I was initially very critical of the Dylan Ratigan Unit. But his work on healthcare reform lately has been pretty great. And this morning, he's sounding downright Thom-Hartmann-ish, ranting about how the health insurance companies aren't subject to the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. From Ratigan's new Huffington Post column:
Through the governmental negligence that we as voters allowed, a health care system was created in which a single health care company controls at least 30 percent of the insurance market in 95% of the country, including states like the following:
Maine, where Wellpoint controls 71% of the market.
North Dakota, where Blue Cross controls 90% of the market.
Arkansas, where Blue Cross Blue Shield controls 75% of the market.
Alabama, where Blue Cross Blue Shield controls 83% of the market.
This monopoly, combined with the misaligned incentives that trap people in employer-based health care, is causing the skyrocketing health care costs that are hurtling our nation towards bankruptcy.
Ratigan is also calling for everyone to have access to the public option, which, of course, would be outstanding. In terms of the Finance Committee today, Rockefeller's amendment combined with Wyden's Free Choice Amendment would do the trick. We'll see what happens today.