Doctors have a certain amount of patients they have to take that are on medicare. Once that quota is reached, they no longer have to accept them. This makes it hard to switch primary care docs, but with older people, this rarely happens anyways. It's the new medicare folks that have a hard time.  Hopefully that will be addressed as part of reform.

As to paying for it, there are a number of easy ways to do that.

1. Allow the Bush Tax cuts to expire (390 bill/yr)

2. Eliminate the half a trillion in subsidies that go to insurance companies from tax dollars, 70 bill each year.

3. Ask that those who make over a million a year pay an extra tax. Last I heard it would be 2 or 3%.

But these are all taxes. The problem with taxation is that it gives the government incentive to spend more and we're already in debt and its a dis-incentive to grow business and hire people and unemployment is already marching past 10%.

Were I fortunate enough to be earning a million dollars a year and I knew that my efforts would be punished by higher taxes, I'd make certain that I only earned $999,999.00. 

If you really want to fund a Trillion dollar program, cut a Trillion dollars from the federal budget. The president did say that he wanted a plan that was "deficit neutral."

Okay, let's cut the defense budget. At least Obama put the wars "on the books" which makes everything seem like it's his fault. I also find it interesting that people bring up the deficit except when it's about war. Anything that's for the people it's "how we gonna pay for it?" I think I've shown, that even without Horzag, I have identified some low hanging fruit.

I don't like paying 25% of my pay to taxes, believe me! Canadians pay about 35% and they get healthcare for $50 a month. What's up with that?

They also get 6 weeks off a year paid vacation, and so do they in Europe. Americans had low self-esteem, but we're getting it back.

There are many things to fix, and Obama is pay as you go. This bill will be paid for, but not on the backs of the middle class (for once.)

oh, and the half a trillion in subsidies of our tax dollars to insurance companies who make 426% profit, that's not a tax, it's a tax paid subsidy to an industry that doesn't need it or deserve it.

If you are in insurance, you should think about what you would really like to do for a living if you had your wish. You could go back to school and retrain for a new career, that's what I'm gonna do.

CherokeeGirl,

I don't know where you get your information, but I do not think doctors have been required, by law, to take a certain number of Medicare patients, yet.  In reality, no doctor can afford to not take Medicare, but many do not "accept assignment" which means the patients is responsible for what Medicare will not cover.  The big question is , exactly how many doctors will just retire early and say, "the heck with all this stuff!"

The insurance industry has been telling doctors and patients what was acceptable for along time. The only change will be, is that it will be the government paying. Everybody expects that to be able to cover the huge cost of the program.  We shall see.

75% of doctors polled want a public option

10% of those docs would prefer a single payer system.

Hi Michael, I get my information from a hodge podge of places. Much of it is my own experience working in healthcare as well as just being a patient. My mother did have a tense moment when a doctor told her he wasn't accepting any more medicare patients. He explained that they only have to accept a certain number. She eventually got a doctor that accepts medicare, but she probably won't switch docs again. That's scarey.

here here! the cost of no action is a disaster. I don't want half of my income going to healthcare costs in ten years. I don't know why the tea partiers aren't protesting that!

The Baucus bill is a joke, they are just trying to figure out how to save face for him, but I think it's too little too late. I just don't like the way Dodd, Baucus and Reid were laughing it up yesterday.

If Dodd is our advocate, I'm not very optimistic. We may have to push him aside and be our own advocates, as usual.

I have a question and a comment. The question is:Why is the Baucus "Bill" a joke?

My comment is that democracy in a republic such as ours demands that we be our own advocate and, in fact, empowers us to do so.

Google "Wendell Potter". In case you may have been in a cave for the past 6 months, he has called the Baucus bill "a gift to the insurance industry". And it's really not a gift, it has been bought and payed for. See http://opensecrets.org for a quick lookup by senator. Also, here's a good change.org article to get you up to speed.

http://healthcare.change.org/blog/view/the_baucus_health_care_plan_here_be_accounting_tricks

"Google "Wendell Potter". In case you may have been in a cave for the past 6 months, he has called the Baucus bill "a gift to the insurance industry". 

I was asking for your personal opinion. I didn't expect to have to wonder why you would think I lived in a cave.

I'm still at loss as to why you would refer me to a journalist (Wendell Potter) for analysis of proposed legislation. I simply assumed that you had read the so-called "Baucus Bill" and had formed your own opinion.

please excuse my rudeness, Larry. I just can't believe you haven't heard about Wendell Potter, the former Cigna Executive turned insurance industry whistleblower. He had a moment of "clarity" while trying to gather information on the free health clinics (freeclinics.us). When he saw the people standing in line, and his son was with him, he had an epiphany.

http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1920893,00.html

Ask the White House because that's where a majority of the small amount of TARP money that was spent has gone--to Wall Street.

It was supposed to create jobs but it hasn't. It was supposed to buy "toxic assets" but it didn't. Unemployment is increasing and so are foreclosures.

Larry, you have your talking points, but have you questioned the source? It is no longer called news.

I'm ticked about the tarp too. I'm ticked at Geithner and I'm ticked at Holder, but I don't watch Faux news for fake reasons to be mad. There are plenty of real valid reasons.

The Recovery Plan will go down in history as saving this country. You are too impatient. And, you are welcome.

Larry, again, apologies for my impatient tone. The problem is, there are actually people who get paid to come on progressive sites and cause disruptions, derail the conversation by asking questions. Their purpose is to distract from a real conversation. They are called Trolls.

People who think for themselves and have genuine arguments are always welcome here, but your stuff sounds so much like the latest talking points, that it's hard not to assume that you are a troll.

Again, my apologies. I'm always open to a genuine conversation.

To answer your last question. I lost my organic coffee bar in 2006 after a major grocery chain closed down next door. I didn't get a bail out. I had to lose the good credit I had worked for years to build, lost my IRA and 401k, lost my house.

To answer your question, thousands of people file bankruptcy every day due to medical bills. This is not the America I dream of.

I would like parks, universities, post office, and hospitals to all be a public service. I want profit out of our care, and I want an end to the real death panels.

Thanks Larry. It's a valid question. There are problems with medicare that need to be solved. But don't you agree that at least WE have control over that by means of our so called representatives in congress, than we do to expect the insurance company monopoly to do the right thing. Medicare being in the red, as I understand it, is solved in the House bill, so that it is extended for many years to come. I don't know the details of the medicare reform, but there are people I trust, like Howard Dean and Rep. Anthony Weiner to keep a close eye on the legislation for me.

I am peeved at having to tell congress to do their jobs and represent the people, but I think we are closer than ever to advocating finally for the people. But we did take our eyes of the ball. When we go to sleep, the wolves creep in.

peace out... :)

Thanks FDR, I hadn't seen these yet. I also passed them on to my friends. Thanks again. :)