The Baker/Daschle/Dole Health care plan - Balkanization of health care

[pinto]

I've waded through a lot of the Bipartisan Policy Center's health care proposals. On first take - it's pretty vague, yet it seems to

1. propose the balkanization of health care reimbursement to the States and unnamed "Regions";

2. set the primary role of the Federal government as some sort of Office of Quality Improvement Department;

3. propose an undefined fee-for-outcome standard for Medicare instead of fee-for-service;

4. advocate further limits on Medicare reimbursements;

5. set a vague Federal "fall back" plan if States, regions or private insurers don't meet vague quality standards;

6. require that any federal "fall back" plan cover administrative costs out of premiums not federal funds;

7. continue to rely on Medicaid (i.e. the States) as the primary insurer for low income individuals/families (see #1);

8. establish a Federally managed, and funded, "Insurance Exchange" to match individuals with private insurers;

among others.

The plan has a few bright points - it notes the health care crisis overall, exclusions of pre-existing conditions, a non-discrimination clause, and a nod to bipartisanship.

Other than that I think it's a crock.

The plan is here (68 page, pdf file)-

http://www.bipartisanpolicy.org/ht/a/GetDocumentAction/i/10782