The NY Times calls McLellan’s resignation the Departure of a Pragmatist. The basic problem was that his “reign” at FDA will be remembered for the pained look on his face when he was forced to defend the ban on reimportation on 60 Minutes, and the horlicks that was the introduction of Part D. He never looked too happy defending the stupid industry-based bills that the Congress sent him.

What he really wanted to do of course was turn Medicare into a real influential purchaser. There’s going to be a huge political fight about that, but it will happen eventually. And that’s a role for which he’ll be much better suited. Perhaps he’ll come back then?

The Minnesota Blues plan is floating a proposal for universal care. It looks at first glance like a Mass type individual mandate. Not so long ago Ken Melani, now CEO of Highmark, the dominant Western Pennsylvania Blues plan, had a similar idea.

So it appears that little by little the non-profit Blues are coming around to the fact that they have to have some plan in place to survive the coming revolution. This assumes that their future is a choice between being state regulated utilities in a multi-payer universal care system, or being replaced by the government in a single payer system. And there’s little doubt which one they’d rather take.

Of course these Blues have been denied the option of going for-profit, as the various state legislatures are now wise to the scam that enabled an earlier generation of Blues executives to make themselves rich beyond recognition while providing damn little back to the states that had allowed them that tax-free status for decades (see the experience in Maryland, for instance).

Those that have gone over to the dark side are of course adopting all of the tactics you’d expect, while of course the non-profit guys claim that they have to do the same to remain competitive. If they could construct a universal care multi-payer model in which everyone has to play by the rules of the big local state regulated utility, they’d do fine.

And apparently there are enough senior people, in at least Minneapolis and Pittsburgh, who are beginning to think that that’s the choice they’ll end up with in a few years. So they’re starting to float the proposals now.

I don’t know why a bill that’s destined for a veto in a state he doesn’t  live in gets Eric Novack so worked up, but it does. So here’s his take on Sheila Kuehl’s single payer bill getting past the state Senate. And I won’t even mention that a Lewin study (all hail the mighty and authoratitive Lewin) showed that single payer would save California $353 billion over ten years (oops I just did!). So guess what’s Eric’s verdict is.

Many of you are aware that the California State Senate has just passed ‘universal health insurance’ for California.  The bill creates a single payer system with the details of funding to be worked out over time.  But it requires that all current Medicaid dollars and Medicare dollars (that’s all Part A and Part B) go into the pool.

 

It also creates an unbelievable bureaucracy—all unelected.  The new unelected health czar would be given control (along with an remarkably specific number of various board members—all appointed by the way) over nearly every aspect of healthcare delivery in the state.

 

The main beneficiaries – illegal immigrants, since the bill expressly states than anyone who resides in California is covered.  American citizens traveling in California—who will actually be footing the bill through federal tax revenues – would of course be billed for the cost of services provided in the state.

 

Fortunately, the Governor will likely veto this bill. For those of you who have a very strong stomach—read the bill yourself and marvel at the wishful thinking and special interest appeasement of a majority of California’s State Senate members.

I am up at Spot-on putting Health Care Politic$-As-U$ual in context. As ever come back here to comment if you like.