Fate of healthcare up to Senate moderates
Could it be a reprise of the stimulus on healthcare?
There are certainly hints that moderate US senators of both parties could determine the fate of President Obama's agenda yet again.
Obama is holding separate private meetings this morning to discuss healthcare overhaul with Senators Olympia Snowe, a Maine Republican, and Ben Nelson, a Nebraska Democrat. They are among the senators being targeted by new TV ads, launched by Obama's grassroots organization, that say "it's time" for healthcare reform.
Nelson and Snowe's fellow moderate senator from Maine, Susan Collins, played a key role in negotiations to win Senate approval in February for the $787 billion economic recovery package championed by Obama. The stimulus bill passed the House without a single Republican vote, and the administration's horse-trading focused on satisfying Nelson and Collins, who pushed for a smaller package.
After meeting with Obama, Snowe said the president repeated his wish for Congress to pass a bill before its August recess. "He's determined to have that happen," she said on MSNBC.
But Snowe said it's more important to get bipartisan consensus in the Senate Finance Committee, especially on how to pay for the bill. Supporting a Senate vote in September, she also said she wants to give ample time for all senators and the public to review the bill.
"This deserves a thoughtful process," she said.
Asked about Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus saying today that Obama had hindered his efforts to reach a bipartisan deal by opposing a tax on some employer-provided health insurance benefits to help pay for the deal, Snowe said it would be helpful if Obama endorsed a financing approach.
The panel is "working mightily" to find "offsets" and other savings to reduce the cost of the bill. "It's all part of building a consensus," she said.
Asked to respond to Baucus, deputy White House press secretary Bill Burton told reporters on Air Force One today, "Nobody said it was going to be easy. And there are obviously bumps along the way to getting to final passage of legislation in both the House and the Senate. But we think that we've been able to make a lot of progress. And those comments notwithstanding, this week has been a very great week, if you consider that the House bill and the bill that passed through the HELP Committee are very, very similar. They're about 80 percent exactly the same."
Burton refused to say which version of the healthcare bills the president favors, and said Obama remains hopeful for a bipartisan compromise.
"We're only about midway through this. But he feels very positive about the progress we've been able to make," Burton said. " And once we get something through the House and through the Senate, we'll be able to go to conference and really put the rubber to the road and get something done."
With the power equation in the Senate so tenuous -- just last week Al Franken became the 60th Democratic vote, potentially enough to overcome Republican filibuster -- Snowe and Collins play an outsized role.
Obama and Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts are still holding out hope for a bipartisan deal this year on healthcare.
But those prospects appear to be dimming. The Senate health committee passed its $615 billion plan on a strictly party-line vote on Wednesday.
In the House, little, if any Republican support, is expected in votes planned today in the Education and Labor and the Ways and Means committees on a $1.5 trillion plan that House Democrats presented this week. It would be financed in large measure through a tax surcharge on the highest-income Americans.
"It is extraordinary, the breadth of the bill that is being pushed through and the cost associated with it," Representative Eric Cantor, the No. 2 Republican in the House, told reporters this morning. "And ultimately, really, the cost is going to be borne by the people of this country -- the middle class, the wealthy, those who can least afford it, all of us are going to be paying an astronomical cost at a time that we just cannot afford this ambitious grab."
Obama, who during the campaign proposed paying for healthcare by limiting tax deduction for high earners, has not endorsed a specific financing plan. But on CBS's "Early Show" this morning, he said, "Personally, I think the best way to fund it is for people like myself, who've been very lucky, to pay a little bit more."
UPDATE: Today, the American Medical Association endorsed House Democrat's bill, saying it "includes a broad range of provisions that are key to effective, comprehensive health system reform."
“I am grateful that the doctors of the AMA have chosen to support health insurance reform that will lower costs, expand coverage, and assure choice and quality health care for all Americans. Along with the nation’s nurses, these doctors are joining the chorus of Americans who know that the time to reform what is broken about our health care system is now,” Obama said in a statement.
The insurance industry, however, said it opposes key elements of the bill, saying a government plan "will cause millions of patients to lose their current coverage."
Comment
Permalink
EmailThis blogger might want to review your comment before posting it.
About Political Intelligence
News from the Washington Bureau
"Personally, I think the best way to fund it is for people like myself, who've been very lucky, to pay a little bit more."
Luck had nothing to do with it - you acquired your money by selling your influence, participating in shady real estate deals, and having books ghost-written for you that were bought by gullible liberals. Why not take your ill-gotten gains and help out your own family, and spare the rest of us your socialist garbage?
BTW - You throw like a girl.
Bring on the Blue Dog (moderate) Democrats to save the day.
Members of Congress are exempt from any Obamacare.
It would also be ILLEGAL to hold an individual policy with an insurance company.
HELLO RATIONED Care AKA Obamacare.
One Big A## Mistake America
How about 1.5 tril savings, not 1.5 trillion higher costs. Everyone wants savings, not higher costs. Higher deficits will de-base the dollar. It's not a health plan, it's wealth redistribution. Wake up America.
The Republicans have offered NOTHING as an alternative and resorts to the usual parroting b.s. of 'tax cuts' 'cut fraud' and are happy to leave things as they are: millions with nothing and a health care system gamed where the insurance industry makes all the rules
Obama will go down in history as the one that finally got it right. That has to scare the Republicans more than anything else.
Definitely his toss was horrible for a young male....
This healthcare plan will cripple the economy while at the same time decreasing access to care. Base it on medicare and medicaid?? THese two are already bankrupt, pay doctors and hospitals next to nothing, and you want to base a universal coverage on it?? Man physicians do not accept medicare/medicaid because they can not support their own staff and would fold themselves..
1.) Reform needs to happen, but not by scrapping what is by far the best healthcare system in the world for those that have insurance, the question is how do we cut costs AND ensure coverage for americans that WANT it.
2.) Lets start with Tort reform, which obama and the dems will not touch. How come?? Whored out to PACS. No tort reform, no support from me. Billions wasted on defensive medicine which by far surpasses the malpractice some docs in OB/Neurosurgery pay which tops 200k/yr. Who do you think ends up paying for that?? You, the patient...
3.) Should we really be covering illegal immigrants?? As a young pediatric surgeon in NYC Years ago we would have at least one pregnant mother from the Dominican Republic who would come to the US knowing their child had a heart defect. Child is born in US, is US citizen, eligible for medicaid. Receives millions per month in care...THis happened at least once a month, and is only one example. What is the answer?? If you want to cover it, everyone will pay for it and guess what? Costs will continue to rise.
4.) Lifestyle. Let's give incentives for healthy lifestyles. There are billions of healthcare dollars spent on the care of smokers. SHould we cover it?? Or simply make the rich pay for their self induced care.
5.) How about tax incentives for small business to cover insurance for their employees....
6.) That leaves about 15 million people left without insurance(minus 15 mil that do not want it, minus 15 mil illegal immigrants). There are ways to deal with this, and I would guess the amount saved just from tort reform alone let alone healthy lifestyle incentives would cover it. And for that we want to revamp the whole system??
The current bill will skyrocket the costs of healthcare, probably force some physicians to seek other careers, limit pt choices, and probably do nothing to improve healthcare in this country. When has the government ever done anything cheaper than private business. Gov employees have VERY little incentive. Do you want your doctor to be an employee?? or a professional??
Oh, and to Ted Kennedy and all the other congressmen dem or repub, the majority of you have no idea what healthcae in this country is all about.
"How about 1.5 tril savings"??? This can easily come from investigating price gouging that has been endemic in all sectors of health business that no one talk about. Everyone including Obama may be assuming the skyrocketing increase in costs far above inflation over many years is fair and natural. One should remember open market competition will not prevail over fear of illness and death
Tom Johnson - we can see the consequences of Obama "getting it right" all around us. The consequences of Obama's policies are what frighten the American people. This president is a catastrophe.
And the Republicans have offered plenty of alternatives. Obama doesn't listen and shuts them out of the process. Obama "won", remember? It's all on him and it's all on the people like you who continue to support him.
Jesus told a parable in which people walked past an injured man on the road to Jericho. No one but a Samaritan helped, a man who paid out of his own pocket to help a stranger. Jesus said that the Samaritan was an example of someone being a good neighbor.
Don't let the "righteous" right fool you with their scare tactics and lies. The GOP is in the hip pocket of the insurance and pharmaceutical industries who have been ripping off Americans for decades. The insurance and pharmaceutical companies along with their pet the GOP don't want their gravy train to end. Never mind the cost of the average American.
While the GOP will lie and try to scare the average American from accepting the idea that health care is a basic human right not a privilege, Republican Senators and Congressional Representatives don't have to worry about health care for themselves or their families.
Are we Americans so bloody selfish and self-absorbed that we are not willing to help one another? Is the money in your own pocket worth more than a human life?
Please tell me what you would want someone to do if it was you lying wounded on the road to Jericho?
1) Health insurance does not translate into good health, simply put. No administration can make the claim that people are healthier because they have insurance. Absolutely none of the causes of disease and/or ailments will be solved if/when this health care reform bill goes through.
2) Health insurance is not free for citizens.
3) Without a job, nobody can afford to pay for any insurance. Why is this conveniently left off the table?
4) If the US government will not regulate the people coming into the USA for free health care (i.e. undocumented/illegal), the system will be...unsustainable.
5) The proposed system is exponentially more complex. How can it possibly be less expensive?
6) The element of subjectivity will surely come into play using the system that is proposed. Who is capable of deciding what persons shall actually acquire the timely care that might be deserved by another? What criteria will be compiled?
7) What system of checks and balances will be used to watch the government as it seeks to have jurisdiction over our bodies?
@abby0802: Jesus of Nazareth was not a Democrat, Republican, or a business person, simply put. Insinuating that he might have been partial to any of these concerns to support your own understanding and/or ego is surely...talking the Lord's name in vain.
abby0802 - Exactly, out of his own pocket and on his own merit. Not the government. Your money, your choice.
This is a huge money pit. You cannot impose a partial system on the current US system. Doctors, nurses and other health care people in the US are paid on average 3x or more what they are paid in socialized countries; a $500,000 per year US cardiologist is not going to suddenly agree to make $125k like in the UK. Similarly, there is no incentive in the US to keep costs down, since someone else is paying for it, and "rationing" like in the UK and Canada will never fly. This will turn into the biggest black hole of all time. People hate insurance companies but they are the only entity actually telling people, for example, it is a waste of money to buy a triple bypass for an 88 year old. A better system would be to have just catastrophic care insurance and then give people tax credits for medical expenses. Basically, everyone, but the very poor, self insured up to a certain point, so they have a vested interest in actually being smart about health care choices and lifestyle.
Honestly, I would love to engage in bipartisan debate. But it is clear that the Republican approach will be to sit out and complain about Obama's entire first year. That's fine. Healthcare reform and climate change will happen with or without them. This country is going to change like it or not.
I think it's funny that people who don't have a ton of money think it's perfectly fair for those with more to be forced to give it away. It's only charity if I give it away of my own free will.
What's the motivation to work hard, if another income class subsidizes you? I guess that's the ideal life for a person who lacks ambition. You work your dream job that makes you happy, doesn't require much time, and doesn't pay too well. Someone else, who does work hard will pick up the tab for anything else you, "can't afford."
Ironhase - So I suppose you are OK with if food industry (another essential sector) conspire together and demand everyone pay three times the present price for food no matter what
It is idiots like Tom Johnson (comment #5) who defend this absurd spending spree, just because a Democrat is in power, that make a reasonable fact based debate about the affordability of Government programs impossible. He has no basis for his simple minded thought process other than Dem versus Republican....childish/ narrow minded/ and short sighted. We will never be a Socialist country. If that is what you want, then MOVE!!!
Some how, the health care debate got hijacked into a debate on health insurance...those two subjects are not synomymous. Mandating health insurance will not control costs (see the recent congressional budget office estimate), will not address preventative health care, quality of life, or even change the current crux from healh care being provided based on your form of payment instead of patient needs. We have squandered this opportunity away, and no one besides insurance companies will benefit. For shame.
These elected officials do not have MBA's in finance nor have they worked in a doctor’s office or for an insurance company. I know one thing they are lawyers. Why do people think this government that has historically run everything into the ground, for example social security and MEDICARE, will be able to solve this problem. They may get very one insurance, but they will ruin our medical care and send this country spiraling into severe debt. Why can't Obama tackle the financial mess first, the stimulus is not working and people are still getting laid off. Why is Pelosi, from the state that is in the biggest financial term oil, relied upon as source of good information? I am telling everyone on this board, our neighbor to the south will be waste land and they will have uncontrollable unemployment. If you do not know why that is than you should not comment on anything that involves healthcare.
Obama is a pure communist, as is most of the Democrat leaders. Once the free enterprise America is vanquished, he and the Democrats own you. Amerika.
"Senate moderates?" What are those, the ones only partially owned by the insurance and pharmaceutical companies?
abby0802
I would take some of MY PERSONAL money and help out the man. Your plan would have me rob 20 people on the street of their money to help him. I feel you have good intentions, the kind that pave the way to hell.
"This country is going to change like it or not."
It's insanity to think that a tiny minority is going to impose radical change on a populace that does not want it.
When it doesn't work out, we'll be here to say we told you so.
THE SWING RIGHT IS COMMING AND IT'S NOT GOING TO BE KIND TO THE LIBERALS AND SOCIALIST.
===================================================
Rasmussen Reports
=============
The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Thursday shows that 29% of the nation's voters now Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Thirty-six percent (36%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of –7 (see trends). Thirty-two percent (32%) now say the country is heading in the right direction That’s down eight points from the 2009 peak and the lowest since February.
Overall, 51% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the President's performance. Forty-seven percent (47%) disapprove.
In state polling, Republican Robert F. McDonnell now holds a narrow lead over Democrat R. Creigh Deeds in the race to become the next governor of Virginia. In New York’s Democratic Primaries, challengers lead over incumbent Governor David Paterson and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. In a Republican Primary, Texas Governor Rick Perry has expanded his lead over Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison.
Has any media reporter addressed this question to the president, the vice president , any democrat or any republican: Why has congress exempted themselves from Nationalized Healthcare?
Can anyone explain that?
Where is the unbiased media, why aren't they asking relevant questions, what's happened to investigative reporting?
what has happened to the news media? Beware of what you watch and what you read. You are not getting all the information.
And remember, the democrats have not read all those 1000 of pages in the stimulus Tax, the Cap and Trade Energy TAx and now, the Nationalized Healthcare Tax.
Be not mistaken, healthcare taxing will not just be on the so called "rich" (please, $350K a yr. is not "rich"-certainly would like to make that much, but millions and millions in a year is "rich"...guess it's all relative.
NO TO NATIONALIZED HEALTHCARE.
abby0802: FYI, Republicans give far more money and time to charity than Democrats. Look it up! If you were lying injured on the road it would most likely be a Republican who stopped to help.
And that part about health care being a right: Where exactly does it say that in our Constitution or Bill of RIGHTS?
Have you seen the New York Times stories on how well Massachusetts' plan is working?
And that part about health care being a right: Where exactly does it say that in our Constitution or Bill of RIGHTS?
Posted by Jan July 16, 09 04:53 PM
It says it in the D of I under pursuit of happiness
and in the 10 commandments under thou shalt not kill.
For those who have shoulder, elbow or hand diseases, in the second amendment under the right to bear arms.
Think about how you felt about my post after you read the above. I had a similar response to the part of your post that I quoted above. I hope you found it useful. I tried to use a concept that we share because or experience of humanity is totally different.
In case the health care reform provides the general public with peace of mind, the rising mental stress or illness caused by financial instability may bend the curve surprisingly,
in combination with kicking out the 'keep eating habit' to forget the deep-seated instability and apprehension, I guess.
'Work or Break' health system with no brake or safety system might be one of the biggest hidden causes of mental stress, obesity or overweight threatening the overall economy, I cautiously suppose.
Be careful if you support Universal healthcare.... I can tell you right now that the quality of patient care will dramatically drop just as it did in Canada and the UK. The cost savings will be in whatever the GOVERNMENT decides it cannot pay for...and for most of you I hope its not your family member. I do not ever want to say "I told you so". However, I do not want to hear any of you whining when you have a tumor or a "non emergent" life threatening condition that has to wait 3-6 months to get diagnosed or treated. Welcome to Disneyland...Get in line and wait your turn because thats where we are headed.
Republicans have nothing to offer but scare tactics. Do they really think that continuing with the present system is a solution? Of course they don't; they just want to delay reform as long as possible, hoping that a future Republican administration can tailor the system to the advantage of corporate interests. The public be damned.
We have rationing and waiting right now under the health care insurance industry. Insurance companies deny treatments we need; to get help, we have to see a primary doctor (waiting for weeks or months for that appointment), then get referred to a specialist (waiting for weeks or months to see the specialist.) Americans pay premiums amounting to $12,000+ (a whole job) annually only to discover when we get sick that the health insurance policy we've paid into for years wasn't worth the paper it was printed on due to exclusions, high copays, high deductibles, and trumped-up 'pre-existing conditions' such as acne, for which we're retroactively cancelled by our insurance company. Americans are afraid to see a doctor because we can't afford it, so our treatable conditions worsen untreated into expensive medical crises. It's draining our economy too - small businesses are being priced out of health care insurance - nearly 266,000 companies dropped their employees' health care coverage from 2000 to 2005. Entrepreneurs are afraid to leave jobs with health care to start a new business. Also in this recession, when people lose their jobs, they lose their health insurance - every day, 14,000 Americans lose their employee-based health insurance. In 2007, 60 percent of all bankruptcies in the United States were driven by health care costs. We depend on consumer spending to drive 70% of our economy, but our insurance premiums jumped 119 percent while earnings rose only 34 percent and overall inflation was just 29 percent - so while our income has barely kept pace with inflation, more of our paycheck is consumed by health costs, and there's less left over for consumers to spend. This downward economic spiral driven by the health insurance industry, which is pocketing record profits of +428% lavishing compensation on their CEOs averaging $11 million, has to stop.
The Health care is not about health it is about Control. Why is that they want
control of your bank accounts? Wake up America!
We are been fed communism garbage, We all be oppressed and lost our
freedom to choose.
Open your eyes and your ears, do not be deceived!