Walked into the office this morning determined to write aboutMedicare. Compelling stuff, I know, but as the staggering economytakes its toll on every other aspect of our lives, I thought itmight be time to highlight the beating Medicare is taking becauseof the precipitous plunge in payroll taxes.

(The latest estimate has Medicare running dry by 2017, nearlytwo decades sooner than Social Security, which seems to get all thepress.)

But before I could make my second trip to Starbucks thismorning, a broker friend called me, a little freaked out by ane-mail she'd just received. Talk about your wake-up call; thisthing was more jarring than an Eminem lyric.

She found a of tomorrow's Senate Finance Committee report,quietly dubbed, "Expanding Health Care Coverage: Proposals toProvide Affordable Coverage to All Americans." Oxymoronic titlesaside, this threatens to be this summer's real blockbuster.

What should you be worried about most? How about this proposedHealth Insurance Exchange? You should look into it -- especiallysince this federal entity's role is designed to replace you, thebroker. Scared yet? You should be.

I know it's not exactly summer beach reading, but do us all afavor and click on , download the PDF, read it and pass it on. It'stime to get informed and get into the fray.

Look for a more in-depth examination of this in the July issueof Benefits Selling. Until then, keep reading.