Conrad To Health Care Reformers: You Don't Have A Vote

Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) said Wednesday that he is "frankly not terribly interested" in what the major health care reform coalition thinks and is pushing ahead with a proposal the group rejects.

"I am unaware that HCAN has any votes on the floor of the United States Senate," said Conrad when told that the coalition Health Care for America Now opposed his plan to create regional health care co-ops instead of allowing consumers to have access to a public plan option.

"They have no votes on the floor of the United States Senate. And I am dealing with votes in the finance committee and the floor of the United States Senate. I am frankly not terribly interested in what these myriad groups all think. I am interested in what people who vote think," he said, flailing his arms and knocking a Politico reporter's recorder to the marble floor.

"I don't even respond to that kind of thing. I think it is just chatter. What matters is results, legislative results at the end of the day," he said.

But aren't the "myriad groups" he's referring to the base of the Democratic Party? Shouldn't he give some weight to their position?

Conrad wasn't having it. "What is it that they want to get? Are they interested in the name of something or are they interested in getting a result that delivers on what is behind the name? I am interested in actually achieving a result. Not a label, but an alternative to the delivery model of for-profit insurance companies," he said. "The great thing about democracy is we get to debate. It's healthy. It's good to have a debate."

Conrad will be meeting with Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), who is leading the bill through the health committee, later on Wednesday. "It's intriguing," said Dodd of Conrad's idea. "There are a lot of questions about how it would work."

Conrad said he was tasked to come up with a compromise that could appeal to both parties and his co-op idea was the result. "What I am interested in doing is getting an alternative delivery mode to compete with for-profit insurance companies," he said.

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Reformers argue that there is nothing new about the co-op model and that supposed nonprofit insurance companies already abound, but pay their top executives huge salaries.

Conrad agreed it isn't a new idea. "We know this can work. This is not some new idea that has never been tried," he said.

HCAN responded that Conrad is not only dismissing the organizations that make up the coalitions, but the voters that make up the organizations.

"HCAN represents more than 1,000 member organizations and more than 30 million people -- voters -- nationwide who support a strong public health insurance option -- a national plan that is ready on day one," said Jacki Schechner, HCAN's spokeswoman.

Ryan Grim is the author of This Is Your Country On Drugs: The Secret History of Getting High in America, due out later this month

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Comments

[Antifascist-08]

We must help Obama win this fight.

Obama must veto any bill that has no public option.

Nobody said it was going to be easy.

These traitors and flunkies of the insurance companies must be publicly shamed. The need to know that WE are serious too.

[grooveygrover]

you better start being concerned about votes from you constituents

[SpiralUp]

I just sent a monthly recurring donation to
www.change-congress.org,
they are buying air time in the markets of some of these turncoat Dems and others. It has made a difference in Senator Nelson's rhetoric, let's work together to change the tunes of Conrad and Landrieu as well.

[PaceSetter]

This is anti-reform propaganda, being used to discourage health care reformists, by telling us our voices are not going to be considered, so we might as well stop talking.

The central principle we reformers must combat is that most folks are afraid of change. People want to keep that which they already have (the old bird in the hand thought process) Americans as a whole are also used to having at least the appearance of choice (the gassy sugar water in the red can vs the gassy sugar water in the red, white and blue can) People want the appearance of an option even if in fact they have none. They would rather spend their time fighting an insurance call operator or in an appeal, trying to convince their insurer that their prescribed medical treatment is necessary, than confront their fear of potentially spending the same length time on a *gasp* wait-list for single-payer public heath care.

People don't want to be forced out of their current arrangements, I get it. But what about the 45.8 million uninsured folks with NO current arrangements?

Conrad, you've been sent to Washington to cast your vote for the solid majority of us (59%) who believe that health care reform is more important than ever!

It seems that when the question "am I my brother's keeper?" is asked of Kent Conrad, his only kin are the HMO's.

[Clavis]

Senator Conrad only cares about what people who have a vote think? Then why does he give so much consideration to the rich fatcats who pay for his re-election campaigns and set him up with cushy perks? Oh, wait, I guess I answered my own question.

[Bramble8]

Then you want have a seat!

[Adartist777]

That's incredible. How can this man call himself a progressive? He'll be gone next election.

[westreal]

Vote his arse out. He'll care then.

[Hirnlego]

"Somebody already bought my vote"

[RandVictims]

Two critical events should have happened before attempting this kind of change in Washington: (in order)

1. Reform of media ownership

2. Cleansing of "Blue Dogs" from the Democratic Party

[westreal]

Definitely reform of media ownership 1st. It only takes signing a bill. I don't know why that wasn't on top of the list because you got to have the media on your side for this. Rupert Murdoch would be so busy trying to save his empire he wouldn't have time to tear down any proposal from the President.

[jazzman]

Let Kent Conrad know that he is on my target to be challenged in the next election and defeated. I will donate to his opponent, organize for him, and help defeat Conrad. It's time to replace those who are willing to sell out the American people to the Health Care Industry. The people are suffering big time. Kent Conrad loves his cash from lobbyists more than he loves America. He needs to go because, frankly, I'm not much interested in him either.

[follygirl]

I'd bet that this doucebag listens to the "chatter" of the lobbyists for the big insurance companies.

[dogdiva]

Last night on The Ed Show, Conrad pretty much said the reason that health care cost so much now was because of fat people, lazy people and smokers. Good to know. I propose we "eradicate" all fat, lazy smokers discretely and all will be well. I'll even let Conrad pull the switch. I'll volunteer to go first...that alone should lower the cost at least 10% for everyone.

You'd think that the fact I had paid out $72,000 in premiums alone for my insurance in the last 12 years and paid out of my pocket for all but the most minor treatment in 12 years because of enormous co-pays and limited coverage I might not have broken the system, but there you have it.

[DMHendrix]

Conrad, Baucus, and a few others are getting terribly frustrated at this process. They can't just give lip service to this process any longer while lining their silk pockets with dirty money. They are having to do something this time and its pissing them off.

I don't know what kind of fog they were all living in during this past election, but it should have been abundantly clear to them that we wanted results from this election and people are no longer in the mood to be teabagged by their b.s.

They've been in the Senate long enough..they have a pension, they have insurance so not only do they NOT care what we think, they don't care about any results for everyday people..they are covered, they have no worries...other than the next election. Their buddies in the AMA, big Insurance & big Pharma will take care of that one for them.

It's disgusting.

[tarryd]

HCAN may not have any votes on the floor of the Senate, but we out here beyond the Beltway do have a hell of a lot of votes. Which means, Senator, that we might just vote you out of office, and other old bulls like you, even if it means loosing a Dem Senate. What good is a Dem majority, if they are going to vote against the wishes of the majority of Americans.