Howard Dean, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, former Governor of Vermont has predicted that President-elect Obama will get his healthcare reform plan passed in stages, not in one fell swoop.

Dean's remarks came by way of a keynote speech Dec. 4 at the eHealth Initiative's Fifth Annual Conference. Dean, a physician, said he entered politics to try and get universal coverage in the U.S. What we have today is nothing more than "psychological insurance," he said. "Real" insurance would require guaranteed issue (everyone is accepted despite preexisting conditions) and community rating (everyone pays the same premiums).

America is already losing jobs to Canada because of the high cost of health insurance. "We can't afford to waste time," Dean said. "This is the best time for reform," and Obama has placed healthcare reform as one of his top priorities.

Excusing the pun in light of the recent troubles in the auto industry, Dean said the reform doesn't have to be a Cadillac; it can start simply. "It's a false debate whether we should have a single payer or not. That's not the issue. What matters is, how [reform] evolves. We have to proceed at a pace of comfort for the American people."

"The truth is, healthcare is like politics," Dean said. "You hate it in the abstract, but you love your Congressman. Most Americans would say our healthcare system needs changing, but they like the care they are getting from their doctors."

Dean said that is why an important key to Obama's reform plan is convincing people that if they like the care they are getting, they can keep it. This one concept--overlooked in earlier attempts at healthcare reform--is critical to getting support for change.