Last Call

The Kroog reminds us that between 2001 and 2010, before HCR was ever on the books, 1 in six Americans lost their employer-based health insurance during the Bush years and the 2008 recession that followed.

Reed Abelson at Economix points us to a startling study on the effects of the Great Recession on health insurance. You can see similar trends in the Census data, but for whatever reason this survey — carried out by a highly reputable group — is even stronger. Here’s the key picture:

What this says is that the system that has provided workable insurance coverage to many (but not enough) Americans is coming apart at the seams. And this in turn means that if health reform goes down, we’re going to be looking at a wave of misery spreading across the land.

Republicans want to replace HCR with "You're at the mercy of the insurance companies.  Good luck."  And yes, this includes Mitt Romney, who has vowed time and time again to "repeal Obamacare".  Like it or not, it's the only way forward now.  If it's repealed...and if the GOP wins, it will be...then it's over.

Better choose a side.