You Can't Write a Song That's Gonna Save Your Health

I meant to comment on this earlier, but it looks like Fair Share is dead for good. Which is fine with me: As I've said before, we live in a much different political climate than we did when Fair Share was first proposed, and Maryland ought to be out there with Massachusetts and California in taking substantial steps toward making good, affordable health care available to all.

Having said that, there doesn't seem to be much enthusiasm in Annapolis (at least not right now) for such an overhaul. And the plan that would likely be considered -- the Health Care for All bill created by the Maryland Citizens' Health Initiative and sponsored by Del. James Hubbard of Bowie in the last session -- has a lot to offer, but suffers from a major flaw: By focusing mainly on covering the uninsured, it more or less leaves the employer-based health care system in place -- a mistake, in my opinion. Besides the fact that having something as important as your health insurance tied to your job is a large impediment to prospering in a fluid job market like today's, employers shouldn't have running a health care plan as part of their job description. It's put GM and Ford on the verge of bankruptcy, and many other businesses are already ditching it, leaving their workers in the lurch. I understand there are good reasons to take this "market-based" approach -- you don't want to upset what insured people already have, for starters -- but this plan, or something like it, needs considerable improvement.