Reply #5: Given that the bipartisan plans apparently won't be up and running at all before 2013 [View All]

[dflprincess]

(if HR3200 is the basic model for a bipartisan cluster* of the public) and a single payer plan that was built on Medicare could start being extended to groups of the population almost immediately (keeping in mind it took 11 months to get it up and running "from scratch" in the beginning) - I'd go with the partisan plan. In 3 years time enough people would have access to a system we already know works that the only problem might be impatience among those who weren't covered by it yet in 2012.

And if enough people were happy with the new plan 2012 would be a good year.

If we're still at the mercy of the private insurers - and still paying big copays and deductibles (which HR3200 allows) and very few people have improved access to actual care, not just insurance and are unhappy, the "bipartisan" plan will be used against the Democrats - and they'll probably deserve to have that happen.