CQ TODAY MIDDAY UPDATE
Oct. 21, 2009 – 2:07 p.m.
‘Robust’ Public Insurance Option May Have House Majority
House Democrats are “right around” the 218 votes needed to pass a health care overhaul bill that includes a “robust” public insurance option, according to a member of the leadership.
“We’re right around 218 for a robust public option,” Democratic Caucus Chairman John B. Larson of Connecticut said early Wednesday afternoon as Majority Whip James E. Clyburn , D-S.C., was working to complete a whip count of Democrats that Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif., asked for on Tuesday.
She launched the vote count after a preliminary Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report showed that a public insurance option with provider payment rates pegged to “Medicare Plus 5” percent would produce greater cost savings than alternative versions of such a plan.
It would permit Democrats to hold the total cost of their health overhaul below $900 billion over 10 years — the target set by President Obama.
“It could go higher,” Larson said of the whip count. “I feel pretty good.”
House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer , D-Md., said the CBO numbers “were positive in the sense that they came in below the numbers that were our targets.”
But Hoyer cautioned against focusing too much on the public option issue as the deciding factor in whether enough Democrats can be convinced to follow their leaders in voting for the overhaul. “There are a lot of moving parts to this bill. It’s a huge bill. We’re still talking to people. I think we will have a majority, but we’re still talking,” he said.
Senior Democratic aides said Tuesday that CBO estimated that a health bill including the “robust” option, as the Medicare Plus 5 plan is known, would cost about $871 billion over 10 years. That is less than if the public plan had to negotiate with providers over the payment rates.
There are 256 Democrats in the House. Some moderate to conservative party members have expressed reservations about a public option, especially one linked to Medicare rates, saying those payments are already too low in their states and districts.
But Pelosi and her deputies are united in pushing for the public plan, at least in the bill the House is expected to take up next month.
Comments
As a physician this "robust" option will only continue to underpay us for our services. Medicare rates are 20-30% below what we get from private carriers. The public option is no option and I and others will not participate. All of the healthcare bills should be scrapped and start over with incremental reforms.
Urgent!! Robert Reich on your healthcare http://bit.ly/SAQ7a Why A Strong Public Option (Medicare Plus 5) Is Essential - By jacksmith - Working Class Robert Reich explains the pubic option: http://bit.ly/dDYSJ Hollywood Supports The Public Option :-) http://bit.ly/3XLwPi Beautiful HEATHER GRAHAM http://bit.ly/12sRYD :-) It's not just because more than two thirds of the American people want a single payer health care system. And if they cant have a single payer system 77% of all Americans want a strong government-run public option (Medicare Plus 5) on day one (86% of democrats, 75% of independents, and 72% republicans). Basically everyone. It's not just because according to a new AARP POLL: 86 percent of seniors want universal healthcare security for All, including 93% of Democrats, 87% of Independents, and 78% of Republicans. With 79% of seniors supporting creating a new strong Government-run public option plan (Medicare Plus 5), available immediately. Including 89% of Democrats, 80% of Independents, and 61% of Republicans, STUNNING!! It's not just because it will lower cost. Because a strong public option (Medicare Plus 5) will dramatically lower cost for everyone. And dramatically improved the quality of care everyone receives in America and around the World. Rich, middle class, and poor a like. It's not just because it will save trillions of dollars and prevent the needless deaths of millions more of YOU, caused by a rush to profit by the DISGRACEFUL, GREED DRIVEN, PRIVATE FOR PROFIT MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX! It's not just because every expert in every field, including economist, and Nobel laureates all agree that free market based healthcare systems don't work. Never have and never will. The US has the only truly free market based healthcare system in the World. And as you all know now, IT IS A DISASTER! It's not just because providing or denying medically necessary care for profit motivations is wrong. Because it is WRONG! It's professionally, ethically, and morally REPUGNANT!, Animalistic, VILE and EVIL. THE REASON THE PUBLIC OPTION IS ESSENTIAL: The public option is ESSENTIAL because over 200 million of you are trapped in the forest of the wolves. Which is the forest of the DISGRACEFUL, GREED DRIVEN, PRIVATE FOR PROFIT MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX! With no way out except through needless inhumane suffering, and DEATH. While the wolves tear at your flesh, and rip you limb from lib. Then feast on your lifeless bodies like a dead carcase for transplant parts. At the most vulnerable times of your lives (when you were sick and hurting), millions of you have had to fight and loose cruel, but heroic battles. Fighting against the big guns of the DISGRACEFUL, GREED DRIVEN, PRIVATE FOR PROFIT MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX! in the forest of the wolves. All because you have no place else to go. You have no other CHOICE! But the PUBLIC OPTION (Medicare Plus 5) will give you someplace safe to go. And it will give us someplace safe to take you. The public option (Medicare Plus 5) will be your refugium (your refuge). Where the wolves cannot get at you when your down, hurting, and vulnerable. Where everyone who needs it can find rest, security, comfort and the care they need. Protected by the BIG GUNS of We The People Of The United States. THE MOST POWERFUL PEOPLE AND COUNTRY ON EARTH. This is why it is so critical that we do not lead another 50 million vulnerable, uninsured Americans into the forest of the wolves, without the protections of a Strong Government-run public option (MEDICARE Plus 5). We The People Of The United States MUST NOT LET THAT HAPPEN to any more of our fellow Americans. If healthcare reform does not contain a strong public option (Medicare Plus 5) on day one. YOU MUST! KILL IT. Or you will do far more harm than good. And millions more will die needlessly. Rich, middle class, and poor a like. To those who would continue to obstruct good and true healthcare reform for the American people, and who seek to trap millions more vulnerable Americans in the forest of the wolves. We will continue to fight you. We are prepared to wage all out war against you, and will eagerly DESTROY! you. Time...is...UP! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! No Co-op's! No Triggers! NO INDIVIDUAL MANDATES! without a Strong public option (Medicare Plus 5) on day one. Healthcare reform can be the GREATEST! Accomplishment of our time and century. A time when future generations may say of us, that we were all, AMERICAS GREATEST GENERATIONS. BUT WE MUST ACT! I therefore call on all my fellow Americans and the peoples of the World. To join us in this fight so that we may finish becoming the better America that we aspire to be for everyone. SPREAD THE WORD! I have been privileged to be witness as many of you fought, and struggled to take your first breath, and your last breath on this earth. Rich, middle class, and poor a like. Life is precious. Whatever the cost. WE! MUST SUCCEED. God Bless You My Fellow Human Beings jacksmith - Working Class ATTENTION!! Congress Has The Votes Needed To Pass A Public Option - TODAY http://bit.ly/TCq7O Things You Can Do To Help NOW! http://www.everydaycitizen.com/2009/09/tired_of_watching_people_die_n.html A majority of voters would rather have a Democrats only bill with a Public Option. Than a bipartisan bill without a Public Option. A state based insurance plan is NOT!! a Public Option. Nor is it a Strong, National, Medicare like Public Option. No Triggers! http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jason-rosenbaum/a-trigger-for-the-public_b_277910.html Triggers http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-sirota/weve-seen-these-triggers_b_283583.html Krugman on heathcare (http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/25/why-markets-cant-cure-healthcare/) Senator Bernie Sanders on healthcare (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSM8t_cLZgk&feature=player_embedded) John Garamendi on the Public Option and the Grassroots: http://bit.ly/TJMty Howard Dean on the Public Option http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SKfW2dUnow&feature=player_embedded We're Number 37! in quality of health care http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVgOl3cETb4&feature=player_embedded Twitter search (#welovethenhs #NHS #hc09 #hcr #healthcar #obama #p2 #topprog #) Check it out.
Great,if all insurance companies would toe the line on 5% administration costs per money spent on actual health care.That's not enough if we need to pay out hundreds of millions in executive pay packages. The Government does this with Veterans administration and Medicare,not including medicare advantage which costs almost 40% more as it is administered by a for profit insurance company. Mal practice insurance costs a third of what it costs for profits and administration costs along with the hundreds of millions of our health cre money going to executives. Its a shame when mid level managers make more then the Doctors involved. Its a shame that needs to stop!
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