What we need to do, and i'm going to make this into a post, is for groups of doctors to meet with groups of people to totally do away with ALL insurance and negotiate prices directly with the consumer. such a move would also reduce the immense costs that providers have just for doing the paperwork for insurance companies. It will obviate the Draconian method for determing who gets care and who does't. It will free up doctors to provide care based on the needs of the patient. If providers and consumers would simply get together to negotiate a sliding scale of payment, it will work. I've seen it successfuly work in free and low-cost clinics. Basicall,y it would also allow providers to tell the Feds to take a hike and find someone else to serve illegal immigrants.
HR-667 does not contain any language about catastrophic care, and that is something the individual states can establish on their own. Florida has been considering this plan for awhile. Catastrophic care is the most expensive, so having a state-run PUBLIC insurance pool getd around the provisions of the bill and Porkulus.
I wonder if the feds would force participation in the federal healthcare e.g. new withholding taxes so you are forced to finance it even if you want no part of it. It's the same concept as having to pay for public schools via property taxes even if you choose to send your children to private school. You end up paying twice.