Booster Shots: Compare and Contrast

Susan Brink at the LA Times is a jewel! As the blogger for their Booster Shots health care blog, she certainly delivers the goods. I have often stated that self-education on health care matters is incredibly important and have tried to provide the best resources possible for those doing so.

As I was Googling around this morning, compiling resources for a post full of comparative analysis, I stumbled across her column from September 17 which is chock full of them. Instead of re-inventing the wheel, today I am going to showcase this neutral, concise, and fact-filled collection of information with you, our readers.

I must confess, I do love her "no nonsense approach" as evinced in the intro to her Booster Shots piece:

Don't say you didn't know, or can't understand, the presidential candidates' plans for dealing with America's healthcare crisis. Don't say you don't get how they might affect you. It's all out there, analyses from independent, nonpartisan groups as well as from very partisan groups. You can have a quick, thumbnail, side-by-side peek at how each candidate sees the future of healthcare. Or you can dig into papers examining the economic and societal impacts of each plan.

She hits a vast array of resources both partisan and non-partisan beginning with the candidates' own campaign websites. She throws it all out there for you in a few short paragraphs replete with pertinent hyperlinks.

Another thing I really appreciate is her neutrality on the subject:

The bottom line from the healthcare economists who examined each candidates' proposal is that the Obama plan won't curb the escalating costs of healthcare in the U.S., the most expensive system in the world. And McCain's plan won't reduce the number of uninsured, and likely would increase their ranks.

I highly advise bookmarking this one, go give it a read!

SOURCE: "McCain, Obama health plans critiqued" 09/17/08
photo courtesy of happysnapper, used under its Creative Commons license