AmericanHealthPlan.org Blog Launched to Push Plan Allowing Any American to Buy int...( LOS ANGELES Oct. 14 -- A new hea...),Health

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new health care blog launched today, AmericanHealthPlan.org, is dedicated to providing high quality and affordable health care by giving all Americans an option to buy into Medicare regardless of age.

Insurance companies argue, like banks have for a decade, that government oversight is unnecessary and that the industry is "more efficient" with less regulation. Reform advocates contend that the turmoil on Wall Street has made it abundantly clear that corporations cannot be counted upon to self regulate and that direct intervention into the health care market -- which is entirely unregulated for cost -- is necessary.

View the blog at: http://www.AmericanHealthPlan.org

The blog was created by America's top consumer advocates at the Campaign for Consumer Rights (CCR), the advocacy and campaign affiliate of the nationally recognized Consumer Watchdog. CCR was formed to protect consumers' interests in the legislative and ballot initiative process.

The approach advocated by the blog -- dubbed the "American Health Plan" -- will:

-- Allow Americans to keep the coverage provided by their employer or buy

coverage from Medicare, regardless of age or income level. Such a policy

will allow Americans to save money on health care since Medicare is far

more efficient than private insurers. For example, Medicare spends just

2% of its budget on overhead, while private insurers take as much as 50%

of monthly premiums for overhead and profit. Competition with a

low-overhead public alternative will force private insurers to prove

that they can be cost-effective while offering similarly comprehensive

coverage. Such a plan should also contain provisions allowing Medicare

to bulk purchase prescription drugs.

-- Immediately hel
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