Health care reform is starting 2010 off with a twist, already leaving doubt as to the likelihood of being passed.
Here are some of the hot topics in health reform this week:
Scott Brown took the
Massachusetts election on January 19th to upset the democratic majority in health care negotiations. This led reform supporters to
seek new strategies in getting their bill passed.
Grace-Marie Turner sees the Massachusetts election as the best retaliation against health reform, mainly because Massachusetts already imposes a health mandate.
"Democratic leaders are trying to convince themselves and the media that the Massachusetts election wasn't about health reform, saying it wasn't an issue there because Massachusetts already has enacted reform.
But that's why it IS such a big issue. Bay State voters are up close and personal with the kind of reform measures Washington has been devising. Their health costs continue to soar, they face mandates dictating what insurance they must have, and businesses and individuals are buried under bureaucratic requirements and penalties."
On the other end of the spectrum,
WoltersKluwer Health Reform Talk blog breaks down the numbers on the health care in Massachusetts, of which they claim a majority approve of.
Of all the confusion, one thing is clear--
health reform is looking a bit foggier this year.
Some other interesting points in Health Care:
Employers Take Note: Additional Taxes on HSAs...
How the Employer Mandate Proposals Would Work