Have you read Team Obama's proposal for health care reform? If you haven't, I suggest you do so immediately. Right on Page 3 of the PDF is what prompted me to write this blog post:

Invest in Community Health Centers. Community health centers play a critical role in providing quality care in underserved areas. About 1,250 centers provide care to 20 million people, with an emphasis on preventive and primary care. The Senate bill increases funding to these centers for services by $7 billion and for construction by $1.5 billion over 5 years. The House bill provides $12 billion over the same 5 years. Bridging the difference, the President’s Proposal invests $11 billion in these centers.

Those who know me personally, know the history of chronic illnesses and allergies that afflict my family. And they know that for a good 5-6 years we had to do without health insurance. Had it not been for Dr. Robert Schiller and the staff at Institute for Family Health (Sydney Hillman Framily Practice), we would have been in deep financial shit.

Our family doctor is not only the head of Family Health at Beth Israel Hospital. He is also a renowned homeopath with a vast knowledge and respect for non-allopathic (aka alternative) medicines. Every single MD in the practice is known for attacking allergies, chronic illnesses, addictions, AIDS & STDs using a mixture of western and alternative medicines. Why? Because it ultimately reduces costs.
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Watch Anthony explain in less than a dozen words why health care reform is not just good for the people but it's necessary for the economy because it is jobs.

Introduction

I am circulating this plan at this late stage of the health care debate because most of the proposals out there are totally inadequate. This plan is a hybrid of government provided coverage, private insurance and regional and trade association co-ops (Not as public option replacements, but as an additional choice. I'd be very disappointed if the eventual health care bill doesn't include a public option and co-ops are inadequate alternatives).

I originally came up with this healthcare plan in 2005 and never formally put it to paper because I worked for someone who advocated single payer, which I believe is a worthy goal, but impossible in today's political and economic climate.

Plans without a public option are essentially worthless. They will inadequately extend the coverage safety net and will not put adequate competitive pressure on private insurance pricing.  read more »