seat at the table after Massachuetts……..
DON'T SCREW THIS UP………..
MAKE IT MANDATORY TO PUT HEALTHCARE DEBATE ON C-SPAN………….
that would really make the Fraud in Cheif to put up or shut up.
Never can tell with these loonies….lol You may be right!
Republicans are in no position to demand anything. They form small minorities in congress and are not willing to compromise so they have no bargaining power.
That person in the background is a reporter for the Daily Scruff Daily!
The Conservative Edge
You mean Barry?
One more thing-there's a letter from an ER doc circulating the web now about treating a patient on Medicaid but had an expensive gold tooth, covered completely in tattoos and had a cell phone with the latest R&B ringtone on it. If she could afford these things, why should taxpayers be on the hook for her health insurance?
I believe a person has the right to squander money in any way they see fit…don't penalize ME for it!
(This is just about the health care issue. Tats, cell phone w/ringtones/gold teeth on Medicaid–whole 'nother conversation)
He didn't even call himself a Republican during the campaign… you know he is pro choice, don't you?
Whats with anguished look on his face!
Scrotum ~ Zipper?
uniformity of policy forms, ability to compete accross state lines, are a couple of others. No doubt about it James, there are plenty of private market initiatives that will help if we work to minimize government involvement to the areas they do best instead of power grab.
I thought that too, I decided not to chime in on it though. Thanks!
Which circles me back to my opinion that this scam is more about growing government than it is about improving anybody's healthcare.
Socialized (re:Nationalized Healthcare ala` England) has long been the "Holy Grail" of American statists/socialists…with Barry Hussein they finally had "one of their own" in office. That's why he started down this path as soon as he did, that and he had the votes. Oops, that's over! Hee hee.
yup
He does like to channel Mussolini when he "speaks", doesn't he?
If legislating in a public format is an honest process, what then is secretive negotiations? Obama speaks with a ~~~-< (Forked tongue)
Time to let him know…………http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liNLU2CURkU&fe...
yup. Pure independents pushed the ball across the goal line for Brown. He won't forget that, neither should we.
He is an elected politician from Massachusettes – we aren't expecting him to be the second coming of Barry Goldwater.
What we are expecting him to do is to derail/slow down the Obama Express to Oblivion.
He said he'd do that. Good enough.
That's sometimes lost on the real ideologues, it's about w i n n i n g. If you don't win you can't govern. I know you 'get that', suprisingly, many people don't get that.
That should be the lessen of the Brown election. Brown is not guarentined re-election he will have to earn it and thus why I tell people party affilation tells them they can ignore you and they can do what they want.
RINO means REPUBLICAN IN NAME ONLY; it doesn't mean ANYONE WHO DOESN'T AGREE WITH ME 110%.
Sometimes Beck turns into an hysteric and goes way overboard.
OTOH, I think it's great that he has exposed so many in and around Obama and has lite a spark under many viewers who never knew about certain historical subjects, previously.
Every so called "conservative" should be vetted against their voting records in elective office (if they have one), and even more closely vetted if they don't.
Someone should take out a copy of the United States Constitution (like the one in my pocket) and ask them if they've EVER seen this document before. After a short test, a passing grade might allow them to run as conservatives. Too many frauds and neo-conservative progressive have slinked under the door. Some need to be purged ( Snowe, Collins, McCain, Graham, etc…)
Rita I don;t recall Beck calling him a RINO but will check his recent shows. Mik, you are back, if I had your addy, would have sent you a sympathy card, LOL
By the way, who told you Roe V Wade was a litmus for RINO's?
Ya Beck does a good job of being an exterminator of the vermin and roaches Obama has let into the people House – the White House (Van Jones). It's a tough line to toe, that between compromise and winning.
I've managed to take both sides of the pricipal v. winning argument in a few comments.
59-41 lol you drink cherry or rasberry?
Obama’s route around everything so far is by Executive Order. I heard he signed another today. His last, C.O.G. Was a real unconstitutional power grab. I wonder what today’s was?
I am still, throw all the bums out.. these are not babies they are politicians selling us a piece junk wrapped up in a bow.
Beck, as with all converts, to anything, is over zealous and unfortunately, sometimes acts as though he's the only person who knows anything about some things which many people have known about for years, if not many decades. Now don't get me wrong, I'm delighted that more people are finding out about such things as what the members of the SDS and the Weathermen, etc. were all about, but many people of a certain age, knew all about this stuff when it was happening and some of us have been trying to tell others, since then.
There are principles and then there are P-R-I-N-C-I-P-L-E-S screamed at the top of some people's lungs, which they don't even live by, don't even understand, and which they place at such a level, that absolutely NO politician can meet .
If the candidate being back doesn't win, his/her principles are meaningless ! And should they win, but have no real power ( as is the case of a backbencher in the House, for example ), the same is true.
If you take both sides of an argument, then you're just playing games with yourself.
Bring C-SPAN with them? No, they should DEMAND C-SPAN be involved in all meetings on the Hill. This secrecy is sickening, especially when they are planning to take over 1/6 of the economy.
Principles are not immutable, if one's set of "principles" are wrong ( Obama's sure are ) or too high for others ( as it is with some folks of every stripe ) and the person owning them is reasonable and decides to change them. But not everyone is able to see that they are wrong and/or change.
But give some Mass. Dems their due………………………they voted for Brown yesterday, most of whom had ridiculously voted for fat Teddy repeatedly !
If they DONT do just that they will never get my vote back period. I've had it with self serving politicians. They can act all sweet and humble but until I see REAL transparency and INVESTIGATIONS into all this BS Ill never trust
any elected official again. I truely believe criminal acts have been commited. But my gut feeling is telling me that all the illegal actions perpetrated on the american people will just be swept under the rug for the sake of bipartisanship. I promise whether republican OR democrat at the end of the day they will preserve the status quo
and the good life will continue for these that got into office for one thing and one thing only. THEMSELVES.
And they chanted Kerry is NEXT to the frenchie one himself, lol, ya gotta love it.
[...] Email this to a friend | Print | Share on Facebook | Tweet this | // Posted by Justin at 6:55 PM Tagged with: America wants to know, Americans reject Socialism, Big Government, big spending, C-SPAN, Congress, Culture of Corruption, health care, Marxists in the White House, Obama, politics, progressives in the DNC, Republicans, Socialism, Speaker Pelosi, video [...]
Good post j I don't think for one minute there are no 'regressives' in the GOP.
Perhaps even the congenitally liberal and unprincipaled can see when enough is enough.
There is hope for our country yet!
Well, I did say that wrong headed principles weren't necessarily immutable.
I don't see this as a Republican win, but rather a tea party win. The Republicans shouldn't get too excited.
And I'm still feeling bad for Brown's daughters……. I'd sock the guy myself but I'm on the wrong coast.
Sorry Mea Culpa.
C-Span and a list of all the people that had a seat a the table and the deals they got. Or, shut it down! Nothing in nothing out. And no matter what happens, how they change, or what they do, we need to remember what these people wanted to do to us, forever! We cannot NEVER forget what these people still want to do to us.
They will change tactics but they will never change what they what to do to us!
WE WILL NOT GO SILENTLY INTO THE NIGHT WITHOUT A FIGHT !
We are going to vote all of you out. We know who you are and what you wanted to do!
Don't get me wrong. Someone negated my comment..thats ok. I only mean that Scott Brown needs to know that he cannot get sucked into the whirpool of DC politics or else he is finished. We will keep track of all Republicans and what they do. There is no time for politically correct behavior. This is war and I hope inmy heart of hearts that he knows he is a warrior and will lead us out of this cesspool of commie land. I have faith he will do this.
Watching him last night I told my daughter, his life is going to be hell…he is in for more pressure than any of us could know -
I completely agree, it will be a methodical step by step process, it's the only way it can be achieved.
Is it you Dhassel?! Drawing attention to yourself?!
The Republicans should make an issue of televised hearings. Don't know if they can get it done, but it will be a good issue for them.
Enough of Politics..Visit Technology Blog Here
Thank you, Visit Mother of All Blogs
Play Hottest blog Ever
http://motherofblogs.co.cc
[...] the rest here: » Republicans Win Their Seat At The Table – They Should Bring C … Tags: elected-him, getting-the-house, joint-venture, kennedy, president, president-argues, [...]
A couple ideas:
1. Allow people who buy their own healthcare to deduct the full cost (just like businesses which provide it as a benefit to employees are able to do). I was self-employed for many years and always bought my own health insurance (medical, dental, and vision) and it burned me up that I wasn't able to take the full deduction (think it was something like 40%, which I think is obscene and anti-small business).
2. Tort Reform. Example: my doc just stopped taking ob patients (she is still accepting gyn patients because they sue less often, which does me no good as I am looking for someone who can actually deliver) because her malpractice insurance was so high. And she has never even been sued. Frivolous lawsuits against doctors (fueled by trial attorneys) are out of control and lead to higher medical costs because doctors have to pass the malpractice insurance costs on to patients and they also end up ordering a ton of extra labs and tests (or even hospitalization in my case) in order to cover themselves legally, plus they reduce the number of good doctors available to patients.
3. Allow people to buy insurance across state lines and allow them to form cooperatives that pool large numbers of buyers together. Alternatively, perhaps health insurance should be similar to car insurance….each person is quoted a rate based on their own individual level of risk (in the eyes of the ins. co.) and the amount of coverage they desire.
4. End Medicare. The below-market rates paid by Medicare for medical procedures and services distort the real cost of health care. The loss that hospitals and doctors take on Medicare patients is passed on to those of us with private insurance.
5. Create a consumer database/clearinghouse (similar to the nutrition label on the side of the package of bread or yogurt that tells you what it ingredients it contains and how nutritionally rich it is) that reports statistics such as infection rates at specific hospitals, whether or not a specific doctor has been censored by the state medical licensing board or the AMA, and allows customers to compare different health insurance plans to one another. We don't need the federal government to tell us what kind of health insurance we must buy, but it can certainly play a very small and limited role in requiring hospitals, doctors, and insurance companies to publicly disclose their stats (in a standardized format) so that consumers can make their own choices.
6. Lastly, but most importantly: stop tying health insurance to our employers! Make health insurance 100% portable by allowing all Americans, working or not, to put aside money into a tax-free health insurance account (similar to Flexible Healthcare Spending Accounts) to be used to purchase health insurance on their own. That way, it doesn't matter if your company goes under and you lose the company health insurance (remember, there is no COBRA for people who lost their job when their company closed….COBRA is only available for people who get laid off and their former employer is still in business and still providing healthcare to other employees). Taking employers out of the health-insurance-providing-business reduces their costs of doing business and makes their company more profitable (the costs of providing benefits to employees runs between 20 and 40% of payroll!!!!). Employees would then be able to have greater choice in the type of insurance (PPO? HMO? medical only? dental? vision? mental health? maternity? generous prescription drug coverage? etc.) they pay for. This also makes insurance companies more accountable to customers because customers have CHOICE and will leave for a different insurance company if they are unhappy with their plan.
On a side note….when I purchased my own health insurance, I paid a very reasonable rate and had great coverage. I had a tremendous amount of choice in what plan I paid for. That is the experience that more Americans ought to have.
Actually, you're wrong about this Big Government. It is Barack Obama's promise, not the Republicans. They need to focus on making Reform possible and acceptable, and not make a show of the little bit of leverage that has just been given. They might mention it, perhaps, but it should be on the shoulders of the populace to cry out about the president's lie.
Ya I know, I'm wrestling with myself because the obvious answer is to stake out a set of principals (which should already be there from unbringing) and STICK to them. Then I wonder if that works in a political cesspool like Massachusettes (remember they faithfully set a murderer back to the Senate every six years like clock work) and I wonder.
No, you're right. Prinicipals. Have 'em, live 'em, stick to them…and don't live in Massachusettes.
Now, did you HAVE to put that god-aweful image in my mind, yech.
That they did and it put a gigantic smile on my face!
good idea – won`t work. we`re not dealing with forthright people here, when it was obvious Mass. voters had come to their senses the commie in chiefs whole plan changed-no not that one, he still wants to run the planet – did you see the interview he did last night? back to campaign mode,say things the people want to hear-then do as you damn please,only sneakier.c-span would see the warm and fuzzy talks with the "new bi-partisan" and "we did`nt mean to be non responsive – we just were very busy" BS. don`t watch the shiny thing – now is the time to be watching closely and listening to what is not being talked about.
C-SPAN? I think it's fair to say they shouldn't do anything but slam the door totally shut on any entitlement program. The country can't afford it. Health care is not within the Congress's constitutional authority. And they should send the message to the President that they're not going to pass anything that doesn't fall within the constitution and the authority it grants them. Health care reform is a state issue. Any federal regulations on insurance and health care should be repealed and the states can pick up from there. These folks in Washington DC want something to do, they can start by repealing laws, not writing new ones.
DOES ANYBODY REMEMBER THE "WEATHERMAN MOVEMENT" IN THE SIXTIES? IF NOT, THAT WAS "TWO WHITE GUYS" (Bill Airs, etc(sp?) OUT OF CHICAGO IN THE SIXTIES THAT STARTED A MOVEMENT THAT AMERICA WOULD BE RUN BY THE BLACK PEOPLE, ALTHOUGH THEY (THE TWO WHITE GUYS) ACTUALLY WOULD RUN IT!!! (TALK ABOUT BEING RACIST). CHARLES MANSON IN CALIFORNIA EVEN TOOK OFF ON THEIR MOVEMENT!!! THEY (WEATHERMEN) WERE ALSO MARXIST(PROGRESSIVE). OF COARSE, THEY EVEN SELECTED AND PUT OBAMA IN THE WHITE HOUSE BEFORE MOVING ON TO AFRICA TO GO WORLDWIDE UNDER THE SEIU!!!
THANKYOU MASSACHUSETTES! THANK YOU SCOTT BROWN!!!
Has everyone already forgotten the insanity of wanting government to have anything to do with the provision of healthcare or anything else for that matter? Inviting government into your life, unnecessarily, is suicide. Remove barriers to more efficient operation. Getting rid of the restrictions on interstate operation would be a good start.
Some good ideas to be sure. There is an amazing amount of wasted money due to unecessary tests and procedures as a result of concern over malpractice suits not to mention good old fashion fraud. Multiple billing creates incredible waste as well. We do have to realize that while we talk about "pre-existing" conditions by insurors as a problem, we must realize 1% of the population accounts for over 25% of dollars spent. Insurors have to avoid "adverse selection" or they will go bankrupt. Employer group policies has been one way to spread the risk. The carrier agrees to cover all the employee and retirees without pre-condition. I would rather see a method to permit smaller businesses to band together to form such groups.
There are personal principles you follow and there are a set of principles you expect from government. There is a difference.
If your number one thing that you care about in this whole world is getting rid of abortion then by God when it is your turn to vote, let that be your guide.
BUT
You can have an eye towards the larger picture with your own principles still intact. How? Well if we do not get power (by betting majorities) then we have no say. All politicians are not going to perfectly align with our own ideals, all states won't either.
Meanwhile you map out a plan to get your things done, hold people you elect accountable for their words, constantly seek out promising candidates and cultivate them and you always look for a way to promote your ideals in a way that people can see the virtue in them for themselves.
(thank you, btw, for sending me to FOX's site last night. I was so tired that I do not think I had the will to look for it on my own. I was a zombie.)
Yes the ought to have c-span with them. But it ain’t going to happen.Liberal socialist Rats having Closed door meetings is dirty politics. They ought to be exposed like ACCORN!!The day that happens is when Hell freezes over and the devil buys a snowblower!!! Congress can not and will not force me to buy insurance. I cannot stand Glenn Beck.
I knew that you were tired; we all have days/nights like that; not to worry.
You're welcome for the lead to FOX. I had seen it on FNC, so it was the only logical choice.
Having principles is a good thing, what's not okay, is refusing to vote for someone because you assume/know that they don't agree with you 100%, 100% of the time and are more than willing to allow someone who disagrees with you 100% of the time, to win the election. These purists are what I call the CUT OFF YOUR NOSE PEOPLE.
But YOU get it; so congrats on that!
Well said James. Can't lose sight of the bigger picture.
Aman
He was pick.
Question: not sure what you mean regarding multiple billing?
Yes, malpractice suits are out of control…..I think that doctors ought to start making patients sign some sort of arbitration agreement that states that all suits must go to arbitration unless the doctor has been sanctioned by the state medical board or the AMA (which usually only happens when doctors have been clearly medically negligent) in which case I think the patient should be able to sue the pants off the doctor. I think that would help weed out the "My plastic surgeon didn't make me look exactly like Carmen Electra" suits from the "I went into surgery for an appendectomy and came out missing a leg" suits. I also would like to see state medical boards do a better job of policing doctors and weeding out the good from the bad/incompetent.
I have had the same thoughts about allowing individuals and small businesses to form a cooperative/pool in order to buy health insurance.
I had an argument with a friend who was upset that insurance companies might charge women of childbearing years more than men of the same age and I pointed out that, statistically speaking, women in my demographic group have higher healthcare costs. Health insurance companies are a business that provide a service which they have to price according to their anticipated level of cost and, quite frankly, health insurance companies have a very low profit margin….they are not making money hand over fist. When you pool a large group of people together, you spread the risk…..In a pool of buyers, Gen X men might pay a little more while Gen X women (of prime childbearing age) pay a little less, but Baby Boomer men (with higher risks of cardiovascular diseases) will end up paying a little less than Baby Boomer women. Its a numbers game and has nothing to do with insurance companies being sexist. Individuals purchasing insurance are going to be scrutinized for risk on an individual basis and will pay accordingly.
Excellent question! Specifically on multiple billing, I would like to see a system where expensive procedures are required to be billed on a single bill with the costs shown up front. As an example, if you have your appendix removed, you will be billed separately by the surgeon, hospital, anethesiologist, radiologist. By requiring open upfront single billing, it would be easier for people and their insurors to shop or at least pressure certain providers who's pricing seems out of line with other area competitors. On a more basic level, think of the overhead costs to your insuror in terms of extra paperwork to process billing for a single procedure. Your understanding of the concept of insurance and risk pooling is excellent BTW. Although, not in health insurance, I spent 30 years in the insurance industry. They are not the monsters some politicians would have you believe they are.
I like your idea of eliminating multiple billing….cost efficiencies are good for everyone – patients, doctors, and insurance companies.
I would also like to see the prices for procedures and drugs ahead of time so that I can make informed decisions. I know that insurance compensation varies from insurance company to company and from doctor to doctor (depending on whether they are a preferred provider or in network), but it seems like complete rubbish to me that the price of procedures is a complete unknown to patients. When I go into the grocery store, the cost of each item is clearly marked. I can decide whether to use a coupon or whether to buy an item at full price, whether to get a generic brand or a name brand. It would be nice if the doctors I visit would also post the cost of their services so I could compare doctors and decide which services are worth the money. It seems as if most my doctors have no idea how much they charge….they always refer me to their billing person to answer my questions regarding which labs are more expensive (and the billing person almost always says that they need to bill my insurance to find out how much my ins covers.). And many doctors don't seem to be aware of the cost of prescription drugs. I don't want the government making cost benefit decisions on my medical care, but I sure as heck think that *I* have the right to look at the costs and benefits of drugs and procedures and decide with my doctor what is best for me.
Again, great points to discuss, and probably more than can be covered in this format. Originally, health insurance was under what is called indemity. That means, you choose everything, pay for it and submit it to your carrier who "indemnifies" you (pays you back.) As medical costs rose dramatically, insurors went to "preferred provider" networks. This means certain health providers, be they blood labs, physicians, hospitals, radiologists, agreed to accept an agreed to fee for a particular service. Although this somewhat limited your choices of doctors, labs, etc. this actually works to your benefit since insurance companies are trying to keep the costs down. Another version is a Health Maintenance Organization. This has the lowest "premium" but you must go to the H.M.O. for everything. I was once in an H.M.O. They are pretty good at routine preventative medicine, but not good if you have a serious illness. You can still buy indemnity, and it gives you the most choice, but is very expensive.
Since most people get their plan through their employer, they often do not have much choice in who the carrier is. In some cases you may not even have an indemnity option. This doesn't mean your ideas are not good, only that they might require some significant xchanges to present system to implement.
It is a nice thought, putting congressional debates including meetings on CSPAN, however the logistics of myriad committees and meetings exceeds the capacity of CSPAN. The notion is similar to the President's call for a freeze on discretionary spending…make that a freeze on INCREASES in discretionary- oops- make that some programs- oops- make that just a few knowing that some programs really need to be increased. My point…it is impossible to keep daylight shining on government which makes it essential to trust your representatives. Since that becomes impossible and even with myriad cameras we cannot observe all shenanigans, we must keep asking for term limits. Alas, that too will be fruitless.