Ex-Senate Leaders Unveiling Health Care Compromise

WASHINGTON — Trying to prevent a repeat of the 1990s standoff over health care, four former Senate leaders are preparing a plan that combines ideas from both political parties to guarantee coverage for all.

Democrats Tom Daschle and George Mitchell are set to join Republicans Bob Dole and Howard Baker on Wednesday to release a $1.2 trillion proposal that would be fully paid for with a combination of spending cuts and tax increases.

A summary of the plan calls for an individual requirement to carry health insurance, an idea that many Republicans support. But it would also impose new levies on large companies that don't provide coverage to their workers, an approach preferred by Democrats.

Perhaps the most controversial part calls for taxing health insurance benefits worth more than the value of the coverage that members of Congress get.

Republicans have supported such an approach, arguing it would encourage people to switch to less expensive insurance plans, and that might cut overall costs in the long run. But unions, a major Democratic constituency, are adamantly opposed.

On another hot issue, the proposal would leave it up to the states to create publicly sponsored insurance plans that would compete with private insurers.

The four former leaders acknowledged they don't have to answer to voters or worry about interest groups any longer. But they said health care is too important an issue to get dragged down again by partisan political warfare.

The last major effort to revamp the health care system to guarantee coverage and control costs ended in frustration 15 years ago, when President Bill Clinton's plan failed to win support in Congress.

Comments

[Shake-A-Spear]

It will take a legislative gemius of a president like Lyndon Johnson to get health care done right. I'm afraid Obama's oratory is not matched by his skills at getting legislation done HIS way.

[Jonni Rae]

I called all the Senators on the Help committee today. And the White House. You can get the numbers from Daily Kos diary. Please, please, please, keep calling your reps and senators. It means more if you are from the actual state. I found it strange that I actually got through to a lot of them on the first try. Why aren't their phones jammed? Scream, threaten to vote them out, or be nice and say, we got your back, just don't cave. If we do not en masse e-mail, fax and phone on this we will get screwed again.

[Samalabear]

This is the worst yet. What is wrong with these people?

[expired]

Dear MoveOn member,
Key leaders in Washington are now saying that any health care reform will—and must—include a public health insurance option.1,2


The big challenge now? Opponents of reform are trotting out weak half-measures and calling them "public plans,"3 with the goal of leaving us with a public health insurance option in name only. The latest is a proposal for "co-ops"—small, regional insurers that would be too weak to bring costs down or compete with existing private insurance.4


We have to push back right away and with a clear message: Americans demand a strong public health insurance option, one that is available to everyone, national in scope with real bargaining clout, ready to go on day one, and truly public.


Can you write a letter to the editor about how important it is to include a strong public health insurance option in reform this year? Our tool makes writing a letter really simple. You can send the letter right from our website—it only takes a few minutes:

http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51500&id=16403-9193653-MA8.iSx&t=3

[themuse]

Congress should start with a strong PUBLIC-private coverage policy with a trigger: the trigger kicks in if the implemented system does not quickly drive down the obscene profits of the medical cartels. On failure, the trigger implements a single-payer system with enforced restrictions on profits for all areas of health care.

Until the distribution of wealth of this nation is more reasonably spread, we will continue to slide toward 3rd world status. That is a national security issue because these are the very conditions that start revolutions and civil wars. Keep in mind that the Death-by-Violence industry is doing its utmost to make sure every US citizen is armed with lethal weapons of greater and greater power (we live in a frighteningly barbaric world).

What will it take for our leaders to stand for the best interests of the people rather than the high profits of the wealthy elite? What must we do to change the culture of greed to the culture of humanity? If the bottom line of industry does not benefit mankind, it will destroy us: it is already putting us at increasing risk. The human race will extinguish itself if change does not come quickly. (This applies to many issues, including the global financial and economic system, global environmental and resource concerns, overpopulation, and radical extremism.)

[jmpurser]

Congress should start with single payer or an open admission they're the paid whores of the insurance industry.

[themuse]

I would propose that Congress start with a strong PUBLIC-private coverage policy with a trigger: the trigger kicks in if the implemented system does not quickly drive down the obscene profits of the medical cartels. On failure, the trigger implements a single-payer system with enforced restrictions on profits for all areas of health care.

Until the distribution of wealth of this nation is more reasonably spread, we will continue to slide toward 3rd world status. That is a national security issue because these are the very conditions that start revolutions and civil wars. Keep in mind that the Death-by-Violence industry is doing its utmost to make sure every US citizen is armed with lethal weapons of greater and greater power (we live in a frighteningly barbaric world).

What will it take for our leaders to stand for the best interests of the people rather than the high profits of the wealthy elite? What must we do to change the culture of greed to the culture of humanity? If the bottom line of industry does not benefit mankind, it will destroy us: it is already putting us at increasing risk. The human race will extinguish itself if change does not come quickly. (This applies to many issues, including the global financial and economic system, global environmental and resource concerns, overpopulation, and radical extremism.)

[jmpurser]

Excellent! The worst of all possible worlds!

[meldroc]

This isn't a compromise, it's a cave-in. A health care bill without a strong public option is no reform at all - we'll continue to get gouged by the insurance industry, and people will continue to suffer and die because of inadequate health care.

It's unacceptable.

[helonias]

Ex-Senate Leaders Unveiling Health Care Compromise

It will be called "The bend over but you don't have to cough plan"

[chedar]

Things may change when ABC runs Obama's infomercial on Health Care from the whitehouse.

[budanatr]

No Compromise!
The majority of Americans want a public single payer option.
We want a choice!
Those that want to get their health insurance from private companies can do so. Those who are afraid of socialism and Marxism and any other 'ism' can purchase the wonderful and reasonably priced insurance from those trustworthy and compassionate private health insurance providers.
But we want a choice.
You can be sure that private health insurers will also offer supplemental programs for public health insurance customers just like they do in Europe.
But we want a choice!
No Compromise!

[TremoluxMan]

Let's call a spade, a spade. It's a sell-out. There will, sadly, be no real reform. In the spirit of 'bipartisanship', I hate that word, the majority Dems will cave and kowtow to the rabid minority Repubs.

[teron678]

They're Ex .... why do their input matter ....??

[Cherubim]

Yes, because at least two of them are known lobbyists for
the Health Care Industry.

[MAH999]

This is my worst fear. No reform at all, but now forcing me to buy insurance from these barbarians. The are legal mafia, selling protection and constantly threatening you with their ability to deny care.

This is why I voted for Obama, and why I voted for my Democratic representatives. If they can't get this done after 60 years of delay, I'm done voting for the Democrats. There is no point. They are so close to the Republicans that it just doesn't matter anymore. If you can't choose the health of the citizens of your country over the profits of CEOs who are committed to denying care, who are already between me and my doctor, then what good are you anyway?

[Kassandra]

My worst fear is that also, with the addition that they will end Medicare and Medicaid and tell us we will have all our needs covered by these robbers.
So far Obama's "reforms" have been as toothless as a hag. And I mean that strictly in the metaphysical sense of the word..like a ghoul or something...maybe ghouls are toothless, but I don't think so........­..rambling­..........­..........­....

[Samalabear]

Hey, by the time they're through with us we're going to be toothless, literally.

[RTIII]

What's needed is to pay attention during the DEMOCRATIC PRIMARIES.

Ensure that ONLY true dems - or at least unknowns - get on the ballot...

A new party has NO chance.

We MUST "reform" the Ds - take them over like the ReligiousNutJobs did a decade or so ago with the Rs.
.

[Daniel Carr]

This is the reason they are all "ex."

Next?

[robeson]

Any compromise should have current Senators and Reps losing their public health plans, they all have them.