Finally, The Rocky Mountain News is saying what I’ve been saying for years. Neither Colorado nor any other state can do much about the health insurance markets because of the huge roles played by Congress, Medicare, Medicaid, Schip, the VA, ERISA and numerous related federal rules and regulations.
The link is here:
The impact graphs:
The health- care sector makes up roughly one-seventh of the economy. It is immensely complicated, with the federal government in charge of much of its financing and regulations. Long-lasting, comprehensive fixes for Colorado’s medical system are certainly outside the control of this panel – and state policy-makers in general.
In no way do we mean to diminish the difficult task that Senate Bill 208 gave to the commission last year. Nor would we minimize the efforts by commission members and other volunteers, who have invested countless hours designing ways to expand health-care coverage.
What is clear, though, is that actions by Washington could override any policy changes either made by next year’s legislature or approved by voters in a state ballot referendum.
Translation, the Health Care Commission is wasting its time and taxpayers’ money.
If Bush can’t convince Congress to change the health insurance markets-and he probably can’t-the next president might-50% chance.
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States get involved in reform efforts when the feds ignore problems, but you’re right in saying that they can’t solve the issue by themselves.
Ezra wrote about this in the Washington Monthly a few months back.
http://www.washingto…
Your “if Bush can’t fix it, no one can” standard for leadership to solve the health care crisis is probably the lowest one imaginable.
soft bigotry of low expectations personified
infamous
but, of course, you knew that already.