Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) sees a (centrist) compromise on Senate health bill [View All]

[bigtree]

from the Hill: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/67413-conrad-describes-outline-of-a-compromise-on-senate-health-bill


11/11/09 04:40 PM ET

The "outline of a compromise" is beginning to emerge in the Senate on health reform legislation, a top Democratic member said Wednesday.

Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) described the contours of a compromise health bill he said would probably come to the Senate floor next week.

"I think you can begin to see the outlines of a compromise," Conrad told MinnPost and the Grand Forks Herald.

The compromise, the centrist chairman of the Budget Committee said, would include a public option not tied to Medicare reimbursement rates alongside the nonprofit cooperative model established in the Senate Finance Committee's bill, which Conrad had played a key role in crafting.

"I think public option will be included as an alternative (in the final bill), but not tied to Medicare levels of reimbursement," Conrad said in preview of that legislation. "And there will be a not-for-profit alternative, and that will be a cooperative model."

read: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/67413-conrad-describes-outline-of-a-compromise-on-senate-health-bill



The 'not-for-profit' alternative Conrad is talking about is kin to an alternate proposal introduced by Tom Carper, D-Del. who would have health reform start with no public option and have states opt in: (http://healthtopic.nationaljournal.com/2009/11/senate-public-option.php)

"Carper is working on an alternate version of the trigger option that would set up a nonprofit board in states where insurance does not become more affordable. Carper says the plan could be a good middle ground for moderates unsure about a government-run option. While he hasn't lined up support for the plan, Carper notes that the plan is similar to Snowe's and incorporates the nonprofit idea from Kent Conrad, D-N.D."