The best thing about the Senate healthcare bill

Joe Klein stumbles on it:

My favorite provision requires that all members of Congress give up their federally-funded health care benefits and join the health care exchanges that will be set up by this bill. This is brilliant politics, addressing the tide of populist anger and fears of incipient socialism. But it also makes an important substantive point. The future of health care reform in this country will depend on how effectively the exchanges–health insurance super-stores–are working. If members of Congress have to participate in this system, you can bet they’ll insist on a array of choices, similar to the system they currently use, the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan.

Ezra Klein makes two smart observations about this.  First, not all Americans will be given the opportunity to purchase healthcare on the exchanges, despite the watered-down Free Choice amendment that Ron Wyden has tacked on to the bill.  And second, that this is smart policy.

Why is it smart policy?  Quite simply, because the Congress will become a receiver of benefits under the plan, and thus one of its staunchest advocates – and fiercest critics.  Putting congressmen into the exchanges insures they’ll understand the problems with the program nearly as well as your average middle or lower income American.  We probably should have done this with Medicaid a long time ago.