The real issue
Republicans have been able to turn the issue into one of who pays.
It's not who pays. It's how do we control costs.
If we can focus on that, there's hope for real reform, no matter whether it's government or private insurance doing the paying.
What I resent is how private insurers made the "who pays" argument when they're the ones who have done the research on cost control, and could control costs if government simply gave them carte blanche to do it.
Start with expanding the pool of differential payments. We already require smokers to pay more. How about fat people? Anyone who ignores doctors' orders puts themselves at greater risk and should pay an actuarially-determined premium based on that risk. Or be denied coverage.
