Blue Dogs Keeping Health Care Stuck In Committee

Henry Waxman is looking to resume health care negotiations Thursday night. Maybe.

Waxman (D-Calif.) heads the House Energy and Commerce Committee, the final obstacle to a full House vote on health care reform. Debate stalled early Tuesday after conservative Blue Dog Democrats, who account for seven swing votes on the committee, demanded that their concerns over total costs be met. Since then, the Blue Dogs have met with Waxman and President Obama, who is pushing for a reform bill before Congress takes its vacation next month, to try and hammer out those issues.

"We're getting close," Waxman said, though he added that further cost estimates from the Congressional Budget Office are necessary before work can resume on Thursday. "That may get delayed if we don't have all the scores and don't have everything agreed to."

The Blue Dogs expect further delays given the list of 10 major issues they have left to address, committee member and Blue Dog leader Charlie Melancon (D-La.) said.

"They haven't even started yet," Melancon said. Could a deal be struck by tomorrow? "No way," he said. "No way."

The White House is watching closely. Nancy Ann DeParle, who heads Obama's Office of Health Reform, sat in with Waxman and the Blue Dogs in their meeting Wednesday morning, Melancon said. He declined to specify what her priorities were, beyond "trying to reach agreement and get a good deal."

Getting the bill out of committee should be the hard part, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Wednesday morning. "I have no question that we have the votes on the floor of the House to pass this legislation," Pelosi said.

The committee's Blue Dogs, of course, challenge that assertion, too.

"The Speaker was well-intended, but I don't think the votes are there now," said Baron Hill (D-Ind.), a Blue Dog policy co-chair who sits on the energy committee. "We are making progress, albeit slowly, on trying to get a bill that we can vote out of committee, but we've got a whole lot of work to do."

Melancon and Blue Dog frontman Mike Ross (D-Ark.) echoed Hill's assertion that Pelosi lacks the support needed for full passage. "We're speaking for a silent majority within the Democratic caucus," Ross said. "No, I don't think they have the votes."

For his part, Waxman said he would like to see the bill reach the House floor next week, but other factors limit his control, from CBO scores to concurrent delay in the Senate Finance Committee and individuals' "general comfort."

"I'm an optimistic person," Waxman said. "But maybe we will, maybe not."

Comments

[shadowgirl52]

09:40 AM on 07/29/2009

Things are really tough at my house and I can not find the funds to continue paying for my gov. employs to have the fine coverage I have provided them all these many years. So I need to stop paying the taxes that give insuannce and medical care to my gov. employs. Sorry it is just the way it is. I have given you insurance at a great loss to myself and my family, yet I have not seen a Doctor in over 16 years. My self sacrafice just so the gov. can have coverage is over. AND yes I vote.

[hsr0601]

01:52 AM on 07/25/2009

The House leaders reached a deal on Medicare payments: A "Pay for Value" reimbursement system that rewards doctors and hospitals that achieve the best outcomes at the lowest cost.

As a result, The House gained a lot of votes, a lot of people who were withholding support.

The federal Medicare program insures some 44 million elderly and disabled Americans at an annual cost of $450 billion, almost one-fifth of total U.S. health care spending.

Supporters of the agreement say it could save the Medicare System more than $100 billion a year and improve care, that means $1trillian over a decade.

No one can disagree with this best outcome / evidence-based system, and private insurance, too, will be greatly influenced by this change with the focus on value over volume.

THANK YOU !

[Claude Elder]

05:48 PM on 07/23/2009

This is become a bustering fiasco that's truly ailing the people that support's elected official's. Pouring in 2 trill. to health care isn't that easy when it comes to density and workforce (taxes in which medicaid, medicare, worker's comp and ssi get's paid for out of eic, fica, and fdic.) That has to be appropriated to the capitol's, cities, and town's. With a job lost of 2 mill few years this put's a strain on taxpayers with taxes rising due to the job losses. This rolls back and in turn deal's with the rising of taxes because of job market lost, less people capable to pay there insurance premium's; get on medicaid or medicare and then only to have partial or no coverage at all. Even for minimum wage employer's ($13.00) who has no insurance or limited insurance they're own personal expenses are paying for the benefit's that they don't have. Along with the taxes still rising and fare's constantly rising making it harder for them to get to there place of employment that pay's for these unreceivable benefit's. Thus making consolidation billing issue that create's credit problem's that inturn make's the taxes rise again. Dismembering spending in the marketplace or enterprise zones that cause job losses. This is a very volitile bill passed for insurance companies (Humana, Blue Cross, Colonial Penn, etc.) also government employee's that does the accounting, billing, and comptrolling of medicare and medicaid.

[dickdata]

04:09 PM on 07/23/2009

What is SO funny is that if the Democrats do not pass a significant health care bill with a public option, these Blue Dogs will be the first to lose their seats to Republicans. Why vote for a Democrat if all you get is a lot of spending and no health care?

[SeattleNick]

03:06 PM on 07/23/2009

In this case please do not call them Blue Dog Democrats change that to Blue Cross Democrats.

[rockinroll]

02:35 PM on 07/23/2009

Obama's press conference showed that "The Dems "in Congress are the problem with Health Care Reform.
Harry Reid, who should be tossed, is giving in to the Lobbyists.
He takes a defeatist stance every chance he gets - lets DEFEAT Him!!

[Patrician]

02:10 PM on 07/23/2009

I hope the Blue Dogs get chucked out. They don't have any interest in solving the problems. They are the problem.

What is asked of them is to solve problems that get in the way of decent, affordable healthcare. If they can't do it, and do it quickly, why are they taking up expensive seats in government? Why don't they go home and go to work for an insurance company so they can make policy to kick people out for pre-existing conditions, or cancel their policies if they think they don't want to pay for the care.

America does not need the Blue Dogs. They sit on the work of the country. They don't do it.

[butterfliesblossom]

01:50 PM on 07/23/2009

Why? See the big dollars pouring into them. Buying votes must be Unconstitutional. Lawyers want can be done?

[spinns17]

01:33 PM on 07/23/2009

gee why would lincoln want to vote against her cash cow http://www.votesmart.org/issue_rating_detail.php?r_id=4324

[KathyinCT]

01:23 PM on 07/23/2009

ATTENTION ALL -- LET THE BLUE DOGS KNOW HOW WE THE PEOPLE FEEL!!!!!!!!!!

Get on the phone NOW. They have OUR HEALTH in THEIR HANDS. And send this on to everyone you know. Call every office each one has with same message -- America is watching. (sorry, I can't find emails).

Blue Dog Co-Chair for Administration: Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (SD-AL) DC office
Ph: 202-225-2801 Fax: [phone]. District offices -- Aberdeen, SD Ph: 605-626-3440; Rapid
City, SD Ph: 605-394-5280; Sioux Falls, SD Ph: 605-367-8371.

Blue Dog Co-Chair for Policy: Rep. Baron Hill (IN-09) 202-225-5315

Blue Dog Co-Chair for Communications: Rep. Charlie Melancon (LA-03) Phone: [phone]

Blue Dog Whip: Rep. Heath Shuler (NC-11) 202-225-6401

They all say the won't respond to anyone outside of their district -- but THEY are holding the health of ALL AMERICANS in their hands, so they must listen to us.

ALSO EMAIL TO: [e-mail]

[GeorgeP922]

12:56 PM on 07/23/2009

"We're speaking for a silent majority within the Democratic caucus," Ross said.

Silent Majority, W T F does that mean, dude retire and leave our party, you belong at C street.

[XLintLuvR]

01:13 PM on 07/23/2009

How do 50 within a majority of well over 200 constitute a silent majority?! I say we begin looking for strong, true progressive D democrats for their primaries next year. For each and every one of them and start identifying their challengers in Sep so they can see that every day that they delay, they're creating more strength for their challengers.

[Brothaman2k]

12:55 PM on 07/23/2009

Stop placating these undercover republicans. You don't support this bill and:

No DNC support for re-election.
No Fund Raising support.
President campaigns for your Dem opponent.
Progressive Groups will deluge your state in attack ads to sink you.

If they wanna play games then let's play some hardball.

[KathyinCT]

01:12 PM on 07/23/2009

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You wrote what thousands, millions of us are thinking -- it's now time for HARDBALL from Rahm to these arrogant SOB's who let their 15 mins of fame convince them that they MATTER.

Obama needs to stay above the fray and let it play out but behind the scenes, Rahm and other Dem leaders (let's get Teddy on the phone to a few, saying he'll record radio ads saying "WHY ARE YOU DESERTING DEMOCRATIC PARTY PRINCIPLES??") need to start kneecapping these dweebs.

[subtleD]

05:37 PM on 07/23/2009

I agree. There is something called party discipline that is needed to corral enough votes to get things done in congress. If Pelosi and Reed can't deliver then the Dems need new leadership and new tools for better party discipline, i.e., New Tools with new tools, so to speak.

I've felt all along that the most dangerous obstacles to Obama's presidency would arise from within his own party.

That said, I beleive that the Dems should maintain a broad 'tent' ideology within their party and not make the mistakes that the GOP did in their zeal for conservative "purity". But they have to show that they can deliver results, they're going to be facing an electorate frustrated with the economy in 2012 and better have something concrete to show for the four years of majority power.

[althusius]

12:53 PM on 07/23/2009

Henry Waxman wants to stick a pitchfork in your granny. The healthcare reform bill requires end-of-life counseling for everyone on medicare.

[subtleD]

06:16 PM on 07/23/2009

Althusius,

My question to you is: What is "end of life counseling"? A living will? Medical power of attorney?

Beleive you me, there are lots of situations where you don't want to suffer for 6-18 months with a tube shoved down your throat waiting for the final elbow of a terminal illness.

Frankly, I'd rather someone stick a pitchfork in me (in this life anyway) than keep me living with Parkinson's for another 6 months after I've lost the ability to talk or think or swallow food or sit up in bed. That is joining the undead, not living.

Regretfully, this happens a lot because some squeamish relative won't accept their responsiblity to make a hard decision or because the dying patient didn't create a living will or delegate medical power of attorney.

If the government is trying to make sure these events don't happen needlessly to medicare patients, then I'm all for it.

So humane considerations should drive this so euthanasia doesn't become federal a budget strategy (as it likely will become once the GOP gets around to privatizing it!). A real choice about end of life measures should be presented.

My point is that end-of-life counseling for anyone receiving medicare dollars is not necessarily a bad thing, it depends on how carefully the law is written and implemented.

[okayigive]

12:45 PM on 07/23/2009

Well since the "blue dogs" were elected to do the business for and of the people cancel that trip home and let them deal with their peers for dragging their feet and hindering progress.

[spinns17]

12:43 PM on 07/23/2009

walmart and wall street rule these dem dogs