Can the next President

[in_cog_ni_to]

repeal the Medicare bill that just passed?

[YNGW]

1. answer

Not by him/herself. Congress must also act.

[xray s]

2. Not repeal...revise!

I am as bummed out as anyone that this turd passed today.

But the right to prescription drug coverage (for seniors at least) is now the law of the land. What we have to do is vigorously pursue reforming this law, not overturning it and starting from scratch. And believe me, we will have millions of pissed off seniors helping with this fight.

We have to;

1. Remove private insurance company involvement in delivering the benefit. The federal government can do the job cheaper. Use the savings along with the money earmarked for private insurance incentives to reduce deductables and out-of-pocket costs (the "donut hole").

2. Allow the government to use the buying power of millions of seniors to reduce drug prices on their behalf.

3. Allow the importation of drugs from other sources to help reduce costs.

I see this bill as the beginning of a great awakening on health insurance in this country. Now lets take the fight to them.

[kentuck]

3. Lipstick on a pig...

Repeal it entirely and go to a single payer system, where everyone is covered, including the elderly.

[MercutioATC]

4. Great! Show me how to get single-payer through Congress.

...and while I'm waiting for a plan, I'd prefer to get some of the 40+ million uninsured Americans covered. That's one of the things I like most about Dean's plan. It expands already-existing plans that include private insurers (so they won't lobby against the legislation) and it eliminates exemptions for pre-existing conditions (a huge issue for many people). Once more people are insured, we can start looking at alternatives like single-payer.

[youngred]

5. not without congress

the president can only enforce legislation and try to influence congress. Which is why it is very important that we win back the house and senate in 04