I would agree , Robert. Unfortunately the Senate bill seems to be shaping up to follow the same route as the Medicare Part B disaster...a huge win for the AMA, insurance and pharmaceutical lobbies. At this point I am inclined to agree with Howard Dean...scrap the bill and start over.

While the bill will require insurance companies to insure pre-existing conditions and not allow them to cancel individuals with serious illness, I can not see how it controls prices. It will require everyone to buy insurance without any limitation on the premiums. The Senate bill in its current form is useless without some form of price control.

The Public Option would have compelled competitive pricing...notwithstanding the insurance industry's double talk to the contrary. The insurance industry has argued that if everyone were required to be insured it could lower its premiums...volume discount?   When was the last time anyone saw health insurance premiums drop?  Why not just auction off medical treatment to the highest bidders?

Retirement in Canada is starting to look pretty good.