To the Point

Universal Health Care, National Single-Payer Plan

Ten years after Bill and Hillary Clinton made health care reform a top priority, medical costs and the number of insured continues to skyrocket. Across the US, there-s a $15 million national ad campaign, and 10 states are talking about universal health care. But with reformers having all but given up on federal elected officials, all eyes turn to Oregon, where universal health care is on Tuesday-s ballot. If voters in that state decide to raise taxes and get rid of HMO-s, will the idea spread to the rest of the country? We hear from the campaign manager for Measure 23, as well as consumers, doctors, employers, HMO-s and Oregon Senator Ron Wyden, who-s introduced national legislation for comprehensive health care reform. Newsmaker: US Diplomat Assassinated in Jordan An American diplomat has been shot and killed in Amman, Jordan. Officials say that the killing of 62 year-old Laurence Foley, who worked for the Agency for International Development, was -well organized and well planned.- Randa Habib, Amman bureau chief for Agence France Press, updates suspicions of a terrorist link, growing anit-American sentiment and the assassination-s potential affect on US-Jordanian relations. Reporter's Notebook: Gas Used to Stun Chechen Kidnappers Killed 116 Hostages Although the Moscow hostage incident ended this weekend, nearly 650 of those rescued remain hospitalized, 150 in intensive care. All but one of the 117 who died when special forces stormed the theater were killed by poison gas. David Filipov, who reports from Moscow for the Boston Globe, says the questions about the unidentified gas that was used to incapacitate the Chechen rebels, has raised concern with international watchdogs.