While there are some things to applaud in House 3200, there is much be concerned about.  Recall that the Medicare Act passed in 1965 was 30 pages in length.  In contrast, this bill is over 1,000 pages.  That means there is ample room for mischief on the part of those bent on social engineering, extending the reach of government and controlling the private economy.  One can only wonder what is meant by “squeezing billions out of Medicare”.  Reducing payments to hospitals and doctors is nothing new, Medicare is already the bottom feeder of payers to providers, rivaled only by Medicaid.  We can only hope that in the Senate cooler and wiser heads will prevail and put the brakes on much of the unnecessary actions proposed by the House . . . obi jo

House members headed home on Friday, leaving behind the outlines of a nearly $1 trillion health care overhaul that is sure to draw fire from a variety of interests, but also shows the beginnings of a consensus that would provide insurance for more Americans and give them new rights in dealing with insurers.

The 31-to-28 vote occurred at 9:05 p.m. Friday, at the end of a session that began at 10 a.m. Five Democrats joined all 23 Republicans on the panel in voting no.

Lawmakers also agree on proposals to squeeze hundreds of billions of dollars out of Medicare by reducing the growth of payments to hospitals and many other health care providers. They are committed to rewarding high-quality care, by paying for the value, rather than the volume, of services.

Health Bill Clears Hurdle and Hints at Consensus -http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/01/health/policy/01health.html?_r=1&emc=tnt&tntemail0=y

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