Watered-Down 'Public Plan' Emerges in Senate

[MathiasOfAthens]

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=9276821

They may still call it a "public plan," but private insurers — not the government — would offer coverage under a compromise Democrats are considering to win Senate passage of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul.

The latest idea bears little resemblance to the original vision outlined by liberals, and embraced by Obama, during the 2008 presidential campaign. That called for the government to sell insurance to workers and their families in competition with industry giants like UnitedHealthcare.

But instead of Medicare-for-the-masses, it would be Blue Cross Blue Shield or Kaiser Permanente, albeit with a government seal of approval from the department that handles the health plan for federal employees, including members of Congress. The Office of Personnel Management — OPM — would become an instantly recognizable federal acronym, like FDA and CDC.

"I think it's the right way to go because it's simple and the public can grasp it," Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, said Monday, reflecting a general hope that a deal is close.

Lawmakers will be able to tell their constituents "you're going to get exactly what we have, and that every federal employee has, you can buy into it," Begich added.


Five moderates and five liberals tapped by Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., planned to work on the compromise Tuesday as the Senate debated the 10-year, nearly $1 trillion bill. A vote on an amendment to tightly restrict abortion coverage by health plans receiving federal subsidies could also happen Tuesday.

Reid imposed a Tuesday deadline to complete negotiations on the government-run option, according to Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, a participant in the talks.

"It's one of those kind of things in the middle that doesn't make everybody very happy but that's our compromise," Harkin said. "It's something I'm going to probably have to live with."

Said Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont.: "It's probably the closest proposal thus far that could get the support of 60 senators. It's got legs."

Sons of es draft a health bill for the Insurance companies and call it a public plan. What do they think we are... stupid?

[Stavroforos]

ing hell, can't escape the greedy mothers who want to protect their own interests and have so many senators and congresspeople in their pockets.

[Martin N]

So much for change we can believe in, another president who caters to the corporations, oh lordy lets celebrate.

So lets just get this straight, barack obama wanted to create socialised healthcare to get rid of the old crappy unreliable insurance company run healthcare, yet he then brings in a public option that is still under the same old insurer, what the hell is the point in this ? well atleast we will get the same old service but at a reduced, or even free price.

Though barack obama is a mother ing pussy, he controls the house and the senate and he cant get nothing past, yet the bush administration had there backs against the wall and managed to pass many a dozen of controversial bills.

[MathiasOfAthens]

The Democratic party is much more divided then the Republican Party. There are also prob more of them in the pockets of rich insurance companies like there are reps in the pockets of cattle industry.
Also its not Obama who controls the Senate, sure he could be to blame to a certain effect for not motivating the senators to pass this but don't forget the massive lobbying effort by the HMOs. Bush didnt have a massive lobbying effort against him and congress when he was signing those bills after 9-11. The two situations are completely different.

[Martin N]

Fair point the situations are different, but how weak does it make him look cowering to the minority in the house and senate when he is the majority, sure he might not have the full backing of an undivided democrat party but generally they should atleast want the same thing, and it isnt helping matters when he continues alot of bush core policies when the democrat party generally didnt like many of them, and besides mathias back when bush managed to get some huge bills passed, and he was the minority he had to work damn hard to do it and thats the only thing i admired him for, and generally you have to think that the democrats would be against him no matter what the bill because hes the opposition. But it all honesty, to vote against some of bushs anti terror laws back then with all the public hatred it would of been political suicide.

[Monarchist]

! For once, I find myself agreeing with the Democrats of T.W.C: Obama is in the pocket of corporations. I can't believe anyone was tricked into thinking he wasn't after his huge campaign income. Anyone who gets that much money has to be receiving it from special interests lobbyists.

Thank God this is going down and down and down in flames the more time passes. Soon, the entire plan will just say "Government shall have no role in health care".

[Erik]

! For once, I find myself agreeing with the Democrats of T.W.C: Obama is in the pocket of corporations. I can't believe anyone was tricked into thinking he wasn't after his huge campaign income. Anyone who gets that much money has to be receiving it from special interests lobbyists.

What happened to him being a "Communist"?

Damn "Capitalist Muslim Commie Nazi!!!"

[Martin N]

Well its quite fair to say monarchist thats its almost impossible to be elected without the help of special interest groups and corporate backers, its incredibly hard to raise the necessery funds, as proven by ron paul who had a huge public gathering, and didnt get 1 cent from special interests, and had to withdraw.

And not too mention the actual media and airwave coverage sponsored candidates receive, ron paul only managed to get like 5 minutes airtime because he was a registered republican, it sucks but its how it is, you could say its a de facto 2 party system as any other party hasnt got a hope in hell of getting a man in office.

[Monarchist]

Well its quite fair to say monarchist thats its almost impossible to be elected without the help of special interest groups and corporate backers, its incredibly hard to raise the necessery funds, as proven by ron paul who had a huge public gathering, and didnt get 1 cent from special interests, and had to withdraw.

And not too mention the actual media and airwave coverage sponsored candidates receive, ron paul only managed to get like 5 minutes airtime because he was a registered republican, it sucks but its how it is, you could say its a de facto 2 party system as any other party hasnt got a hope in hell of getting a man in office.

If Paul had been a thirty-party person, he'd have gotten less than five minutes of airtime. The media are all in the pockets of the Republicans and the Democrats. Any posturing against public health care is just that. They have to put up a show and pretend that all 100 Senators are not actually for what they are definitely for. All of America has been corrupt since 1913, ever since the evil Federal Reserve and income tax were implemented. It's just been a downhill spiral of control, control, control since then.

[justicar5]

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=9276821



Sons of es draft a health bill for the Insurance companies and call it a public plan. What do they think we are... stupid.

god the democrats should grow some balls and threaten to permanetly fillibuster every republican bill for the next century, shout right back, threaten and scare monger, fight dammit,

[Martin N]

To be honest, i doubt he would get any air time lol, And indeed the federal reserve is defnitly not for the good of america, the evil tyranny of systematic control the british had over our forefathers with money and debt is what we fought to escape from after all.

[MathiasOfAthens]

I dont think Obama is in the HMO pocket, only time will tell. He could be though, considering the lack of a senate public option.
Either way the senate is corrupt and needs to be cleanse. The House still passed their bill and we only need to wait for the final bill to reach the president's desk and from there its up to Obama, whether or not he signs. Can Obama Line Veto this out of the bill, and only accept the Houses public Option?

[justicar5]

I dont think Obama is in the HMO pocket, only time will tell. He could be though, considering the lack of a senate public option.
Either way the senate is corrupt and needs to be cleanse. The House still passed their bill and we only need to wait for the final bill to reach the president's desk and from there its up to Obama, whether or not he signs. Can Obama Line Veto this out of the bill, and only accept the Houses public Option?

afaik the president does not have a line veto

[MathiasOfAthens]

, omg thats only some governors, I should fail for forgetting that.

[justicar5]

, omg thats only some governors, I should fail for forgetting that.

well the president used to, till Clinton Vs the City of New York in 1998, having gained that power in 1996. And Bush was trying to get a version of line veto but failed, and McCain and Feingold tried to pass a bill earlier this year to give yet another version but none succeeded.

[Dr. Croccer]

It's gonna be crap if it passes. We have a similair thing here in the Netherlands, but it's more expensive than the original public healthcare and far more bureaucratic and costly for the govt as well. No-one, not th people, not the companies, not the govt, is getting something good from it.

America needs a reform, but this plan will just combine the negative sides of Medicaid with private healthcare and won't really help anything.

[MathiasOfAthens]

Still its ing pathetic that the democratic party is in fact weaker than the republic party in passing a goddamn bill. However, I must admit. There are a lot of lobbyist fighting against this bill when there were none fighting against bush's bills.

[Martin N]

^^ Yeah because youll find most lobbyists WANTED the war and most of his bills passed LOL

[Mikelus Trento]

Sons of es draft a health bill for the Insurance companies and call it a public plan. What do they think we are... stupid.

I have a hunch you know the asnwer to your question.

[s.rwitt]

god the democrats should grow some balls and threaten to permanetly fillibuster every republican bill for the next century, shout right back, threaten and scare monger, fight dammit,

It's not the republicans that are responsible for this garbage not being passed. The Dems have 58 senators with 2 independents. They need 60 votes to close debate. There are only 48 Republicans. If every Republican voted no on this and everyone else voted yes, they'd be able to do whatever they wanted.

The problem is that even many of the Dems don't want to throw their careers away by forcing this monstrosity down our throats. It's should be quite telling that they've made such an effort to pass it so quickly. Just like those 3am additions to the stimulus bill. But no one seems to care too much about that sneaky horse****.

It's impossible for the Republicans to stop this thing, which means even some of the Dems are begining to realize that it's not a good idea to vote for things their constituents don't want.