Senate Ends Health Care Talks For The Week With No Deal

A bipartisan group of seven members of the Finance Committee huddled all day Thursday, hoping to hammer out a compromise piece of health care legislation that could be marked up in committee next week and passed through the Senate by the August recess.

But by evening, the senators, who met in a private room in the office of Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), exited with no deal to announce. Negotiations would begin again on Monday, they said.

Baucus dubbed the group meeting in his office the "coalition of the willing": Sens. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) and Kent Conrad (D-N.D.).

Late in the afternoon, reporters staking out Baucus' office were greeted by the surprise arrival of former House Majority Leader Dick Gephardt, now a powerful Washington lobbyist.

Gephardt, a top lobbyist with the bipartisan firm DLA Piper and a consultant to Goldman Sachs, was in and out in about 15 minutes. A Baucus aide said that Gephardt was visiting the office for a purpose unrelated to the ongoing health care negotiations.

Earlier, Conrad told reporters the committee was focused on cutting costs and emphasized that earlier testimony from the Congressional Budget Office director had highlighted the need to do so.

"I think everyone should take the testimony by the director of the Congressional Budget Office very seriously. Look, this country is on a course that is utterly unsustainable," said Conrad. "And for anybody that studies it, we know it's true. We are taking on debt in a way that is utterly unsustainable. This has to be faced up to. So, I remain an optimist. I think people when confronted with facts have to respond to them. And I think virtually every member knows that this has to be dealt with."

Also on Thursday, Baucus made his most hopeful comments to date that a deal may be reached by the end of the day. With the surprising news that the American Medical Association -- the historic foes of universal health care -- has decided to back the House's more progressive effort, reform has real momentum.

Jeff Muskus contributed reporting.

Comments

[SpiralUp]

Is it true that with these bills, the public option will not be available until 2013? Does ANYONE find that acceptable?

[Chaimirija]

The AMA is still against universal health care. This bill is universal health insurance. And it even fails at the universal part.

[amdink1]

Everytime I turn around the Senate Finace Committee is in the news with their negativism about the cost associated with health care. I feel powerless since I live in Delaware and not in the states that elected these people. What happens to our politicians when they go to Washington DC? While they ruin health care reform, I have to wait until the next election before I can really affect change. I am frustrated, angry, and disappointed!

[sc300nc]

Keep the public informed. The more they hear, the less they like, and the chance of passing anything goes down. It's our only hope.

[jazzman]

Change is hard for those who are filled with fear. However, if the bill goes down health care costs will continue to rise and are going to destroy this economy and our competitveness and still we'll have millions who don't have coverage. We can do better. There is no hope in the status quo. Hope comes with dynamism and change.

[Chaimirija]

my previous post to you disappeare­d...anyway­, agreed, the costs will bring us down

[PaxEterna]

Time to call in the chits . . .

Americans must demand a national referendum on health care:

1) that every American is entitled to the same care their leaders receive, or rescind those benefits NOW
2) that for profit entities must be dismantled and transformed to do the people's work, providing the best care possible in times of medical need to all Americans
3) that health care in America is a national priority for internal and external security. It cannot be bought, sold, or otherwise negotiated away to serve special interests of any kind.

SYMBO: SEND YOUR MEDICAL BILLS TO OBAMA

Pay your providers with IOU's, payable next century.

JUST SAY NO TO ANYTHING THAT DOES NOT MEET WITH THE ABOVE OBJECTIVES.

[Chaimirija]

He caved to the insurance lobby. The bill authorizes the IRS to tax you 2.5% of your AGI if you don't have what they deem an acceptable insurance plan.

[hsr0601]

In case the health care reform provides the general public with peace of mind, the rising mental stress or illness caused by financial instability may bend the curve surprisingly,
in combination with kicking out the 'keep eating habit' to forget the deep-seated instability and apprehension, I guess.
'Work or Break' health system with no brake or safety system might be one of the biggest hidden causes of mental stress, obesity or overweight threatening the overall economy, I cautiously suppose.

[PhilipTaylor]

Senator Reid want these guys on the Finance Committee to hurry up on Healthcare!

So our Healthcare Reform is in the HANDS of these Senators so

AMERICANS are in BIG TROUBLE if they decide our FUTURE!

Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) Insurance > $1 Million. Healthcare > $1 Million
Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) Big Pharma >$1.25Mill­ion, Insurance > $600,000 Healthcare > $500,000
Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) Donors: Big Pharma #2, Healthcare #4, Insurance #5
Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) Donors: Insurance #1, Healthcare #2, Big Pharma #4
Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) Donors: Healthcare #2, Insurance #2
Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) Donors: Healthcare #2
Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) Least paid OF BUNCH: Healthcare $534,000 Insurance $374,000

Bunch of PAID OFF SENATORS by Insurance, Healthcare, and BIG Pharma Companies!

[PhilipTaylor]

The CBO says the Public Option reduces costs more than any other option considered!

That is right Senators on the TAKE!

[PhilipTaylor]

In an interview Obama did on healthcare Reform:

1. He did Not say one word about Public Option!

2. We learn everyone is going to have to pay some INSURANCE COMPANIES! He said it!

http://www.hu_ffingtonpost.com/dr-jon-lapook/my-interview-with-preside_b_236691.html

Remove Underline to make it work

[SoberLook]

It is clear that severe tax increases have or will be taking place in the US on both state and federal level. It is also clear that tax increases have a multiplier effect on GDP contraction (one dollar tax increase will translate roughly into 3 dollars drop in GDP.) There is of course a delay before the tax shock translates into GDP contraction. It is entirely possible that with the temporary impact of stimulus, we may be looking at a prolonged "W" type recovery that is far more protracted than many currently estimate.

http://www.SoberLook.com

[PhilipTaylor]

While I think the Rich should pay I do NOT understand how the new Bill can cost anything more than the "DO NOTHING" Option!

We know the US has the 37th best quality of care, on Par with Cuba and Slovenia but we also know we pay over Double what the median is for rated countries at 134% over the Median!

So we should easily be able to save 50% of the "Cost of Doing Nothing" and only 15% of our people are not covered.

Certainly 50% is much larger than 15%!

Bbut lets say we only save 25%! That still is larger than 15% so NO COST over "DOING NOTHING!"

I have requested the CBO look at the COST of DOING NOTHING plus the COST of SINGLE-PAYER so we could have an UPPER and a LOWER Benchmark to compare all the options.

CBO Get to WORK!

There is almost NO WAY with even Moderate Reform that the cost of any plan could exceed the "COST of DOING NOTHING!"

So saying the cost is POSITIVE is B0GUS, CBO!

[pepperdude]

PLEASE HELP US SAVE THE REPUTATION OF THE PREZ FROM THIS SO-CALLED HEALTHCARE REFORM. IT IS NEITHER FISCALLY HEALTHY NOR REAL REFORM.

[Tazru]

Enough with the rants in "ALL-CAPS" already.

wataputz

[pepperdude]

ARE HAPPY DAYS HERE AGAIN? THIS MONSTROSITY MUST BE STOPPED. IT MUST BE WRECKED BEFORE IT WRECKS THE NATION.

[AFAN]

Forget it Max!

[OldFreddie]

The only way to guarantee that we have a health care bill that would not change the level of care many of us now have is to insist that the first line of any bill states that the US Government, all of Congress included, will give up the great health care they have now and enroll in the government plan. Until that day, I will fight this tooth and nail.

[Expatslacker]

I'll fight with you, after all they are Americans right, just like the rest of us.

[grandma58]

Same care for all citizens including congress!

[jonbw]

I suspect the issues of gays and abortions combined with a funding source will make it impossible to find middle ground with Republicans

[Expatslacker]

Or some democrats. Isn't blaming the republicans for everything getting old yet?

[jonbw]

We are talking about Baucus attempt to get a bipartisan bill out of committee. It is the republicans standing in the way of that. I think any health care bill at most can only get 55 votes period regardless how it is written.

[jinxed]

And by the way, Max, shut the F*** UP. The Repubs are not the friend of 98% of America, get your head out of the sand and take a good, long look around. Your buddies, the Republicans, have stripped the wealth of the nation upward so that only 2% of America's citizens have 98% of the wealth!
LOOK AROUND YOURSELF! OPEN YOUR EYES FOR A CHANGE!

[Expatslacker]

2% both Republicans & Democrats.

[pepperdude]

HEY BUDDY, FRIEND, GET OFF THE NARC. YOU ACTIN' MIGHTY STRANGE AND PLEASE WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE. I HOPE THIS MESS FALLS APART BEFORE IT WRECKS THE NATION.

[grandma58]

Max has been part of the problem for a long time.

[jinxed]

If anybody really believes the health insurance industry cares that the "road is unsustainable" had better take a closer look. The only thing the health insurance industry cares about is money and only money...th­eir past is littered with the dead and maimed in their quest for more & more money & profits!

[Chaimirija]

and they will get more with this bill...Buy private insurance, or get fined by the IRS...as for the public option, not until 2013 and you cannot choose it...you may be eligible if you don't have insurance at the time