Senate offers single-payer national healthcare plan

Finally, we’re getting a real healthcare reform bill from the Senate Health, Education, Labor Committee, that, on paper at least, offers real national healthcare with a single-payer option; in addition to the single-payer option, the estimated 97 percent coverage is close enough to a cigar to legitimately say this is national healthcare.

I don’t know if the $750/employee fee on companies who don’t cover their employees is high enough, but, it’s a definite start, and certainly in the neighborhood.

And, for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which puts private insurance on a godlike pedestal, there you go — avoid the penalty AND avoid your employees signing up for government health insurance by covering them.

Now, the other question is, does the bill set minimum standards of coverage for private-sector plans? Otherwise, a business could offer “insurance” with a $5,000 annual deductible and only 50 percent copay up to, say $25,000.