Conrad Moves Closer To Public Health Care After Negotiations

[babylonsister]

Good news!

Ryan Grim
Conrad Moves Closer To Public Health Care After Negotiations

First Posted: 06-22-09 06:46 PM | Updated: 06-22-09 07:15 PM


Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) moved sharply toward public health care Monday, saying that he could "absolutely" support major parts of Sen. Chuck Schumer's compromise proposal for a public option after closed-door negotiations.

Conrad has backed a health care co-op proposal that advocates of a public option have thoroughly rejected. Schumer (D-N.Y.) took their side on Sunday in comments made to the Associated Press. "I don't think I could say with a straight face that this {co-op proposal} is at all close to a nationwide public option," Schumer said. "Right now, this co-op idea doesn't come close to satisfying anyone who wants a public plan."

The wheels looked to be coming off with health care reform last week. But a poll showing huge public support for a public health care option and a strong bill from the House of Representatives have changed the dynamic.

Schumer and other backers of a public option insist that any plan must be national in scope, have substantial funding at the beginning from the federal government, and include national purchasing power in order to negotiate lower prices.

more...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/22/conrad-moves-closer-to-pu_n_219266.html

[SharonRB]

1. Great news!

:hi:

[babylonsister]

6. Hi, Sharon, long time no see!

:fistbump:

[Beetwasher]

2. I Love It When A Plan Comes Together!

[backscatter712]

3. Exxxxcellent!

Keep calling them! Keep emailing them! Keep bugging them!

If they go soft, call them out!

Do not let the pressure up!

[Cha]

4. Rec'd~ Here's to optimism as

opposed to the eternal doom and gloom that proliferates around here at times.

[Cleita]

5. Again, details. These closed door negotiations don't bode well.

We need to know how we are being sold down the river. The only acceptable public option is the one the insurance companies don't want.

[babylonsister]

7. Why do you feel compelled to poop on any thread with a hint

of possible good news? I don't get it.

[Cleita]

10. The poop isn't coming from me. I'm warning people to look where they

step so they don't step into the real poop. I want Obama to succeed and this could be the defining issue of his Presidency, like Social Security was for FDR. If it turns into a costly boondoggle, it will not make him into a hero and so far every thing I have seen coming out of Congress points to a costly boondoggle. Meetings behind close doors don't help. I hope Obama will send the legislation back until they get it right. btw, if it pisses you off so much, and if you want to keep your head up in those pink clouds, I'll stay out of your threads and post my own misgivings elsewhere.

So long.

[Sebastian Doyle]

13. Because we have good reason not to trust Schumer or Conrad.

Neither of them give a god damn about doing what the American People want. They want a corporatist solution that they can sell as "reform" in the corporate media.

[Thrill]

8. You mean after Poll results

:)

[jenmito]

9. K& (5th) R! I'm SURE this will happen. n/t

[Better Believe It]

11. Let's see it! What has been compromised by Senator Schumer?

"Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) moved sharply toward public health care Monday, saying that he could "absolutely" support major parts of Sen. Chuck Schumer's compromise proposal for a public option after closed-door negotiations."

I'd like to read Senator Schumer's "compromise proposal" before we pass judgment on it.

Where is it posted so we might all be able to read it?

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

14. Here are Schumers 4 points for his fake public option

Or as some have called it Public Option Lite.

*The public plan must be self-sustaining. It should pay claims with money raised from premiums and co-payments. It should not receive tax revenue or appropriations from the government.

*The public plan should pay doctors and hospitals more than what Medicare pays. Medicare rates, set by law and regulation, are often lower than what private insurers pay.

*The government should not compel doctors and hospitals to participate in a public plan just because they participate in Medicare.

*To prevent the government from serving as both “player and umpire,” the officials who manage a public plan should be different from those who regulate the insurance market.
********************************************************************************************************************************

The biggest issue is his first point. A public plan CANNOT be self-sustaining especially initially. The very first people into the public plan will be those who have been denied for years due to pre-existing conditions. They have had the least care and the most needs. The plan will be bankrupt very shortly due to underfunding. This is the most cynical part of Schumer's plan, in my opinion. There may come a time when a public plan will be self-sustaining, but it would probably take years. A public plan can be run with the public's money, just like our other current government programs - the VA, Medicare, Active Military healthcare.

Yes, doctors and hospitals that take Medicare should also take the new government plan. Why wouldn't the government want this?



*********************************************************************************************************************************
Here's some more to read.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/6/8/739946/-I-Dont-Support-Schumers-Public-Option-Compromise

http://www.pnhp.org/news/2009/may/sen_schumer_kills_r.php

[Better Believe It]

18. And Schumer is making further compromises on his weak "public option" plan??!!!

That sure sounds like change we can't believe in.

And the following two proposals combined with the point you made really make it "public plan lite" and just about guarantee its failure. Of course, isn't that what the moderates and Republicans want?

*The public plan should pay doctors and hospitals more than what Medicare pays. Medicare rates, set by law and regulation, are often lower than what private insurers pay.

*The government should not compel doctors and hospitals to participate in a public plan just because they participate in Medicare.

And Senator Schumer wants to weaken and compromise even more to pacify the "centrist" Dems and Republicans!

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

22. I think Schumer wants something that could be called a "public plan"

but isn't a real public plan in any true sense that others are speaking of. His public plan doppleganger is DESIGNED to go bust in short order so that in the future people like him and and other Corprocrats can say "We tried. It didn't work. Now get back to your oars, wage slave!"

[flpoljunkie]

24. My concern, as well.

[wroberts189]

12. easy knr

[vaberella]

15. I'm hesitant with Conrad and Schumer...but if their moving away from co-op thank god.

I don't even know where this co-op shit came from.

[Jennicut]

20. Agreed. Co-opts are NOT the answer.

Hopefully these Senators can clearly see by the new polling that the majority of public wants this and their reelections will be safe, as that is what most care about anyway.

[MasonJar]

16. The Senators had better start paying attention to the people or many of

us will want the reps from the House replacing them asap.

[DrToast]

17. I don't think Conrad was ever opposed to the public option

I know he was trying to push his co-op idea, but I think that was because he was trying to get a bi-partisan compromise. However, as far as I know, he has never come out against a public option.

[AtomicKitten]

21. He's wiggled every direction EXCEPT the public option.

He's been pushing co-ops as a "compromise" ---> http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2009/06/has_kent_conrad_solved_the_pub.html

He's insisted on 60 votes and is not interested in 51- vote reconciliation --->
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/conrad-votes-lacking-to-pass-public-option-healthcare-2009-06-14.html
http://beltwayblips.dailyradar.com/story/conrad_votes_lacking_to_pass_public_option_healthcare/

Oh, plus he's in the pocket of the Healthcare Industry:

The Democrats on the top 10 list of Silver's study are all long-time fundraisers, bringing in anywhere between $12.9 million and $25 million since 1989. Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), who has declined to fully support or reject the public option, leads this Blue Quintet with 8.5 percent of his cash coming from health care PACs.

http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2009/06/senators-opposed-to-public-opt.html

[SpartanDem]

19. Very good news

Getting people to support a public option even if it a weaker one is an improvement in that it takes out the weakest option making it harder overall to water down the final bill.

[Vinca]

23. Translation: he finally realized all the money in the world from big insurance

doesn't equal the votes of the citizens. If only this would click with the rest of them.