Finally Friday Edition

Another TGIF, wishing my life away from one Friday to the next. Oh, well. Here's the news:

Paul Ryan is home in his district, having offered the country a plan that would eliminate Medicare as we know it. His constituents aren't all that happy with him. Indeed, lots of GOP members are confronting opposition to their handling of the debt. That seems predictable. Indeed, I have to wonder who -- other than the private insurance companies, who would get all the seniors with their vouchers -- they thought would like this plan. Ezra Klein points out that it violates all of the principles the GOP held dear when we were debating health reform. Still, the GOP is trying to sell their plan as the only plan that will save Medicare. Save it while ending it? I don't think so. Indeed, even Newt Gingrich opposes it!

But nothing has me as scared as the debate over raising the debt ceiling. What concessions will the GOP demand in order to keep our country out of default and financial ruin?

Meanwhile, the President's task force on deficit reduction is off to a rocky start. And the so-called "gang of six" bipartisan members of Congress is still adamant that there will not be tax increases.

Here's a cautionary tale of trying to buy individual insurance. It's a whole lot more difficult than it ought to be. And the writer is healthy. If she had pre-existing conditions, she'd have been that much worse off.

Gabrielle Giffords's staff is advocating for treatment of brain injuries -- an issue they've come to know too much about.

Interesting piece by Paul Krugman -- reacting to referring to medical patients as "consumers." I always called our clients patients until maybe the last six months or so, when I've been around other advocates calling them consumers, and I thought maybe that was more appropriate since I'm not a doctor. But Krugman argues that it devalues the doctor-patient relationship. Interesting. He also makes some important points about the proposals to curb Medicare costs. A worthwhile read.

Twenty-five states now ban smoking in public places and the CDC predicts that all 50 states will have done so by 2020.

And that's today's outlook. Have a great day. Jennifer