LAO: Health Plan Has Risks -- But So Does Every Health Care Reform Proposal

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Opponents of health care reform won't have much to brag about, now that the analysis of the Nunez/Perata health care plan supported by Governor Schwarzenegger has been released by the Legislative Analyst (a.k.a, the "Budget Nun.").

The LAO found, as always, some issues. And it made a lot of assumptions that differ from proponents (for example, on the tobacco tax). Nonetheless, the report reinforces the overall soundness of the approach and financing for health care reform.

Any plan -- particularly single-payer or doing nothing -- contains major risks. Just as insurers shouldn't cherry pick who they cover, opponents of health care reform shouldn't cherry pick comments from the LAO report to help make their case for maintaining the status quo.

Perhaps the single-payer folks will put SB 840 up for the same type of scrutiny? Don't count on it.