BREAKING on Olbermann: 10 Dems Agree To Drop Public Option; Medicare Expanded to 55 and Over

[Hissyspit]

Run time: 00:39 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IU4H4Weqs04   Posted on YouTube: December 09, 2009 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: December 09, 2009 By DU Member: Hissyspit Views on DU: 2381

 
UPDATE: From Rachel Maddow, Reuters saying Sen. Reid says public option has not been dropped.

MSNBC Countdown w/ KEITH OLBERMANN - 8 December 2009

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4176644

Dems agree to drop gov't-run insurance option

Edited on Tue Dec-08-09 08:23 PM by onehandle
Source: AP

WASHINGTON – Democratic senators say they have a tentative deal to drop a government-run insurance option from health care legislation. No further details were immediately available.

But liberals and moderates have been discussing an alternative, including a private insurance arrangement to be supervised by the federal agency that oversees the system through which lawmakers purchase coverage. Additionally, talks centered on opening up Medicare to uninsured Americans beginning at age 55, a significant expansion of the large government health care program that currently serves the over-65 population.

Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa told reporters he didn't like the agreement but would support it to the hilt in an attempt to pass health care legislation.

Developing...

Markos Moulitsas on Countdown just now being interviewed by Keith: "Insurance companies already claiming victory because of the mandate to buy their crappy products... doesn't do anybody under 55 any good... We need something that covers everyone... Senate is broken ... bought and paid for."

[MarjorieG]

1. By tentative, if not good enough, still get PO in Conference?

[Akoto]

2. So, a question ...

Are people who are chronically ill and young (I'm 24) screwed with this change?

No way will I ever get insurance with my condition.

[Oerdin]

12. Yes,

Sorry but you just got sold down river. Sure, the bill says they can't just reject you outright for your preexisting condition but they can legally charge you one billion dollars a day to make sure you can't afford it so the result is exactly the same. The conserva-dems just crapped all over you and laughed about it. They will not get any money from me in 2010, they will not get me to make phone calls for them, or put up posters for them.

The Dems need to lose some elections until they realize we elected them to make real change not to suck corporate cock. They said they'd repeal the Patriot Act restoring our civil liberties but instead just last week they renewed it again. They said they'd reform health care and give us a low cost public option but instead they sabotaged it every way possible and then sold it down river. They said they'd end the war in Iraq but that hasn't happened and now Obama says it will go on for years and years. They said they'd close gitmo but they couldn't back away from that promise fast enough.

Why the fuck should I vote for these people again?

[ihavenobias]

17. I'm 30 and not chronically ill and I still think I'll be screwed with this plan.

If they had simply allowed EVERYONE to buy into Medicare they could've passed this to much fanfare months ago. Medicare is incredibly popular and since some of the infrastructure already exists it would require much less start up costs and time. Politically it would've been brilliant because the arguments about government takeover and death panels (etc.) wouldn't apply since people are familiar with the program already (and they enjoy it). Oh, and Medicare itself would be rescued since it would only be covering people over 65 (a population that naturally has a ton of health problems). Not to mention the fact that it would've been a huge political win for Dems, a historic victory.

People who are under 55 and can't afford private insurance (especially if it's not offered by their employer) are screwed if they're in the gray area above the level to qualify for Medicaid, etc. And the Right will STILL rip it and pretend it's somehow "socialist" and "Big Government". Progressives are pissed today, but moderates and independents will be pissed tomorrow when they see that this plan is full of shit and did nothing to lower premiums. It's shaping up to disastrous policy AND politics.

[elleng]

3. Markos is correct;

the Senate is dysfunctional. (My very brief summary.)

[debbierlus]

4. So, Medicare for the the highest cost and sickest population

And, the rest of the country held hostage to these fuckers.

I TOLD YOU SO

[Hissyspit]

8. I've been calling health care reform a pile of shit for months now.

Just so wish I would be proven wrong.

[Indenturedebtor]

20. Yep so the public gets to pay for the sickest while the young are forced to buy insurance

So the young get to pay for Medicare and buy overpriced insurance all at the same time!

YAY! What great legislation :puke:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. OK...let's see where it goes...

[Hissyspit]

7. Well, if it continues the trajectory since the beginning, Peggy...

that would be into the compromise toilet.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

9. Damn, I was afraid of that.

[proud2BlibKansan]

14. Well call me confused but

I like the idea of lowering the age for Medicare eligibility. I have been proposing this for awhile now. :shrug:

[Hissyspit]

15. This is not the final bill.

But the truth is we should have Medicare for All, or a strong healthy option AND expanded Medicare, after all the compromises and weak reforms that we have ended up with so far.
It seems unlikely it will happen. Just expanding Medicare can conceivably weaken Medicare and not fix anything about what is really systemically wrong with our system.
But I hope I'm wrong.

[proud2BlibKansan]

19. Adding to the pool will strengthen Medicare

I worked for a US Senate candidate last year who supported lowering Medicare to 55. His research showed it would be a good thing for current and future Medicare enrollees. Huge cost cutter.

Yes I also hope you're wrong. :)

[SandWalker1984]

16. Check out the fine print - only 2 or 3 million will be eligible for the 55+ Medicare

Another scam to make you believe they are working for you, not the corporations that really own them.

[Gregorian]

6. Markos Moulitsas' response was heartening and accurate.

The Congress has proven itself to be a disfunctional body. One that cannot provide improvement for the American people. And that now we'll be forced to buy the insurance companies "crappy product".

[doc03]

10. They expand medicare, that will encourage employers such

mine to drop our far superior company paid plan. I am 61 and have a far better employer plan now they will either tax my benefits or my employer will dump me in Medicare, thanks Democrats. I am actually yearning for the the good old days prior to 2009.

[Oerdin]

11. Kill the bill.

No real public option means no reform and the bill is now just pork for insurance companies. Screw it, kill the whole thing and start over.

[chill_wind]

13. The Gang of Ten

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=7176392&mesg_id=7181286

[Laf.La.Dem.]

18. Insurance companies win

Get a job with an Insurance Company:mad:

[niceypoo]

21. They can drop the next election too

Because that is the price

[BluDemocratGirl]

22. Alright, dammit! Who were the 10 traitors?!

It was Joe Lieberman's fault all along!

[fixed news]

23. Lieberman...

It Certainly is now!