The government now has an "obligation" to see to it that seniors have affordable prescription drugs. While moving all seniors to a free market solution would be a great solution, I'm afraid the more likely solution is that the government will lower premiums and deductibles and raise the coverage percentages under Medicare. The clamor will now be that the government plan is too weak - and it will be particularly loud from the people currently on private plans who will lose coverage and be forced to accept a worse Medicare plan.
How will politicians answer those calls? My bet is that they'll revamp the system to provide for more coverage, rather than tell seniors to go back to private coverages. Alternatively, they'll begin price setting precription drug costs, which is little better than the first alternative I posed. And I'd submit that, in the case of virtually every other entitlement program ever enacted, history is on my side.
I have said earlier on this thread that there are a lot of things to be done to fix the health care system, and not all of them involve the government.
This coverage was going to come whether you had a Republican or a Democrat as president. The only difference is whether there is reform to accompany it. The Republicans delivered on that.
Apparently--the extra $400 Billion notwithstanding--we're witnessing the End of History, and the Federal Leviathan will continue to shrink from here on out!! Ooops...I just heard on NBC that the privatization portion of the bill doesn't kick in until 2010...never mind!!
SHEEEESH...MUD