Between patients yesterday I managed to watch the health reform forum at Blair House. Thanks to the power of video streaming I was able to follow most of it.
The conversation seemed to present most of the issues, and even malpractice reform was brought up (at a late hour). President Obama did not respond directly to that issue but it was estimated that the savings would run into billions of dollars, not from premium reductions, but the secondary effects of 'defensive medicine'...This brought no response from President Obama. He seemed more intent upon pushing his own vision of health care.
There were some central core issues that both sides seem to agree upon.
1. Elimination of exclusions for insurance coverage (Universal coveragw)
2. Expanding medicaid would be very foolish, since it is a system that does not work, and not credible for quality care.
3. DEms want to push on with this bill, Republicans want to start over.
Stay tuned...