Since I can't seem to get myself to write an all out, well-constructed post while I'm on vacation, I thought I'd point readers to this Op-Ed in the NYTimes.
It's one of those thingys where the Times publishes an Op-Ed piece, and then asks for readers' responses, which it publishes on Sunday, with a response by the original author.
This one is about Obamacare, and the Affordable Care Act, and how the exchanges set up to help people find coverage are wonderful, and how could those evil Republicans oppose this, and there are many examples of this system working, etc. (I'm a registered Democrat, BTW).
Most of it fell out on the side of: the ACA is going to have a rocky start, but in the long run it'll be great because everyone will have access to health insurance.
I really don't know how the ACA is going to play out. Maybe it'll really help people get insurance coverage. What struck me, though, is the way everyone is all excited about health insurance, and no one is talking about health care.
Yay! Everyone will have access to health insurance. Boo! Many doctors won't accept the insurance because of the Byzantine bureaucracy and the paltry reimbursement. Boo! Doctors who do accept insurance will be bombarded by overwhelming numbers of patients with shiny new health plans.
Coverage is not synonymous with Care.