Health-care reform continues to be a top issue for voters. There are a number of competing proposals being discussed, particularly in the Democratic presidential primary.
To clarify the issues and vocabulary involved in health-care reform, I presented a health-care town hall several times around Carroll County a couple of years ago.
kAmx 92G6 FA52E65 :E E@ :?4=F56 2 5:D4FDD:@? @7 D@>6 @7 E96 4@>A6E:?8 AC@A@D2=D] x H:== 36 9@=5:?8 E9:D 962=E9\42C6 C67@C> 7@CF> @? |@?52J[ s64] a[ 2E w@33D %2G6C? :? (6DE ~DD:A66 2E eib_ A]>] s6>@4C2ED[ #6AF3=:42?D 2?5 :?56A6?56?ED 2== 2C6 H6=4@>6] !=62D6 4@>6 7@C 5:D4FDD:@?]k^Am
kAm%96 ?665 7@C C67@C> :D @3G:@FD] %96 &?:E65 $E2E6D DA6?5D EH:46 2D >F49 @? 962=E9 42C6 2D E96 @E96C 56G6=@A65 4@F?EC:6D 2?5 J6E D4@C6D 2E E96 3@EE@> @7 E92E 8C@FA :? :?E6C?2E:@?2= 4@>A2C:D@?D @7 962=E9 @FE4@>6D] (6 92G6 2 3C@<6? 2?5 :?677:4:6?E DJDE6>]k^Am
kAm%96 &]$] 92D E96 >@DE 7C66\>2C<6E DJDE6> @7 2== E96 56G6=@A65 4@F?EC:6D] %96 @E96C 4@F?EC:6D FE:=:K6 6:E96C 2 D:?8=6\A2J6C DJDE6> @C DJDE6>D H:E9 9:89=J C68F=2E65 >F=E:A=6 A2J6CD H:E9 F?:7@C> 36?67:ED 2?5 F?:G6CD2= 4@G6C286]k^Am
kAm(6 >FDE 56G6=@A 2 DJDE6> E92E 4@G6CD 6G6CJ@?6 2?5 :D 277@C523=6] %96 :?23:=:EJ E@ 2446DD 962=E9 42C6[ 6:E96C 3642FD6 @7 ?@ :?DFC2?46 @C 36:?8 F?56C\:?DFC65[ :D @?6 @7 E96 >2;@C 42FD6D @7 @FC A@@C 962=E9 @FE4@>6D] q6:?8 F?56C\:?DFC65 >62?D 92G:?8 962=E9 :?DFC2?46 3FE H:E9 >2;@C 32CC:6CD @7 9:89 4@A2JD 2?5 565F4E:3=6D DF49 E92E E96 A6CD@? DE:== 42??@E 2446DD 42C6] Q&?56C:?DFC65Q 2=D@ >2J >62? 92G:?8 2 “D<:??J” A=2? H:E9 A@@C 4@G6C286 E92E :D FD6=6DD H96? :E :D >@DE ?66565]k^Am
kAmp== @7 E96 AC@A@D2=D 36:?8 5:D4FDD65 @?=J 492?86 E96 7:?2?4:?8 A@CE:@? @7 962=E9 42C6] }@?6 @7 E96> E2<6D 2H2J E96 AC:G2E6 56=:G6CJ @7 962=E9 42C6 E92E H6 4FCC6?E=J 92G6] |65:42C6 :D 2? 6I2>A=6 @7 2 D:?8=6\A2J6C 7:?2?4:?8 DJDE6>[ A2:5 7@C H:E9 7656C2= E2I6D[ H:E9 AC:G2E6 56=:G6CJ @7 962=E9\42C6 D6CG:46D]k^Am
kAm%96 |65:42C6 7@C p== AC@A@D2= 7C@> &]$] $6?] q6C?:6 $2?56CD Ws\'E]X[ DFAA@CE65 3J &]$] $6?] t=:K236E9 (2CC6? Ws\|2DD]X[ H@F=5 4@G6C 6G6CJ3@5J 3J 6IA2?5:?8 |65:42C6[ H:E9 ?@ 4@A2JD @C 565F4E:3=6D[ 255:?8 56?E2= 2?5 G:DF2= 4@G6C286 2?5 23@=:D9:?8 AC:G2E6 962=E9 :?DFC2?46] |2;@C 4@?46C?D 92G6 366? C2:D65 23@FE E96 4@DE @7 E96 AC@8C2> 2?5 E96 C2A:5 D9:7E E@ D:?8=6 A2J6C @G6C 7@FC J62CD]k^Am
kAm|2?J A6@A=6 4@?7FD6 E96 E@E2= 4@DE @7 962=E9 42C6 H:E9 E96 7656C2= DA6?5:?8] %@E2= 4@DE :D 2== E96 >@?6J DA6?E @? 962=E9 42C6[ :?4=F5:?8 AC6>:F>D WH96E96C A2:5 5:C64E=J 3J FD @C :?5:C64E=J 3J FD 2D A2CE @7 @FC 4@>A6?D2E:@? 7C@> @FC 6>A=@J6CX[ 565F4E:3=6D 2?5 4@A2JD[ 2?5 2== @7 E96 @E96C @FE\@7\A@4<6E 6IA6?D6D] (96? 2== @7 E9@D6 5@==2CD 2C6 4@>3:?65 :?E@ @?6 DEC62> E9C@F89 E96 7656C2= 8@G6C?>6?E[ E96C6 H@F=5 36 2 =2C86 :?4C62D6 :? 7656C2= DA6?5:?8] w@H6G6C[ E96 E@E2= 4@DE @7 962=E9 42C6 :D AC@;64E65 E@ 564C62D6]k^Am
kAm%96 DEF5J @7 |65:42C6 7@C p== 5@?6 3J E96 |6C42EFD r6?E6C =2DE J62C 7@F?5 E92E E96 |65:42C6 7@C p== AC@8C2> H@F=5 :?5665 >2DD:G6=J :?4C62D6 E96 7656C2= DA6?5:?8 W5F6 E@ E96 244@F?E:?8 E9C@F89 2 D:?8=6 DEC62>X 3FE H@F=5 564C62D6 E@E2= 962=E9\42C6 4@DE 3J Sa EC:==:@? @G6C `_ J62CD]k^Am
kAmp C646?E DEF5J 7C@> E96 &C32? x?DE:EFE6 7@F?5 9:896C ?F>36CD 7@C 7656C2= DA6?5:?8[ 3FE E96J 5:5 ?@E 2DD6DD E96 |65:42C6 7@C p== AC@A@D2=] %96J >256 2? 2DDF>AE:@? @7 A2J:?8 AC@G:56CD ``d A6C46?E @7 E96 |65:42C6 C2E6 C2E96C E92? `__ A6C46?E 2?5 6DE:>2E65 |65:42C6 25>:?:DEC2E:G6 4@DED 2E 7@FC E:>6D H92E E96J 4FCC6?E=J 2C6] %96J 2=D@ 2DDF>65 E92E :?4C62D65 56>2?5 H:E9 F?:G6CD2= 4@G6C286 H@F=5 :?4C62D6 4@DED[ E9@F89 E96 52E2 5@ ?@E DFAA@CE E92E]k^Am
kAmx?4C62D65 56>2?5 >2J 564C62D6 4@DED] !C@G:5:?8 >65:42= 42C6 7@C A6@A=6 H9@ ?665 :E :D =:<6=J E@ =@H6C @G6C2== 4@DED[ 2D :E H:== :>AC@G6 E96 677:4:6?4J @7 >2?28:?8 49C@?:4 962=E9 4@?5:E:@?D] xE :D >F49 >@C6 677:4:6?E E@ EC62E A6@A=6VD 2DE9>2 2D @FEA2E:6?ED E92? E@ EC62E E96> :? E96 6>6C86?4J C@@> H96? E96J 92G6 2? 2DE9>2 2EE24<] %C62E:?8 9JA6CE6?D:@? H:E9 >65:42E:@? :D 72C 4962A6C E92? EC62E:?8 2 DEC@<6 @C 2 962CE 2EE24< 2D 2 C6DF=E @7 E92E F?EC62E65 9JA6CE6?D:@?]k^Am
kAmv:G6? E96 A@=:E:42= @AA@D:E:@? E@ E96 D:8?:7:42?E C2A:5 D9:7E E@ 2 D:?8=6\A2J6C DJDE6> :? 7@FC J62CD[ D@>6 42?5:52E6D DF49 2D !6E6 qFEE:8:68 2C6 5:D4FDD:?8 2 AC@8C2> 96 42==D “|65:42C6 7@C 2== H9@ H2?E :E[” H9:49 H@F=5 6IA2?5 E96 |65:42C6 AC@8C2> 2?5 2==@H 2?J@?6 E@ 6?C@== :? :E] %9:D :D A@=:E:42==J >F49 >@C6 2446AE23=6 E@ >2?J A6@A=6]k^Am
kAmp 5:77:4F=EJ H:E9 E9:D 2AAC@249 :D E92E :E =62G6D FD H:E9 2 9J3C:5 DJDE6> :? H9:49 AC@G:56CD >FDE 4@?E:?F6 E@ :?E6C7246 H:E9 >F=E:A=6 A2J6CD H:E9 5:776C6?E 4@G6C286 CF=6D 2?5 ?6EH@C<D[ 5:776C6?E 7@C>F=2C:6D 2?5 5:776C6?E AC:@C 2FE9@C:K2E:@? AC@465FC6D]k^Am
kAmp D:>A=:7:65 D:?8=6\A2J6C DJDE6> :D 6DE:>2E65 E@ 4FE AC@G:56C 4@DED 3J f A6C46?E 3642FD6 @7 E96 677:4:6?4:6D @7 562=:?8 H:E9 @?=J @?6 DJDE6> C2E96C E92? >F=E:A=6 :?DFC2?46 DJDE6>D] x? 255:E:@? E@ 4FEE:?8 E96 25>:?:DEC2E:G6 4@DED[ :E H@F=5 C6=:6G6 E96 AC@G:56CD @7 E96 3FC56?D @7 562=:?8 H:E9 E96 :?DFC2?46 4@G6C286 7@C >65:42E:@?D[ E6DED 2?5 AC@465FC6D E92E 4@?DF>6D G2DE 2>@F?ED @7 AC@G:56CDV E:>6[ H9:49 4@F=5 36 DA6?E 42C:?8 7@C A2E:6?ED :?DE625]k^Am
kAm|65:42C6 7@C p== 4@?E:?F6D E@ AC@G:56 E96 36DE @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ 564C62D6 4@DED] |65:42C6 92D >F49 =@H6C 25>:?:DEC2E:G6 4@DED 2?5 AC@G:56D 42C6 7@C =6DD E92? :?DFC2?46 4@>A2?:6D 492C86 2?5 H:== AC@G:56 36EE6C 32C82:?:?8 A@H6C H:E9 A92C>246FE:42= 4@>A2?:6D]k^Am
kAm(2CC6? 2?5 $2?56CD 2C6 D6EE:?8 9:89 2DA:C2E:@?2= 8@2=D[ H:E9 qFEE:8:68 E2<:?8 2 >@C6 42FE:@FD[ AC28>2E:4 2AAC@249] t:E96C 2AAC@249 42? H@C<] !C@A@D2=D 7C@> 2?J @7 E96D6 42?5:52E6D H:== 8@ E9C@F89 2 =68:D=2E:G6 AC@46DD[ A@E6?E:2==J F?56C8@:?8 D:8?:7:42?E 492?86D]k^Am
kAm(6 ?665 E9:D 5:D4FDD:@? 23@FE 9@H H6 H@F=5 =:<6 E@ EC2?D7@C> @FC DJDE6> :?E@ 2? 677:4:6?E[ =6DD 4@DE=J @?6[ DF49 2D :D 249:6G65 :? 2== @7 E96 @E96C 56G6=@A65 4@F?EC:6D]k^Am
kAmk6>my6CCJ z?:C< :D 2 s6>@4C2E:4 DE2E6 C6AC6D6?E2E:G6 7C@> uC665@>]k^6>mk^Am
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.