...with a transitional period combining private, for-profit systems with a public, non-profit system like medicare available to all, leading to single-payer as the market squeezed out the for-profits. now tell me again... why was she such an "unacceptable" candidate?

and if we keep pushing we can win

...I wonder if Republicans are letting this happen on purpose.

According to Think Progress, Senator Specter was the vote that insured that payments to doctors treating Medicare patients will see a reduction in their chargeable fees of more than 10 %, because Republicans refused to cooperate with Democrats in doing something about the decrease, and that Specter's vote was bought by the White House.

This will also cause a backlog in Medicare payments.

How perfect. See, government financed health care doesn't work.

Great catch about the doctors, DCBlogger.

Leah, I think you are correct, they are sabotoging this in an effort to stave off HR 676. However, Medicare has been working for years, so I think this just loses the Republicans additional votes.

...from her senate website.

“Once again, Senate Republicans have stood in the way of improving health care for some of our nation’s most vulnerable citizens. The bill blocked last night would not only have prevented a 10.6 percent cut in payments to physicians who care for the 44 million seniors and people with disabilities on Medicare, but also would have made improvements in preventive care and for low-income beneficiaries. The bill also contained important provisions that I have long championed to advance electronic prescribing and our ability to measure the quality of care that patients receive. As the Senate begins its efforts to ensure that every American has access to high quality, affordable health care, it is critical that Republicans put politics aside to make the necessary improvements in the healthcare system. Passage of this Medicare legislation is an important first step and one that I hope my colleagues will support in the future.”

are you SURE she's so terrible?

Who is saying that Hillary is terrible? In fact, she's been particularly good on healthcare. I only wish that she wasn't so gunshy about single payer, and you know where DCBlogger stands.

I think you are right DC, I think the Republicans may finally pay a price for their constant undercutting of programs that work; the Medicare fees are already quite unrealistic even before the cut, and doesn't only affect patients and doctors, those Medi-gap insurers aren't going to like this either.