In a republican irony of all ironies...If history had been different, Doug Holtz-Eakin would be in the White House pushing the republican domestic agenda and blocking health-care reform, at McCain's side. He was McCain's top health-care guru. He's now unemployed -- and his COBRA health coverage is running out. But...it gets worse. He has one of those pesky "preexisting conditions" that insurance companies often cite in denying coverage. He says, "If you look at my file, any insurance company would go, 'Hmm . . .' " Hmmmm, indeed.
A new Senate analysis suggests that for-profit insurance companies spend as little as 66 cents of each dollar on health care, “while the rest covers administrative expenses, marketing and company profits, according to the analysis.” And, of course, they have to pay that $100 million a year plus in compensation to Stephen Hemsley, the CEO of United Healthcare.
