Health Care Debate Over - Lobbyists Won

For all folks wanting universal health care or the public option, according to Business Week, the war is already over, even if legislation is passed, and guess who won? Surprise, surprise, lobbyists.

As the health reform fight shifts this month from a vacationing Washington to congressional districts and local airwaves around the country, much more of the battle than most people realize is already over. The likely victors are insurance giants such as UnitedHealth Group (UNH), Aetna (AET), and WellPoint (WLP). The carriers have succeeded in redefining the terms of the reform debate to such a degree that no matter what specifics emerge in the voluminous bill Congress may send to President Obama this fall, the insurance industry will emerge more profitable. Health reform could come with a $1 trillion price tag over the next decade, and it may complicate matters for some large employers. But insurance CEOs ought to be smiling.

It's quite a good article, showing the great puppet masters of the non-debate debate over a very non-specific, non-existent bill are....the health industry lobbyists.

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