Reforming *access* to health care was never about changing *health care*.

[pinto]

I'm a proponent for expanding Medicare coverage, over time, to all Americans. Yet I want to make the point that the health care reform debate is about expanding access. i.e. It's always been about health insurance reform. Not health care reform, per se. If Medicare was expanded tomorrow, for everyone, health care in the country wouldn't change, access would. That's the point.

May seem a minor point, yet the meme - health care reform vs. health insurance reform - sidetracks the goals of the process, imho.

Changing the specifics of Medicare coverage are effectively health care reform. Some good, some untested, some bad. Yet expanding access, in and of itself, has nothing to do with the care provided by Medicare reimbursed providers, outside of coverage changes.

[polpilot]

1. Now you want access to healthcare?? That cuts into healthcare insurance profits.

We can't have access. Justing knowing that healthcare capability exists...isn't that enuff?

[pinto]

4. I am covered by Medicare. It's administered in my region by a subsidiary of BC / BS.

The government sub-contracts the administration of Medicare Part A & B to the subsidiary. It works for me, and I'm fine with that.

(fwiw) Only the VA medical system is a purely federally funded and administered health care delivery system. Most others, from Medicare nationally to Medicaid in the States are a public / private partnership.

[johnaries]

2. Thank you. K&R

[cliffordu]

3. 14,000 community health care clinics are funded in this bill.

They will serve an estimated 45 million people.

Sliding scale, and, IIRC, DENTAL care.

Is that reforming access???

[pinto]

5. Definitely. The Community Health Care Clinics' funding is a big plus in the proposed bill. n/t

[cliffordu]

6. It's about the only reason I support the damned thing.

[Pithlet]

7. It's a damn good reason to support the bill.

It gets lost in all the hoo ha. I'm glad some are bringing it up.