I'm unclear on the whole "allowing doctors to charge Medicare patients less (which they can't do now)." thing.

Maybe you could expand on that comment for us Karen. As I see it, Medicare already forces doctors to accept a more reasonable fee as it is. Thus, many of them won't take Medicare patients. Are you suggesting under a Medicare Patient Empowerment Act individual patients will have to make deals with doctors? I am sure that would work out well.

Come on now, just give us a little real information here. I guess I'll do a little research on that MPEA since I doubt we'll hear from you. At first glance it looks like a way to pay doctors more.

Oh, and all the spending accounts, and such work fine if you make enough money. How about the third of Americans who could not afford to buy insurance unless it was subsidized or who can barely afford food and rent? I am sure their spending accounts would be grand.