The Senate took its first step towards passing its version of the health insurance reform bill. A 60-40 procedural vote held very early this morning cut off a Republican filibuster, with both Arkansas senators voting in favor of it. There are several more votes scheduled this week, with the [...]
Scroll down for several important stories on the developing health care reform vote. This one will confirm all of your worst suspicious.
Familiar faces among health industry lobbyists — latimes.com.
Posted in Health Insurance Reform [...] Arkansas Senator Blanche Lincoln, once considered to be a pivotal - if not the pivotal - vote on health insurance reform confirmed today that she will be voting for the Senate bill. In a conference call with reporters and bloggers Ms. Lincoln stated,
After months of intense work and a full [...]
Since I am leaning in a somewhat contrary direction, as you will find in my column in tomorrow’s Democrat-Gazette, here is another viewpoint from Vice-President Biden.
Op-Ed Contributor – Why the Senate Should Vote Yes on Health Care – NYTimes.com.
Posted in Health Insurance Reform, National politics [...] 
Mary Baker Eddy and I get along quite well.
Christian Scientists seek prayer provision.
Posted in Health Insurance Reform [...] From Paul Krugman in The New York Times:
At its core, the bill would do two things. First, it would prohibit discrimination by insurance companies on the basis of medical condition or history: Americans could no longer be denied health insurance because of a pre-existing condition, or have their insurance [...]
Who would have thunk it?
Census finds health care consumes growing slice of economy | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Latest News.
Posted in Health Insurance Reform [...] 
Dean is starting to win me over.
Howard Dean Debates Health Care With Mary Landrieu, Chris Matthews (VIDEO).
Posted in Health Insurance Reform [...] 
Matthew Dowd of Washington Post thinks defeat of the bill would be good politically for Democrats, bad for Republicans. It's a thought.
If this legislation passes, Democrats will be held accountable for any failures or problems in the system. So if Americans' insurance premiums rise, they will blame the Democrats.' [...]
.. and Arkansas is one of those states, so brace yourself.
Unrelated; but, did anybody see the anti-Gil Baker ad? It almost made me feel sorry for him.
Physician Groups Oppose Current Senate Health Care Reform Bill.
Posted in Arkansas, Health Insurance Reform, National politics [...] Lots of concessions made to folks like Joe Lieberman on health insurance reform. Some on the left are wondering why the White House didn’t take this approach.
[...]
This is based in a story in the New York Times and it makes me concerned for old Joe’s mental well-being.
Lieberman: Liberal Enthusiasm Convinced Me To Oppose Medicare Buy-In.
Posted in Health Insurance Reform [...] 
I doubt that American government has ever looked so completely ineffective of detached from the people.
Senators move to remove Medicare expansion, public option from healthcare bill — latimes.com.
Posted in Health Insurance Reform [...] Last week I appeared on television with GOP political consultant Bill Vickery to discuss the latest amendments to the health insurance reform bill pending before Congress. After a quick discussion of the opportunities presented by two interesting additions: the expansion of medicare to those 55 and up, and a the [...]
Some analysis and a bit of insight on our Senators, especially Sen. Lincoln who is the subject of my column in today’s Democrat-Gazette.
With End in Sight, Issues to Watch – Prescriptions Blog – NYTimes.com.
Posted in Arkansas, Health Insurance Reform, National politics [...] Sen. Blanche Lincoln told reporters today that as talks of a compromise on health care legislation move forward, the Senate is "steering more toward private insurance and less toward public insurance." Lincoln said that not all the details had been worked out and that senators were waiting on more information and guidance [...]
For the first time in several months we’re seeing some bi-partisan action around health care. Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden, a Democrat, and Maine Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican, will introduce three amendments today to further shape the health insurance reform bill.
The first is terrific. It would allow for employees [...]
It looks like the public option is off the table and will be replaced by two new measures. The first, which I noted early this morning, would allow for people age 55 - 64 to “buy in” to Medicare. The second would create a series of national insurance plans [...]
