While you listen to the Democrats (and Republican Olympia Snowe) on the Senate Finance Committee talk about affordability and access, and the Republicans (minus Snowe) talk about malpractice, partisanship and "rush jobs" (are there any members of the panel who haven't spent years and years in the Senate, House or state government pondering how to fix health care?)  -- we wanted to also point your attention to another White House paper on "The Burden of Health Insurance Premium Increases on American Families."

The paper points out that insurance keeps costing more and more, and, on the whole, we keep getting less and less. Insurance premiums have doubled in the last decade (and our wages sure haven't) and they are going to keep rising. One in five adults under age 65 was uninsured in 2008. Those numbers, too, are rising.

Health reform won't just expand coverage. Insurance regulation has the potential to change the very nature of coverage, with real consumer protection. As the White House paper put it, "Stability and security will be accomplished by establishing the following rights for all Americans:"

1. No Discrimination for Pre-Existing Conditions

2. No Exorbitant Out-of-Pocket Expenses, Deductibles or Co-Pays

3. No Cost-Sharing for Preventive Care

4. No Dropping of Coverage for Seriously Ill

5. No Gender Discrimination

6. No Annual or Lifetime Caps on Coverage

7. Extended Coverage for Young Adults

8. Guaranteed Insurance Renewal

In other words, you can keep your insurance even if you've been sick, or you get sick or you are at risk for getting sick. You won't lose your house or your life savings if you or someone you love gets sick.

Peace of mind. Stability. Security. And a chance to stay on Mom and Dad's insurance until you are 26.