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

[mikala]

2 centerist Senators one republicam and one republican light. Sorry but this plan is nothing more that a Democrat kissing the a** of the republicans for support. We won the damn election and we have almost 60 democrats in the Senate we only need 51 votes. Quit playing games get a set of balls and get this done or face getting removed the next election.

[1088]

I hope Bill Maher is paying attention to where the problem really is, for he's very ill informed.

[Coinyer101]

bs. If the President and moderates hadn't taken single-payer off the table, from the start, we may have gotten some meaningful change.

[picodegallo54]

this is the defining issue from which i'll judge the current administration. if what we currently have is just "tweaked" and no real reform is forthcoming, then i will know that my health is nothing more than one more way for corporate america to generate profits, (as it always has been.) healthcare is a right, not a privilege. take it out of the hands of the predators of capitalism. other governments are doing it, and doing it well. the american way is to do it even better. time to walk the walk, mr. president.

[kasinca]

I want the same coverage the centrists and Kent Conrad have. Anything less is unacceptable.

[bolivare]

Figures. I'm not surprised. I've been saying this for quite a while now. I just knew that we wouldn't get anything, as usual.
So far, I'm winning all my bets with myself. Getting lobbyists out of Washington? Nope. Closing Guantanamo? Nope. Getting rid of DOMA and DADT? Nope. Getting rid of failing businesses? Nope. In fact, we give them tax payer money because they don't make enough. Global Warming legislation? Nope.
This Obama guy is all talk. Speeches are pretty, but are just as meaninful as Bushs.
Now thats no change I can believe in.
Kucinich for President. At least thats one dem with some balls. Unfortunately, he is about the only one.

[easarsfield]

I swear to god, if the democrats all this to go through and do not focus on REAL healthcare reform, I am starting my own party.

I've had it with this bull.

[civilbehavior]

Sign me up.

[marjamund]

I just don't understand this controversy at all. I'm from Canada--we have "socialized" medicine--as some like to call it--it's the best system possible. No one and I mean NO ONE is refused care. We are never told what Dr. to see or what treatment we are allowed to have. We have complete freedom of choice in all things medical. We pay for it through our taxes which spread evenly throughout our population is not onerous. You will find it much cheaper than what you are paying now.We can ,if we wish,opt out and pay for any care we want at any time,any where and it doesn't jeopardize our health care coverage. Simple--and when I listen to your commentery etc. I'm amazed. Canada isn't far away from most of you..come and see for yourself. A goverment run Health Care System is nothing to be frightened about and you have freedom of choice that the insurance companies don't allow you to have..even though you pay dearly for it.

[easarsfield]

The controversy stems from the idjiot law makers that receive massive amounts of campaign cash from insurance companies, etc. They know that if they push legislation through that will harm these companies - suddenly a good chunk of their campaign capital is going to disappear.

It amazes me how completely out of touch lawmakers have become with average, working americans. I'm 26 years old and cannot believe the number of friends in my age group that are not insured. Oh and I am forced to work for companies that only provided insurance options to employees because I had cancer when I was 3 years old, and therefore fall into the 'uninsurable' category. Despite the fact that I am perfectly healthy now and have been for over 20 years, do not smoke, hardly drink and am a vegetarian. Go figure.

[racom]

It's called "FOLLOW THE MONEY"!!!

[Realization]

In the U.S. there is a large group here of ideologues with a religious-like belief in free markets who get their information from sources that claim "socialism" is bad, lie about the effectiveness of foreign health care systems, and simply write off all the information to the contrary. The info comes largely from people funded by the for-profit health insurance industry or related organizations, all of who are ripping off consumers and wrecking U.S. competitiveness.

From a logical, economic, managerial, or moral point of view there is no doubt that single payer is the best way to go. This is simply a risk pool and the more people in it the better.

Quite disfunctional, this country. The people who fear "socialism" probably are still afraid of monsters under their beds. They do make a good case for an armed citizenry, though not the one they think. With that many nuts around, reasonable people might have to defend themselves.

[RepugsOut08]

I think a new party is highly in order! The Repubs are floundering in a 10 to 20 percent backwater of religious zealots, and the Dems, if they don't start listening to the will of those who voted for them, will need some competition.
We need a people's party, completely supported by donations from individuals. I thought that's what we achieved this last election. If we don't get real health care reform, I'll know I was wrong.

[easarsfield]

me too. healthcare is probably number 1 on my list of things I want democrats to get working on. and if they fail me this time, I will no longer be donating to their party and will think twice about voting for their candidates.

I just can't believe that in this day and age you have people willing to buy into the nonsensical hysteria of socialist principles ruining our healthcare system. It's the capitalist principles that keep healthcare out of reach for a good chunk of our country.

[kevinw]

Pantload of the week and it is only Sunday. This coop idea can be done now without legislation. This idea is a way to get the attention of a government sponsored plan. Now all the pretend progressives will have cover. When this plan changes nothing they can act all innocent, oh I thought this would fix the health care problem. I must have been misled. How does the coop allow for choosing your physician, the example they have been touting has you only seeing in network physicians. If this is regional how do I keep coverage and travel to another region. What are the premiums for a plan like this. What are the service limitations? Oh that doesn't matter this is the compromise and we all love those don't we.

We have lost the debate and health care reforrn

[420]

I want the same heatlh care that MY ELECTED officals have. Is that so much to ask for.

[jwredd]

That's a great slogan but the reality is our elected officials are offered the equivalent of a regular employer-based insurance program such as blue cross/blue shield and the premiums are paid for by us. What everyone needs to remember is that we aren't trying to change "health care" so much as changing the way we pay for it. Doctors will not suddenly become government employees that all of a sudden become incompetent and start giving us lower quality health care. All we need is to bypass the for-profit insurance aspect and everyone is all good except for the powerful insurance industry that will have to find another way to scam their way to massive profits. Whatever they decide to do to retain profitability, it will no longer involve denying healthcare to millions of citizens.

[Realization]

I have it. I want a good public plan. Congress would, too, if it had any sense.

Freedom of choice. I choose a pubic plan.

[littlepeople]

No, no, no freaking way a co-op plan. This is just a way to co-op the whole health care reform plan. We have to call.....w­rite......­.just overwhelm them!

[chriss0114]

Co-Op will NOT stop medical costs from continuing to spiral out of control

they MIGHT help a person who BUYS their OWN private policy which is almost NO ONE!

this means almost NO competition!!!!

the Co-Ops that do exist (I belong to one for oil heat and electricity) saves me a supposedly 5 cents on the dollar--WHOPPEE!!

[Paisano]

We need massive numbers in phone calls to these people tomorrow!!! A few emails wouldn't hurt either...

[civilbehavior]

Here's an idea we are doing.

I live in Palm Beach County. We have come up with an idea that we plan on pursuing in our County, but would like to expand Nationwide.

Most people I know want a single payer system, All politics is local, and our very own Senator Bill Nelson is not supporting this. Since he needs our support for reelection, we want his support for the public health care option.

We are planning a "Walk on Nelson" day, on Tuesday 6/23. If we get enough participation, we will extend it into the next day and so on. What this means is that we want individuals to Walk into Senator Nelson's local office during the day, tell them their "health care story" and tell them they want the Senator to support a Single Payer system.

We must make them hear what we want.

We are collecting the heath care stories and plan to fill his fax machine with them.

Get busy. Get connected. Time is of the essence.

[bolivare]

Not saying no, but thats why we voted in the dems starting in 2006 and made our voices even louder in 2008. However, what we ended up with is the same ole same ole. Just better dressing. We bought their lying lines. And, like those Bush supporters, we are getting exactly what we deserve because we don't learn either. Both parties are corrupt. They are filled with power hungry, greedy liars who only look out for themselves.
They get fully paid for health insurance, paid by us for the rest of their lives. Health care reform means nothing for them because we pay for it for them. They don't have to worry about costs going up, because if they do, we pay for it.
The health care industry pours millions of dollars in these criminals elections. The candidates all tell us what we want to hear, but then blame the other party for obstruction and giving us lame excuses on why it can't be done.
Its time for all of them to go, starting with the top down..agai­n. Obama didn't pan out. Think its time to let a third party enter the fray. Can't be any worse than what we have now.

[SpectCon]

So far, the moderate Dems are proposing:

1. An individual mandate forcing people to get coverage.

2. No public competition or opt in to Medicare.

3. Cut services offered to everyone.

4. Tax people's health benefits.

5. No price controls.

6. More complication and bureaucracy with coops.

--In exchange for for no-denial of coverage.

This is a Prescription for the downfall of the Democratic Party. The GOP is back if this thing doesn't shape up. Seriously, just consider this horrendous plan.

Dems need everyone covered, but they need to give EVERYONE a clear benefit from this. People have to see LOWER costs, less complication, and better service. How does this plan do that????

[Whale]

Didn't we used to have something like the coops.? They were called mutual insurance companies - non-profit and were effectively owned by their policyholders. Guess what - they converted themselves into for-profit companies. Blue Cross used to be a mutual insurance company, but no longer.

This is a backdoor way to avoid any public option at all. Conrad is surely aware of mutual insurance companies and knows where this will go in the future.

[jonbw]

Why does the media allow Conrad to lie unchallenged? The public plan does not need 60 votes. That is why budget reconcilation was left as an option. I understand he loves his foolish privilege, but people matter more than stupid unconsitutional senate rules.

[MrMike513]

"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"

This statement pisses me off to no end. Look at what they are saying!!!! They are making statements to the effect that "we care more about the welfare of corporate interests than the welfare and health of the citizens we supposedly represent.­" How can you refer to the public option as "unfair competition" when it will guarantee treatment at a reasonable price. How is that unfair to the American people?

I hope the people who elected these morons will see fit to throw them out of office at the earliest convenience.

[flyribbon]

Exactly.

There is an article in the NYT in which the same "concern" is raised.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/15/health/policy/15healthcare.html?_r=1&hp

You almost never hear any of these people speak about health care for the people. It's always about the welfare of the big business as if that trumped all else.