Did you watch House last night? Cuddy got a great deal from the CEO of the big insurer in town due to a well delivered plea of mutual benefit, even though her hospital is a tiny part of the insurer's revenue. Not, of course, before the CEO said something like 'I don't give a shit as long as I stay rich.' He gives in ultimately, but that's just tv. She did interrupt his dinner. I am pretty sure the CEO character is close to the truth, except the giving in at the end part.
Robert Reich seems to think it's time for torches and pitchforks.
Sign me up!
Obama says he’s open to any new ideas from Republicans for how to control health care costs and expand coverage. The problem is Republicans don’t want to play this game. They don’t care about controlling costs or expanding coverage. They care only about taking back the House and/or the Senate next November. And they believe a means toward attaining this goal is to prevent Obama from achieving a victory on health care. The sooner the President accepts that undeniable fact — and gets the House to pass the Senate’s bill, and then uses the reconciliation process (that requires only 51 votes in the Senate) to deal with any remaining irreconcilable differences between the House and Senate — the better.
In the meantime, next chance I get I’m switching to another insurer — if that makes any difference at all in what I pay or the service I get, which seems increasingly doubtful. I’m also joining any Tea Party of mad-as-hellers fed up with how Big Insurance, Big Pharma, Wall Street, and much of the rest of corporate America have taken over our democracy.