With a large number of angry and disappointed progressives in the House and Senate, there is still an opportunity to get progressive health care. It would require using reconciliation, as has been discussed by many others. But is could be used to expand Medicare to everyone. Two problems-- Medicare does not have a family program and how can it be subsidized to make it affordable. The first is easy, Congress can create a family program. The second in more difficult and actually requires that Congress pass the current bill.
Because of the limitations of reconciliation, it really can't be used to create new funding for the program. Subsides are expensive and would require new taxes which are not available through reconciliation. But there will be significant subsidies in the exchange. So just add Medicare to the exchange as was suggested last week. Problem solved. Subsidizing Medicare on the exchanges will cost the government quite bit less than subsidizing the private insurers or "non-profits" because Medicare's relative cost is so low. The rates can be set so that Medicare will more than break even-- that is, set premiums to bring in slightly more money than its real cost, to bring more money into the system. Thus, Medicare will be "saved" at the same time by the influx of younger, healthier people paying money into the system.
Can we help? If your representative is a progressive, then ask that he or she pursue reconciliation after the leadership pushes through the current crap bill. Problem is that it needs to be under the radar (more of less secret) or certain Senators will demand promises that it not happen. The anger and desire to do significant reform will be enough motivation for key progressives to try.
What do you think?