For all of the gas expended on TV and radio, and all of the trees that died  to provide newsprint, people still seem a bit in the woods about what health care reform really means.
The issue has been swamped by charges and counter-charges, obfuscations, half-truths and downright lies. On both sides. Let's try to clear the air.
It's generally acknowledged we have a problem with health care in this country.  We have the highest cost-per-person average in the world.   It's becoming less affordable for average Americans. Too many Americans are going without any kind of health care insurance. The problem is illustrated in the video box up above.
Here are ten things you should know about the issue.
The single most controversial component being debated right now is the notion of a single-payer system, And what is that?
Single-payer health care is a term used in the United States to describe the payment of doctors, hospitals, and other health care providers from a single fund. It would replace typical private health insurance. It is often mentioned as one way to deliver near-universal or universal health care. The administrator of the fund could be the government but it could also be a publicly owned agency regulated by law. Australia's Medicare and Canada's Medicare are examples of single-payer universal health care systems.
The boldface above is key. That's where the current debate has gotten stalled. Insurance companies don't want to lose a key source of revenue-selling health care insurance. And that is a fair argument for them to make.
Physicians aren't unanimous in their answers to questions about health care reform. But here, from one group of physicians, are answers to FAQ about health care reform and, specifically, single-payer insurance.
Opponents call the single-payer option "socialized medicine" Actually, socialized medicine is when the health care system is wholly-owned by the government and health care workers are, in effect, government employees. That's not been proposed, nor is it likely to. Still, insurance companies do have a point about their interests being fairly represented in this debate.
Now if you are looking for details of the Administration's health care reform objectives, you can look here and here. And judge for yourself the merits of what is being offered.
We'll keep looking for clarity on the issue. It is complex and, if it's going to be truly effective, will mean some sweeping changes. Right now, our representives in Washington are far too busy letting loose with charges and counter-charges to provide us with any useful information. So we're kind of on our own here.