Baucus: Health Care Reform Will Happen This Year With Or Without GOP

HELENA, Mont. — U.S. Sen. Max Baucus of Montana says a health care overhaul will happen this year even if Republicans back out of bipartisan talks under growing public pressure and that the death of Sen. Edward Kennedy could help hold together a compromise deal.

Baucus is leading a panel of two other Democrats and three Republicans that is being watched closely by everyone from the White House and beyond. Chances of a bipartisan breakthrough appear to be diminishing in the face of an effective public mobilization by opponents during the August congressional recess.

But Baucus says the bipartisan deal is still alive. He said he still speaks frequently with Republican Sens. Charles Grassley of Iowa, Olympia Snowe of Maine and Michael Enzi of Wyoming.

"I think the chances are still good," Baucus told The Associated Press in an interview Monday. "I talked to them, and they all want to do health care reform. But the sad part is a lot politics have crept in. They are being told by the Republican Party not to participate."

If it falls apart, Democrats will have to turn to the "nuclear option" – forcing through an inferior bill through a process that only requires 51 votes instead of 60, Baucus said.

Baucus' panel has not released a proposal yet but is looking at a package of reforms that makes it easier for people to get insurance, including banning exclusions for pre-existing conditions, and makes it more affordable with tax credits and other benefits.

Baucus has taken heat from the left, which wants more liberal ideas considered, such as a Medicare-like public option for the uninsured, and suffered angry criticism from the right, which opposed any of the ideas amid concerns over the costs.

He promised constituents in meetings and in sidewalk encounters Monday that the bill will not increase the deficit, pays for itself over time and is necesary to rein in costs.

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Baucus understands that criticism is weighing heavily on the minds of Republicans.

"They are in their home states and they are hearing a lot of what I am hearing: concerns," Baucus said. "In some ways it is easy in the short term to vote against it."

Also on Monday, Grassley said he is eying more limited, less sweeping health care reform measure can still be negotiated.

Baucus agrees the proposals are hard to explain, especially since most people focus on the more liberal House plans that have been publicly disclosed. Even in his home state, Baucus finds most critics focusing on the House legislation with little understanding of Senate plans.

Baucus said he will know by mid-September if a deal can be worked out.

The veteran senator said he believes the effectiveness of opposition arguments already appears to be diminishing – such as claims the bill will cover illegal immigrants and abortions and subject people to "death panels."

"I think the shelf life of the negative myths and the shrill negativism is pretty short here," Baucus said. "I think these negative myths are losing their punch."

Baucus said a bipartisan panel deal would be far better than any bill that could be pushed through by Democrats in the reconciliation process, a parliamentary move that restricts the expansiveness of legislation.

"All three Republicans really want to do it, and know it's the right think to do," Baucus said.

The Democrat said lawmakers will be thinking about the issue differently in the wake of U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy's funeral.

"I think the death of Ted Kennedy is a factor here. How much? I don't know," Baucus said. "It causes everyone to pause and to think that maybe we should find a solution after all."

Comments

[CTtransplant]

Ooopps...march on the 13th, folks! None that I can see on the 12th - 'cept maybe those opposing health care reform...

[Rhiana]

8/19/2009 Congressmen John D. Dingell (D-MI15) and Sander Levin (D-MI12) have questions for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan President and CEO Daniel J. Loepp about a series of rate hikes the company announced late last week. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan plans to hike monthly premiums for 163,000 Michigan citizens who buy the insurer's nongroup or group conversion plans on average by 22 percent. Blue Cross will also increase supplemental Medicare policies, known as Medigap, held by about 210,000 Michigan seniors by an average of 4.7 percent. Blue Cross had requested an average 56 percent hike for its nongroup plans and 41 percent for its group conversion policies.

public option please.

[CTtransplant]

Public Option a MUST!!!!

[sheoples]

no public option
yes to single payer

let's not be an enabler and allow the leech to live....we have to rip off the leeches once and for all.....

public options is like keeping leeches alive by coddling them and allowing them a safer place to suck less blood from us.....eventually if you keep them around........they will hunger for more blood....don't appease the insurance companies

[Bronxdude]

Real reform means real choice—Private versus Public. There is nothing more American than real, competition-based choice, something republicans despise because the continued monopolization of the health industry ensures their uninhibited access to wealth, which translates into unrestrained political power. Universal healthcare works well in Great Britain, but is opposed by republicans because the Brits have succeeded in removing the constant quest for greed-driven profit from the equation. By using alarmist rhetoric, republicans are attempting to intimidate Americans into remaining loyal to an unsustainable and broken system that is exploitive, abusive, predatory, corrupt and immoral. Contrary to what republican would want you to believe, socialize medicine works exceptionally well in America, as evidenced by Medicare, military medicine and the Veterans Administration. Over 44 million Americans receive their healthcare through Medicare, and the number of Medicare beneficiaries receiving prescription drug coverage is expected to top 28 million this year. Combined, the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs provide health care services to more than 17 million beneficiaries. Unlike predatory private insurers, beneficiaries in these systems receive benchmark pricing and patient protection rights because the incentives have been changed from profit to ensuring affordable, quality-based, cost-effective healthcare. Republicans demonize these systems because the incentive for profit has been removed, which means they can’t exploit these systems for political or monetary gain. Even though as an actor Reagan was paid to villainize socialized medicine, 40 years later, Medicare in a glowing success.

[strut1702]

Medicare is broke. How is that a continued success? Who is going to have the guts to curb the costs of it before adding entitlement to more insured. Since when is profit evil? Didn't the private markets spur the innovation in healthcare that has led to us living longer lives. That wasn't the government.
If private industry is exploitive, abusive, predatory, corrupt and immoral, the game can be said of government and the lobbyists and lawyers who write the bills.
With that being said, I am for health reform starting with curbing costs, no pre-existing conditions.

But keep in mind that no cost control mechanisms a public plan is just shifting the cost from individuals to taxpayers. Thats not change.

[Bronxdude]

President Obama truly cares about the prosperity and well-being of every American—regardless of class or ethnicity. Afraid of the impact Obama might have on unifying America, republicans are villainizing, dehumanizing and delegitimizing him to advance their exclusionist and elitist agenda. Since Obama is not part of the entrenched Washington political establishment, or the elitist upper crust, he feels no pressure or obligation to return favors that would unnecessarily sacrifice precious political capital he’ll need in the future to coax or strong-arm career politicians. Republicans are singularly fixated on maintaining the status quo to ensure their continued generational access to wealth, influence and power. Similar to race-restrictive country clubs, republicans are concerned primarily with separating and distancing themselves from members of the working-class. After all, the purpose of the working-class is to serve the wealthy by cooking their meals, raising their children, cleaning their homes and doing whatever tasks deemed essential to ensuring their existence is awash in luxury, simplicity and overindulgence. Working-class republicans have been duped into believing that their concerns/interests are championed by republicans, a political party heavily comprised of wealthy, upper crust aristocrats. In reality, the GOP is only concerned with advancing their own self-serving interests, which is why they exploit working-class republicans, are against worker rights and want to keep America angrily divided by class and race. Universal health insurance would provide hope and elevate the standard of living for working-class Americans, something republicans vehemently oppose.

[Bronxdude]

Change invariably generates anxiety and fear, which was the case in 1964 when President Johnson pushed the Civil Rights Act through Congress. Dixiecrats and Southerners were comfortable with the status quo and wrongly believed that granting Black Americans equal protection under the Constitution would somehow destabilize America, both economically and politically. With regard to health insurance reform, the same type of baseless fear is rearing its ugly head in 2009. For republicans, fear mongering proliferated through vicious lies is the preferred weapon of choice, and the disgusting success of their misinformation campaign is quite apparent in North Carolina, where 12 percent of registered republicans believe that Hawaii is a foreign country, 46 percent believe President Obama is an undocumented alien and 76 percent believe that Medicare is not socialized healthcare. It’s no surprise that the epicenter of opposition against health insurance reform originates in the hinterlands of sparsely populated, undeveloped, uneducated and unsophisticated Southern states. Georgia and Alabama rank at the bottom on every public health indicator category monitored by CDC and DHHS, yet Southern republicans will not support healthcare reform. Life expectancy and infant mortality in Alabama is equal to third-world countries. Not surprisingly, however, republicans from Alabama and Georgia rank at the top when it comes to soliciting and accepting payoffs from health insurance parasites like UnitedHealthcare. Seniors: If you don’t like socialized medicine, turn in your Medicare cards.

[Bronxdude]

Forget bipartisanship; true reform will provide affordable options that include a public offering. Chuck Grassley is an idiot, charlatan and health insurance industry prostitute. For his efforts to embarrass the President and sabotage health reform, Grassley has received millions in blood money from insurance corporations like UnitedHealthcare, and should be censured by Congress for his treasonous lies. Real reform will end the monopolistic strangle-hold enjoyed by ruthless insurers like UnitedHealthcare. In Georgia, UnitedHealthcare executives colluded with sleazy republican politicians like Johnny Isakson to eliminate competition, with the end result being higher premiums, reduced benefits, and greater profits for UnitedHealthcare. With no real competition, UnitedHealthCare is free to rape consumers. When compared to the second quarter of 2008, profits for UnitedHealthcare increased by a whopping 155 percent, yet premiums continue to climb 4 times faster than wages. UnitedHealthcare is leading the charge to defeat healthcare reform by paying out millions in hush money to their republican whores. The health insurance industry (and the corrupt republican scumbags they bankroll) will not retreat quietly from billions in annual profits. Republicans want watered-down healthcare reform so when it fails to achieve meaningful change, they can point to democrats as the culprits and say, “see, government is the problem”; thus, to ensure success, I want access to the same options enjoyed by Congress and 8.5 million federal employees. The public option will control costs, expand coverage and end the single profiteer health insurance system bilking Americans.

[Bronxdude]

Predatory insurance corporations are spending more than $1.6 million per day to buy republican votes, gin up fear and defeat reform. When it comes to receiving payoffs from the insurance industry, of 535 Congressmen, Grassley and Conrad rank 29th and 35th, respectively; therefore, how can I trust them to represent my best interest when it comes to negotiating healthcare reform? Making money off human pain is a republican principle. Real competition is the de facto monopoly buster. 20,000 people die each year because they don’t have health insurance. This is criminal and immoral. Georgia state employees have no due process patient protection rights, a negotiated constraint that gives UnitedHealthcare carte blanche to chose who lives and who dies. If competition is the lynchpin of free-market capitalism, why is UnitedHealthcare afraid to compete on a level playing field? Limiting choice drives up cost, benefiting the insurer, which is why slime-dog republicans defend the middleclass being systematically bilked by corporations like UnitedHealthcare. Through mendacious scare tactics, lying republicans curry favor and fear monger by preaching that reform will lead to rationed healthcare and place restrictions on doctor choice. Contrary to specious talking points propagated by solution-less republicans, as it stands right now, without true marketplace competition, insurers not only dictate the cost of medical care, but they also get to pick and choose who receives coverage and care. Despicable republicans will not retreat quietly from millions in payoffs. Public option now!

[Bronxdude]

No matter what concessions democrats make, duplicitous, two-faced republicans never intended to offer bipartisan support for healthcare reform, as evidenced by Chuck Grassley telling President Obama he’s for reform, while telling Iowans he’s against it and that government sponsored euthanasia is real. For their efforts to sabotage reform, republicans have received millions in bribes from insurance corporations. It was UnitedHealthcare (not the government) that recently told me I couldn’t have the medication and treatment my doctor prescribed. With the public option, subscribers will pay premiums, patient care (not profit) will be the central focus and government will not use federal subsidies to create an artificial marketplace by which the public option will enjoy an unfair competitive advantage over private insurers. Real competition will end the monopolistic stranglehold enjoyed by private insurers. President Obama inherited a $2.2 trillion deficit from Bush—$700 billion (Wall Street bailout), $900 billion (Prescription Drug Bill) and $600 billion (Iraq War). President Clinton left office with a $759 billion surplus. What happen? According to the CBO, the public option will cost $100 billion per year. Per year, ending Medicare subsidies to insurance companies will save $30 billion, cutting subsidies to pharmaceutical companies will save $20 billion, repelling the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest 2 percent will save $30 billion, and scaling back the Iraq War will save $20 billion. According to ten year CBO projections, the Bush/Cheney War will cost $3.8 trillion.

[Bronxdude]

When it comes to guaranteeing health insurance for its citizens, among industrialized powers, WHO ranks Spain 7th and America 37th; in Spain, access to affordable healthcare is a Constitutional right; conversely, more people die waiting for care in America than in Spain, Canada, Great Britain and France combined—so much for the republican lie about reform spawning rationed healthcare. In the current debate, republicans have not raised fact-based questions about what’s in proposed reform legislation; instead, they’ve relied on scare tactics and lobbyist funding to propagate and spread salacious lies about reform. Working-class republicans: Trust your instinct to think! Don’t confuse liking your doctor with liking the morally corrupt insurance company robbing you blind. Despite the absurdity of the lies being spread by Coburn, Kyle, Grassley and other self-serving republicans, 55 percent of registered republicans willingly reject the truth and embrace the lie that health insurance reform will cover illegal aliens, while another 56 percent accept the ludicrous notion of death panels. Despite the Hyde Amendment, which bars taxpayer money for abortions, in their fact-impaired universe, a whopping 58 percent of registered republicans believe that heath insurance reform will pay for abortions. Incredibly, 79 percent of Fox viewers believe that Medicare is not socialized medicine, while 73 percent believe that government sponsored death panels are a reality. The new republican paradigm: professed Christians lying like degenerate sociopaths. Public option now!

[Bronxdude]

UnitedHealthCare is relying on collusive and exclusionary practices to eliminate competition, consolidate their monopolistic stranglehold on consumers and corner the health insurance market. In an effort to defeat reform, UnitedHealthcare is ordering its employees to attend and disrupt town hall meetings. Under the current greed-driven arrangement negotiated by the parasitic insurance industry, 1 of every 4 healthcare dollars spent goes to insurance companies, which generates approximately $ 800 billion annually in profit that is divided amongst the top 7 seven insurers, to include UnitedHealthcare and WellPoint. The public option would cut reimbursement revenue to insurers and drug companies, not doctors. Morally corrupt insurers like UnitedHealthcare are aggressively pushing legislation (so far, the insurance industry has paid out $17 million in bribes to republicans) to shift more of the cost of healthcare (from 25 to 35 percent) to consumers, so the insurers can spend less of every premium dollar on actual healthcare, which translates increased profit for insurers. In comparison, even predatory casinos limit their profit on gamblers to no more than 20 cents on the dollar. Twofaced, shallow, hypocritical Christians: When Jesus healed people, he didn’t require precertification or verification of their coverage with BC/BS of Nazareth before curing their ills! Ruthlessly inspired capitalism that exploits the sick, downtrodden and poor represents a wicked collaboration between republicans and Satan. 50 million uninsured Americans is an evil blight upon our civilized nation. Public option now!

[Bronxdude]

As a direct result of collusive, exclusionary and illegal practices that make a mockery of the Sherman Antitrust Act, predatory insurers like UnitedHealthcare and WellPoint funnel millions to crooked republicans in exchange for preferential treatment and favorable legislation, which allows them to eliminate competition, circumvent the system and fortify their monopolistic advantage by artificially controlling—for profit—the “free” market at the state level. There is no real choice when subscribers are forced to select doctors from a list complied and approved by degenerate insurance industry bean-counters. Doctors selected by UnitedHealthcare as “approved providers” are not done so because of their demonstrated level of peer reviewed expertise, exceptional competence and professional commitment; instead, they are chosen because of their willingness to accept extremely low reimbursement fees. In essence, with UnitedHealthCare, the notion of true choice and quality care is a farce because the subscriber is deliberately steered toward low-bid doctors willing to accept low reimbursement. Pick a non-approved doctor, and, similar to Pavlov’s dog, the subscriber is punished financially to deter such behavior from reoccurring. Those who agree to accept such ridiculously low reimbursement fees are not “the honor grads” of their class, or notably accomplished among their peers, and are singularly motivated by greed, not a desire to practice their craft competently and adeptly. The public option will allow Americans to select and receive the best care from the most competent practitioners, not just those answering ads for low-bid services.

[Bronxdude]

The average American refuses to accept that the Republican Nation is at war with the working-class, which is why republicans support the status quo and vehemently oppose healthcare reform, public education, government oversight, minimum wage hikes, worker rights, access to higher education, middleclass tax relief, and, in general, any legislation that would jeopardize the continuation of a credit-dependent, employer exploited, unhealthy, downtrodden, underpaid, debt-laden, undereducated and permanent class of laborers. Similar to exploited sharecroppers, it’s in the best interest of republicans to keep the working-class hopeless, oppressed, unhealthy, misinformed and undereducated. Republicans staunchly supported the Wall Street bailout to protect their own assets, but opposed the automobile industry bailout, which employs thousands of middleclass Americans. The republican aristocracy opposes any kind of governmental oversight that will interfere with their pursuit of exploitive capitalism, which is why they want to abolish the Departments of Agriculture, Transportation, Interior, Education and The Food and Drug Administration. Anything that protects the worker must go. Just like feudal lords, the Republican Nation requires a formidable army to protect their financial interests, which is why they defend unrestrained military spending. The Iraq War will cost $2.6 trillion over 10 years, while health insurance for every American for the same time period would cost $1.2 trillion. Republican fear mongers want to keep America angrily divided by class and race. Universal health insurance would provide hope and elevate the standard of living for working-class Americans, something republicans vehemently oppose.

[Bronxdude]

In an attempt to divide Americans by race, defeat health insurance reform and unite birthers, tea baggers, tinfoil hatters, compassionless Christians and other bigoted malcontents – the new republican base, Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Phil Gingrey (R-Georgia) are ginning up fear, advocating hate inspired civil disobedience, rejecting fact-based discourse and condoning violence as an acceptable change agent. Similar to Klan rallies, idiots like Gingrey are openly encouraging people to bring loaded guns to town hall meetings. The Limbaugh led Republican Party has evolved into a greed-driven, compassionless an implacable evil force totally committed to chicanery and social injustice; starting with Reagan, republican ethics have slowly devolved into a seething mass of hatred and destructive self-centeredness a notch below child molesters. Reagan demonized Medicare and wanted to end federally subsidized reduced-fee lunch for students surviving in abject poverty. The notion of quality, affordable health insurance for every American is not complicated, especially when contemplated as a moral rather than a business decision. Health care is a fundamental right, not an expensive privilege decided by class, lineage, race or wealth. With Ted Kennedy gone, the downtrodden, exploited and disenfranchised – manipulated like pawns and denied access to the wealth and political power necessary to influence constructive change – no longer have a standard-bearer, a voice at the table. Since republicans no longer possess the moral reasoning necessary to keep themselves in check, who will emerge from the Democratic Party to confront the enemy within.

[kimleehan]

The length of thess documents defends it well against the risk of its being read.

[robertsandimas]

Bronxdude has too much time on his hands.

[atexasdem]

In order for anyone to "make a deal" two have to be involved who actually want to make that deal. Republicans have been up front about opposing health care for all. Take them at their word. Forget any attempt at "deal making". Democrats have a majority now for a reason. It's time for them to take leadership. Republicans have shown by their words and their actions what they are all about and we the voters have rejected them. Fifty one votes, period. Republicans want to filibuster, let them, it's their right.
When they are done with all their grand standing we simply out vote them. Period.
Democrats, you were elected to lead. Lets see some leadership. It's time for health care for all. Health care in America is rated lower than health care in Cuba by international standards. Seems like there's a lesson there somewhere.

[colonpowwow]

Why is "reconciliation" now come to be called the "nuclear option?"

This practice of reconciliation came about so that Presidents could get their agenda items that they were elected on, through on a majority vote in the Senate in some circumstances. For example, Bush used reconciliation to pass his tax cuts.

Where in the Constitution does it say that it takes 60 votes in the Senate to pass any legislation?

The term "nuclear option" was coined by Trent Lott to describe railroading a Senate rule change on filibustering federal judicial appointments - the rule change was to be presented by Dick Cheney as a point of order to be then voted in as a rule change by a simple majority - not a super-majority as generally required.

Although I support the minority rights aspects of the filibuster, I don't think it should be used in every case (as it is now), and in order to thwart the will of the people as expressed in the ballot box.

The tax decrease was a central tenet of G.W. Bush's election. It was obeying the will of the people to enact it by simple majority.

Likewise with health care reform.

Reconciliation is NOT the "nuclear option." It's been used many times since Reagan's administration used it first.

[unstuffedshirt]

Correct. The AP has been corrected many times on this point and has chosen to continue with right-wing talking points.

[miller4me09]

Reconciliation is intended to be used for budget bills. What does the healthcare bill have anything to do with the budget?