NYT: Confident Democrats Draft Broad Health Care Agenda

[DeepModem Mom]

Confident Democrats Draft Broad Health Care Agenda
By ROBERT PEAR
Published: October 20, 2006

WASHINGTON, Oct. 19 — Expecting to gain seats in Congress, Democrats are drafting an ambitious health care agenda to carry out their campaign promises with legislation to lower drug costs for older Americans, provide more money for children’s health insurance and expand research using embryonic stem cells.

Many Democrats in the House and the Senate say they want federal officials to negotiate directly with pharmaceutical companies to obtain lower prices for Medicare beneficiaries. The 2003 Medicare law explicitly prohibits such negotiations.

Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, the House Democratic leader, said that if Democrats were in control, they would try to repeal that ban in the first 100 hours after the House convenes.

Private insurers already negotiate drug discounts for Medicare beneficiaries, but Democrats say the government could get a better deal.

“I don’t know that we could undo all the private plans,” said Representative Pete Stark of California, who would be chairman of an important health subcommittee if Democrats were in the majority. “But at least we could offer a government-administered drug benefit. Under the existing program, we virtually guarantee the insurance companies against loss, which is a ludicrous position for us to be in.”...

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/20/washington/20health.html

[MannyGoldstein]

1. A Porsche in Every Driveway

Prescription drugs are less than 10% of all medical spending. Do the Dems have any plans for the other 90% of spending?

[Frances]

4. Are you saying that the Dems shouldn't go after the

drug industry giveaway program right away?

Of course, the Dems should work on health care for all citizens, but the present drug benefit portion of Medicare makes it illegal for the government to bargain for the best prices. I think closing this loophole ASAP is very important.

[MannyGoldstein]

10. No

I am saying that people should not be fooled by the Dems going after a single tiny bit of the problem. They'd save a lot more by going after a number of other things.

[rodeodance]

8. according to this-plans are small for now:

Democrats are not naïve about their ability to write laws over White House objections. “The Democratic agenda on health care will be somewhat limited by the fact that George Bush is still president,” said Representative Henry A. Waxman of California, who has been working on health legislation for more than three decades.

After the demise of President Bill Clinton’s plan for universal coverage, Mr. Waxman said, he concluded that “the health care system can be fundamentally changed only when there’s strong public support for a specific proposal.” Democrats will use the next two years to build such support before the 2008 presidential election, he said.

Democrats do not say exactly how they would pay for their proposals, but they have said they would consider tax increases.

A Democratic priority is to renew and expand the Children’s Health Insurance Program, created with bipartisan support in 1997. Democrats say Congress must provide more money just to preserve coverage for the four million children already enrolled.

[bemildred]

2. Put Hillary on it. She did such a great job last time. nt

[Frances]

3. Are ;you saying that you bought into those Repub

commercials suggesting that taxpayers wouldn't be able to choose their own doctors? I found them hilarious because the HMOs were paying for those commercials and they were the ones who won't let you choose your own doctor.

[bemildred]

11. No, that isn't what I'm saying. nt

[rodeodance]

5. For the most part I agree. Dean had a plan also (DNC)

[rodeodance]

6. hey Peolosi----good strategy----Should be on Front page.

Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, the House Democratic leader, said that if Democrats were in control, they would try to repeal that ban in the first 100 hours after the House convenes.

Private insurers already negotiate drug discounts for Medicare beneficiaries, but Democrats say the government could get a better deal.

[bemildred]

12. Having a plan is not that difficult.

There are plenty of examples of working, inexpensive national health care plans.
The problem is political will.

[rodeodance]

7. says Dems talking of health care on the trail. (so are repugs)

.For 12 years, House Democrats have felt powerless to shape the health care agenda. Now they sense a major opportunity. Not only are they using health care as an issue in the midterm elections, but they also plan to use it to set the stage for the 2008 presidential campaign.

Chris Murphy, the Democrat challenging Representative Nancy L. Johnson in Connecticut, has attacked her role in writing the 2003 Medicare law, while Mrs. Johnson takes credit for helping “millions of seniors.”

In Ohio, the Democratic candidate for the Senate, Representative Sherrod Brown, repeatedly points out that the number of uninsured has increased by more than five million since President Bush took office.

Embryonic stem cell research has been a defining issue in Senate races in Arizona, Maryland and Minnesota.

But Republicans are not ceding those issues to Democrats.

[rodeodance]

9. ,,,,,,, stop what he called “the Republican drive to privatize Medicare.”

......Democrats also vow to step up spending at the National Institutes of Health. The agency’s budget had doubled over five years, reaching $27 billion in 2003, but has risen less than 6 percent since then.

With additional seats in the House and the Senate, Democrats say, they would overturn restrictions that Mr. Bush imposed on research involving embryonic stem cells. Congress passed such legislation this year, but Mr. Bush vetoed it.

Democrats have a long list of federal agencies, programs and industries they want to investigate. Many are eager to look into drug prices and marketing practices. They also want to investigate whether Medicare overpays managed care plans, compared with spending for similar beneficiaries in the traditional Medicare program.

Mr. Stark, the senior Democrat on the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health, said his priority was to stop what he called “the Republican drive to privatize Medicare.”

[OKIsItJustMe]

13. PBS: Remaking American Medicine

Check your local listings, see if your local PBS station is rerunning this series. Watch it.

Then, tell your Senators and Representative to watch it.

http://www.pbs.org/remakingamericanmedicine/

[Zenlitened]

14. Excellent. And I love the political-season subtext, too:

"Here's what we're going to do after you put is back in charge Nov. 7."

Rings with confidence, speaks to a concern shared by all Americans, and lays out practical steps on a genuinely important issue.

Nice! :thumbsup:

[The Count]

15. Confident Democrats? That's a first for NYT. Unless "confident" is bad

somehow
Actually, Robert Pear is a good guy.

[Vinca]

16. I'm all for children's health insurance, but

what about the rest of us? If Democrats regain power, then leave the adult uninsured population hanging, I don't know what I'll do.