CQ TODAY ONLINE NEWS
Oct. 25, 2009 – 1:51 p.m.
Gauging the Prospects for a Public Option
By Kathleen Silvassy, CQ-Roll Call
Support for a government-run health care option is gaining ground in the Senate and could be included in overhaul legislation, top Senate Democrats said Sunday.
The plan, which would have a provision allowing states to “opt out” of such a program, may draw the 60 votes needed to pass the Senate.
“The American people are for some alternative that will create some competition for the abuses of the insurance industry,” said Sen. Russ Feingold , D-Wis., on CBS’s “Face the Nation.” “So I believe that there’s a good chance it will be in the bill that comes before us in the Senate. ... We need to do something now. These costs are overwhelming people. ... The current system is actually a system of rationing through the insurance industry. We need to take action now.”
Democrats control the 60 votes needed to advance legislation under Senate rulesbut not all of them support creating a public option. Negotiations in recent days have focused on crafting a public option that would satisfy liberal and moderate Democrats and not drive away others.
Sen. Ben Nelson , D-Neb., objects to a national government-run insurance program, but said he would be interested in a proposal that allows states to participate only if they ask to join.
“I think if you go with a state-based public option, you can get bipartisan support,” Nelson said on CNN’s “State of the Union”. “I think we’re all more comfortable, the people will be more comfortable if the states are engaged in taking care of the situation, recognizing that Utah’s problems and California’s problems are different than Nebraska’s problems.”
Sen. Sherrod Brown , D-Ohio, cited the need for a public option to provide competition in regions where one or two insurance companies dominate the market.
“I’m fine with the state opt out,” he said on the same program. “If Nebraska or Utah doesn’t want to do the public option, their governor and legislature can pass a law saying, ‘We’re not going to give our citizens that right to have a public option.”
On ABC’s “This Week,” Sen. Claire McCaskill , D-Mo., said she believed “what we’re going to end up with is having votes on a number of choices: the ability for states to opt in to some kind of not-for-profit plan; the ability for states to opt out of some kind of not-for-profit plan to compete with the private insurance companies on this exchange; and then the option to trigger a not-for-profit plan if the insurance companies don’t manage to bring down costs within a certain period of time.”
McCaskill indicated she supports the public option and “I’ll vote for the public option. But I’m focused on these deficit costs, on how can we reconfigure the way we pay for health care in a way that, long term, will begin to have an impact on these deficits that are really going to threaten the security of our nation in the next 10 to 20 years, if we don’t get serious about it.”
On NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Sen. Charles E. Schumer , D-N.Y., said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid , D-Nev., is leaning strongly toward an opt-out public option. President Obama has said he strongly supports a public option but has reiterated it is not essential to achieving the broad goals of health care overhaul.
Senate Republicans, however, continue to oppose a public option in any format.
“No, it doesn’t make any sense at all,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky., said on ABC’s “This Week.” “In fact, I think 100 percent of Republicans have indicated they don’t think having the government in the insurance business is a good idea. What we do know about this bill ... aside from whether or not there’s a government insurance company in it or not, we do know it’s half a trillion dollars in Medicare cuts. We know it’s $400 billion in tax increases on individuals and businesses. And we know the CBO says that insurance premiums for everybody will go up, that’s 85 percent of Americans who already have health insurance.
“So, wholly aside from the debate over whether the government gets into the insurance business, the core of the proposal is a bill that the American public clearly does not like,” he said.
Sen. John McCain , R-Ariz., said on “Face the Nation” he would not support “any proposal that I have seen. I think that a fundamental difference we have is whether we think government does a good job at administering health care in America or providing health insurance for the American people. I don’t think they do.”
McCain conceded that as far as passing the legislation, “I think that the Democrats have the votes. I think that Blue Dogs bark but never bite. So I don’t think they have a problem over in the House side.”
Comments
Were this a democracy, this would require a referendum in every state for the people to vote on it. I am confident that if the people have a chance to look at government controlled health care, they would reject it.
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.
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