Key Centrists Rally Around Conrad's Co-op Plan For Health Care (VIDEO)

Two centrist Senators who will play vital roles in the health care debate, said on Sunday that they were intrigued by the idea of structuring co-operatives for health care coverage in place of a public option favored by most progressives.

Sens. Susan Collins and Ben Nelson lauded the proposal of their co-panelist, Sen. Kent Conrad, during an appearance on CNN's "State of the Union." In the process the Maine Republican and Nebraska Democrat left the obvious impression that if the Senate were to introduce a health care reform proposal structured around co-ops and not a publicly run health care option, the legislation would garner the 60-votes potentially needed for passage.

"It is an intriguing idea," said Collins. "I commend Senator Conrad for coming up with this idea. It is far preferable to the government run plan that has been discussed by the administration. This is a possible compromise. I need to know more details. We need to know how it would work. But it is certainly better than a Washington-run plan."

Added Nelson: "Senator Conrad's onto something here. This can be an additional method for competition."

To this point, both Collins and Nelson have hinted that they would not support a public option for health coverage - citing the argument that it could drive private insurers out of the market by creating unfair competition. Their respective votes could play key roles should the Senate consider the matter with a filibuster threshold. Nelson, however, has indicated he would vote for cloture on a public option even if he ultimately opposed the bill.

Conrad's proposal is designed as a third-way of sorts between a public option and the status quo. Co-ops would be membership-owned and operated, run as non-profit organizations, adhere to state laws for health care coverage, and provide health care insurance for individuals and micro-business

Reaction to Conrad's co-op idea has been mixed, with a bit of trepidation among progressives who are skeptical it would bring about systemic change to the health care industry and generally want to see more details, including what enforcement mechanisms and eligibility requirements might look like. On Sunday, the North Dakota Democrat didn't get too deep into the micro-analysis, choosing instead to tout his plan's most significant attribute. He has the votes, he said, and the public plan doesn't.

"The problem is votes, at the end of the day, nothing advances unless you get 60 votes in the United States Senate," he said. "I know there are some who say we can do this through reconciliation... I think on exploration people find that really does not work... So I think you're in a 60-vote environment, and that means you have to attract some Republicans as well as holding virtual all the Democrats together. That, I don't believe, is possible with the pure public option. I don't think the votes are there."

Comments

[tamtra65]

Most Of Congress is brought buy the rich. We need to contact congress to let them know what we want not what the rich wants.

[RepugsOut08]

And don't forget that Congress is fully covered by a government health care plan. FOR LIFE! And you and I pay for it. I'm tired of paying through the nose for my pathetic coverage, and having to pay for their excellent coverage at the same time.
And then watch some of them have the nerve to tell the people they, supposedly, represent, that they won't support a government plan. Throw those particular bums out at the very first election oportunity.

[beaupritchard]

Why private insurers do not want public health care

Private insurers would lose the ability to lock up the best talent

Private insurers then would not be able to charge as much.

Private insurers would go out of business.

Good riddance ...

Private insurers just want to keep themselves in the middle of public health.

[RepugsOut08]

After my monthly rates went up, supposedly because care was becoming more expensive, I found out my insurance company's CEO was paid $250 millon for that year alone.
Gosh, I wonder why they don't want single payer? Disgusting!

[SpectCon]

Reality is we aren't getting single-payer. We need election reform before that's possible, and we'll have to wait for Obama's second term (at the soonest) for that. So, we need a Dem plan that 1. mandates universal coverage, 2. lowers everyone's prices immediately, 3. doesn't individually tax people or benefits.

Everyone loves the mandate (even the health lobby), so universal is coming this year. What we don't have is any clear indication anything would be cheaper. Only direct price controls or a public option can give that...whi­ch is why it's a MUST. And to pay for it, we just have to make sure Dems don't raise taxes on individuals or benefits. (Or, if they do raise taxes on individuals, make sure it's just the very top 5 percent.)

[RepugsOut08]

The one thing people tend to forget when they worry about taxes, is that they will no longer be paying premiuns, co-pays, high deductables, worrying about possible bankruptcy from deductables and paying in other ways to offset those who are forced into banckruptcy from high medical bills.
Also, we're already paying taxes for Medicaid and Medicare, along with all the other expenses I mentioned above.
Most studies show that single payer is much cheaper, even with higher taxes supporting it. And you never have to worry about getting treated, or losing everything you've got to a medical catastrophy.

[Viper]

70% want single payer. 56% of Fortune 500 CEOs want single payer. 60% of physicians.

You are at the extreme right if you dont want a single payer option, not a centrist!


Regards

[RepugsOut08]

Amen! Single payer's time has come. There's hardly anyone left who hasn't been screwed by an insurance company, or knows someone who has.

[RepugsOut08]

I've said it before, and I'm gonna keep on sayin' it. Our so-called leaders are not going to give us health care reform until we get in the streets by the millions and demand it!
I've written, phoned and emailed my a$$ off to my state reps and the White House. I suggest everyone do the same if you're not already doing so.
Ultimately though, DC is going to have to see us marching in the streets like they do in France, where the people demand their government work for them.
We know the Republicans will never give us any kind of reform, and threatening to abandon the Dems just because a few of them are bad, is self defeating. We need to let those weak Dems, and the Repubs as well, know their won't be any politician who votes against the people on health care still in office come next election.
Let's take that message to the streets in numbers and voices the MSM and DC won't be able to ignore.

[Billl]

Hundreds of billions of dollars of annual savings could be realized for Americans, while eliminating debilitating financial burdens for individuals and businesses by using these health care reforms. This would also be the best economic stimulus package ever. Ask OMB.

1. Set up a civilian, VA style, public health care system for delivering all government funded health care and medications free to everyone choosing to use it, no restrictions, rich, and poor, Medicare, Medicaid, etc everybody who wants public care has it free, all services, all medications, free period.
2. Pay for it with a national sales tax.
3. Let private insurers and care providers compete for everyone who wants private care, unfettered by government mandates, dictating who must be served, at what level, for what price, and totally unregulated but for safety.
4. Businesses that choose public care for their employees will have no financial obligations or any other responsibilities concerning health care.
5. Dispensing health care efficiently, and collecting the money to pay for it cheaply, that's the purpose of the exercise, and no one can compete with the government at these two tasks.

[Mugzi]

This isn't healthcare reform. This isn't just about adding the 42M to INSURANCE, but reform to keep the spiraling health care costs which is the fault of the INSURANCE companies. Single payer is the answer to both problems. Everyone needs to contact their congressmen for single payer - medicare for all. There are petitions and faxes on 1payer.nett".

[SpectCon]

Progressives must fight this as this form of reform is a GOP dream come true.

It would actively work to deny tests and treatments to people, it would tax benefits (sheesh this alone is would kill the DNC for 30 years), it would establish a government mandate without providing a public opt-in to Medicare or something similar, and it's going to increase bureaucracy and confusion.

Please hear me fellow Dems! This is suicidal. The majority of Americans need to see IMMEDIATE reductions in the price and availability of health care without a reduction in services.

[ncmom54]

The majority wants Single Payer...or a Public Option, with a Plan like Congress enjoys.
It's between those two options... one ore the other ... simple, no brainer.

if the Senators have already decided they "wont pass" either one.

We should tell them to JUST FORGET IT! Don't waste our money.

Billions have been spent on blowing up Iraq, now rebuilding it
Billions spent on Wall Street

it's a shame for citizens to settle for a whittled down, pieced together useless health care program that will favor the Corporate Health Industry over the Health & Care of Americans.

2010 is only a year away ... we can deal with the 'wont pass' fence riding Congress.
then proceed toward Real Health Care Reform next year.

Could the 'RUSH' on this be because so many unemployed have lost their employer paid coverage and maybe the Corporate Health Industry is feeling the pinch?

after years of bankruptcies and denied coverage..­.
Congress chooses to save the Corporate structures over the American citizens.

[pfrogger]

note that single payer and public option or nowhere near the same!
http://www.pnhp.org/facts/singlepayer_faq.php#public-option
read it and see.

public option is essentially a loss because we lose all the advantages of singe payer.
single payer provides a tidal wave of savings financially that public option does not.
public option is a cop out because it allows the insurance industry, who have money from others' suffering and pain, to still prosper. with their lobbying, ie. legal bribing, they'll gut the public option to nothing so that people will HAVE TO still buy a private plan. This private plan will be twice what it is now, because the insurance industry will argue that they need to raise costs to offset the number of people they lost. This is just one of many strategies that they will use to sabotage the public option.
The best Congress that money can buy!

[SpectCon]

Public option at least insures the gov't can keep costs down. I too prefer single-payer and think this is a far-cry from what we need.

Nonetheless, mandated coverage without even a public option....­and then to tax benefits while cutting down on services offered...­that's insanity. That makes the Dems appear big gov't socialist/­anti-perso­nal-libert­y; tax increasers; and incompetent when people don't far cheaper premiums.

[ncmom54]

Single Payer is by far the best for everyone..­.
I've emailed & faxed members of Congress in my state and beyond telling them as
a small employer, I'd be glad to pay an additional payroll tax like SUTA/FUTA
toward Single Payer for everyone.
Public option is a far second but this co-op deal or the plan with mandates is an insult.
It would be better if they just quit now and admit "can't agree or wont do it"
rather than throw together some lopsided plan that we'll be stuck with.

[SpectCon]

The current Senate bill is a nightmare. It forces people to have coverage, but it doesn't insure coverage will be cheaper. Add to that, it would tax health benefits and work to deny tests and treatment in an effort to focus on "efficient outcomes."

Rush Limbaugh would draw this bill up just like this if he wanted to screw the Dems for a generation.

We need everyone covered, cheaper services, better service, and we shouldn't tax individuals to do it.

[RepugsOut08]

It's disgusting to see these Congressmen and women argue against a government health care program for the people they represent, when they are well taken care of by the government health care WE pay for. And they get it for LIFE!
Folks, this is no different than Marie Antoinette saying "Let them eat cake."
It's time to take names and vow to throw those opposing government health care for the people out of office, Dem and Rep alike. Write and phone these so-called representatives, and tell them their job is on the line if they support the insurance companies.

[ReedYoung]

quote:
To this point, both Collins and Nelson have hinted that they would not support a public option for health coverage - citing the argument that it could drive private insurers out of the market by creating unfair competition.
/quote

They expressed no concern about "creating unfair competition" when the subject was NAFTA or the WTO or government assistance to enormous corporate users of overseas labor, did they?

[RepugsOut08]

Bingo! If the insurance companies can't compete with government health care (and we know they can't,) it's time for them to get out of the business. Just the way NAFTA put so many of our factories and workers out of business.
With government health care, our industries can once again compete with other nations, and we could see a rebirth of industry once again.

[knowhelpnow]

They don't even know what the co-op is but it's better then what? You would think that Nelson(NE) would be keeping his mouth shut about this he has already been outed for taking 2 million from the greedy for private health care insurance companies and 70% of his constituations want single payer plan. This BS of disrupting 200 million people is crap what will be disrupted they go on a single payer plan you just cut out the middle man what disruption is that?. The people who have insurance with these companies are really disrupted when they find out that their not covered and lose everything. Nelson will not be reelected in NE he can count on that. He doesn't understand that the people are screaming at him everyday but he has been in there so long he really believes he can't be replaced.
Every blue dog democrat and republican in the Senate needs to be impeached so we can get this done and Obama needs to step up to the plate and take a stand for Single Payer so we can get this done. People hit the streets in protest of this run around, it's time that these people work for the people and not Big Corporations.

[bayside]

So proud. We have the best congress money can buy ,dont we.....

[pfrogger]

well said. the best congress money can buy.

[spindoc]

This is why I started voting for Democrats?!!! Another sell out to the insurance companies. What is it going to take to get a single payer system in the U.S.?!!!!

[pfrogger]

we have to keep pushing and keep trying.
every week they have another gimmick that doesn't help average Americans. it only helps the insurance companies. why help the insurance companies when they have made money at people's pain and suffering, denying coverage, making healthcare unaffordable for millions, and millions go bankrupt even though they HAVE insurance. why are we rewarding those who have made money from the sweat and tears of Americans and given them nothing in return.
the single-payer system is the only one that will allow everyone to get healthcare, save thousands per person, and not bankrupt the average American.
the public option does NOT give us the savings of the single-payer model.
the public option continues to reward evil companies who make money from pain and suffering.
the public option is another scam.

and this coop idea is a whole lot worse!

[wizinit]

Read between the lines. The GOP believe we cannot allow private insurance to fail because they are unable to compete with a public option.

[SpectCon]

So, prop them up.

I mean seriously, the deficit argument never works which is what Reagan and Bush knew.

People need to see a benefit today, and destroying the health insurance biz, wouldn't be a good idea at the moment. Phase them out and let them get into insuring other stuff.

[RepugsOut08]

Then let them fail. That's much better than letting the country fail under the burden of their runaway greed.

[aflyinyoursoup]

And, your point is???

[frappe]

blah, blah, blah -- people who were looking for serious health care reform are seriously disappointed by Conrad's efforts and the "centrists" (those beholding to special interests?)