Obama To Be Central Player In Melding Health Care Bills

The Plum Line:

That's the message senior Senate Democrats are sending to the White House in this Roll Call piece (sub only), which details the ways Obama and White House officials will be heavily involved in the negotiations over the final health care bill that emerges from the Senate: [...]

"The White House presence in the merger will be huge, and it has to be," a senior Democratic Senate aide said Monday. "President Obama will have to weigh in on the most difficult issues."...

Read the whole story: The Plum Line

Comments

[itys]

Wonder what would happen if many of the doctors who currently have a practice, decide to quit and go into another profession. You would think that the doctor shortage may cause a minor problem with seeing a doctor. Do you still think the adding the so called 47 million to the patient roll WONT have an effect on rationing.

Lawmakers from both parties say the shortage of health-care professionals is already having serious consequences. "We don't have enough doctors in primary care or in any specialty," said Rep. Shelley Berkley, Democrat of Nevada.

"If we expand coverage, we need to make sure we have physicians to take care of a population that is growing and becoming older," said Dr. Atul Grover, the chief lobbyist for the association. "Let's say we insure everyone. What next? We won't be able to take care of all those people overnight."

The experience of Massachusetts is instructive. Under a far-reaching 2006 law, the state succeeded in reducing the number of uninsured. But many who gained coverage have been struggling to find primary-care doctors, and the average waiting time for routine office visits has increased.

Seems some of our doctors are NOT in favor of the health care reform bill. Hmmm!
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[Apov]

The health care debate seems to be more focused on keeping an income stream going for a certain groups of citizens, office holders or corporations than it is about delivering health care to most of our citizens.

Wouldn't it be great if these feckless senators were more concerned about their constituents than about their next election.

Grow a pair and do the job your were elected to do.

[Rescisco]

It seems to me that the inability of this nation to move forward on health care reform is a symptom of a terminal disease. The nation is, as evidenced by the incredibly ill informed and devisive opposition to progress on this issue, already brain dead.

[jennylynn]

You will be fined and jail time if you don't buy govt. approved health insurance.
Facts. HR 3200.

[huff-fan]

Republicans turn health care directives into "Death Panels."

[DrToketee]

Senate Dems going to Obama for health care? WTF! Obama is not even a doctor!

[sviolette]

No but he acted like one on TV.

[huff-fan]

I just heard that the Netherlands have gone to all private coverage with highly regulated insurance. Everyone pays the same amount (around 160/month)no matter what their medical history. No one is denied insurance. The govt. subsidizes the insurance companies for taking high risk people. The govt. also decides which treatments are effective and cost effective.

[cwhiteside88]

On October 1, House Minority Leader John Boehner said in a press availability, "I'm still trying to find the first American to talk to who's in favor of the public option, other than a member of Congress or the administration... I've not talked to one, and I get to a lot of places and I've not had anyone come up to me -- I know I'm inviting it -- and lobby for the public option."

Well, some of Mr. Boehner's constituents decided to take him up on his offer and rally outside his district office in West Chester, Ohio, delivering over 1,800 signatures of people in his district who support a public option.

Watch here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nunTTyfCr8Y&hd=1 and share.

[TJCole]

It's all about preserving profits, for the Insurance giants not Health Care it's all been written by the Insurance Companies and Big Pharma already, that's what those meetings at the white House were about and when Obama and Rahm Emmanuel took the $10 Million bucks from them...more legalized bribery...

We should call this The Insurance Company Baucus Bribery Bill, not Health Care Reform...

[Chernynkaya]

Why Republicans want ins. cos. to sell across state lines:

As of now, ins. carriers must be licensed by each state to sell there. Each state has its own insurance commissioner, and rules of oversight. Even though all legitimate companies can get licenses in every state, the rules may be stricter in say, California than in Alabama. As are rates.

There is no law preventing any ins. co from selling in any state. What Republicans want is for Californian who has Blue Cross CA to be able to purchase his insurance from Blue Cross ALA if he wants. That sounds good, right? More competition. And it’s even better for the consumer if they live in a state that has only one or two carriers—then they could choose from any states’ carriers.

But, if insurers were allowed to operate "across state lines", what agency would license and oversee them? Since states have different regulations, it would destroy the regulations of the stricter states because there will be a "rush to the bottom" with insurance companies seeking the states with the lowest regulations and the lowest cost. It would also impinge on States’ Rights.

If they allow insurance companies to compete across state lines, the federal government would have to set up a uniform set of standards for insurance companies—no more state regulation, only Federal. Why would Reptilians, who are always about States’ Rights, want that? And why would they want to create another Federal agency to oversee the insurance companies? Hmm…

[Sam1234567]

This argument can be reversed. State representatives are directly motivated by the people, and their local economies. Therefore by creating regulations that make sense, and forcing the insurance companies to be competitive to sell lower priced insurance based on local economies.

The real problem, is we only have large corporations that can perform in the current market due to current laws.

Example, Why does European countries have hundreds of cell phone companies in one country, yet the US has 4 or 5? Simple those companies have cornered the market with legal help from the FCC.

[Chernynkaya]

In order to sell across state lines, local insurance commissioners would be replaced with federal ones. No local voters there.

But you are completely right to use the cell phone example-- and that's what the Republicans want. They want (and the insurance companies want) to get rid of those local commissioners and they want to deal with a federal agency they have an easier time of controlling. Like the FCC.

[Republicrats]

he'll stick his neck out about as far as the polls blow.....

[missjulz]

What concerns me about a weakened PO is not just how few of us will benefit from a real choice in health care coverage. I wanted Single Payer and held onto hope that PO would open that door. But the opposite may well happen with a weak PO.

It's called adverse selection. It will be a victory for insurance companies and Republicans down the line. They will use the defeat to discount any possibility for Single Payer or any type of expanded government administered option.

I began sounding that warning on this blog in February. I was very happy to see Dr. Hochman (one of the Mad Docs) on Countdown last night discuss this as well.

[huff-fan]

You are wrong on the adverse selection. The public option is not for people who can't get insurance because of a pre-existing conditions. It is for people who don't have insurance through their employers and for small business owners. A large percentage of those would be young health people. Also, the bills being proposed forbid insurance companies from denying coverage to people with pre existing conditions.

Here is a doctor who supports current reform efforts and the public option, and one who doesn't on the Newshour.

http://pbs.vo.llnwd.net/kip0/_pxn=1+_pxI0=A3337+_pxL0=begin+_pxM0=+_pxR0=10800+_pxK=17082/newshour/rss/media/2009/10/05/20091005_baseball.mp3

Also doctor A. Weiner supports the public option. He was on Ratigan's show.

[Chernynkaya]

Weiner is a House member, not a doc, fyi. But those links are good-- thanks.

[missjulz]

Ah but the selection will include the sickest because many of these people are among those ranks of poorest because of what their medical conditions have wrought them, sadly. And those wtihout health care coverage for longer periods will be the most vulnerable medically because they have gone without any sort of preventative care etc.

There are many factors. This is not just about adverse selection though. This is about needing a very big pool to offset risk. Any insurance agent will tell you that is how you offset costs.

I am with Ron Wyden of Oregon. The current status of a PO is that you won't be forced to sign up for it but, problematically, you won't have the option to sign up for it if you DO want it.

[Chris]

According to the CBO only 5% of the population will be in the PO. US population is about 304 million. That would mean that 15 million people will be in the PO.

In Mr. OBama's address to the joint session he stated that there are 30 million uninsured citizens. Mr Obama also stated that he would favor a mandate to purchase insurance.

If all this occurs then that is 15 million new participants in private insurance. New demand will greatly exceed the new supply.

How will this lead to the cost savings that Mr Obama and the health insurance reform supporters speak of?

[huff-fan]

Is there any reason that more than 15 million can't sign up for the public option? He may be trying to downplay the public option, because of the critics who call it a govt. takeover.

[huff-fan]

5 million plus sounds like a very big pool, but lately with so many big numbers being thrown around maybe not.
The rest of your arguments don't seem to be backed with facts. We don't know what the public option will look like. There is no reason to believe that one will not have the option to sign up given that he/she falls into one of the groups I mentioned earlier. Many people who sign up will be young and employed or self-employed. The poor and unemployed will have expanded access to medicaid. The disabled can apply for medicare. I admit that there will be many that fall through the cracks. For many years I was poor, disabled and a single mother so I do know something about being one of the vulnerable.

[Chernynkaya]

(Sorry i misspelled your moniker below, missjulz.)

[missjulz]

No worries at all, I prefer jules but when I signed up someone had taken it, drat.

[mcmchugh99]

Once again, this idea of just forcing people to buy private health insurance or pay heavy fines and even criminal penalties is not acceptable for most progressives. If the Dems pass THAT, they are going to lose many of their voters, but perhaps they don't care about that.

[ljc]

My guess is that it will be challenged in court with a class action suit. How could it possibly be Constitutional..

[dxz]

Being forced to buy health insurance is not 'unconstitutional' a la buying car insurance. What will probably be unconstitutional or at least immoral is forcing people to buy health insurance without providing decent competitively affordable Public option. Sheperding 30-40 million customers (twice the population of the whole of Canada) to buy from current HMOs without forcing competitive pricing on them is unfathormable. I suspect Obama is egging the finance committee along until they produce a bill. In the conference, with his legacy on line especially 'everlasting curses' if he forces people into expensive insurance, he has to do the right thing. I hope and pray so.

[Shadow08]

What part of the constitution would it violate? Please be specific, the Consitution is not an abstract, when discussing it, specifics are necessary, it's not up for your personal interpretation.

Also, who would file the class action suit and what would be the charges and specifications? Again, not your personal opinion, but the Legal aspect and ramifications you brought up.

[huff-fan]

Why is it possible to force people to buy car insurance. I have a friend who was hit by a car while walking. She was in a coma for several months. She is now severely disabled. She had no insurance. Do you know who is paying her bills?

[Countdown09]

I'm consider myself a progressive and I'm not at all oppose to people "having" to buy health insurance, it's call being responsible! It's no different than people having to buy car insurance. Unlike a car accident everyone in this country at some point will need medical care -- they should have to plan for that not wait and show up in an emergency room sticking those with insurance with their bill. I think the President has made it clear that there will subsidies for people who need help.

[uvymopka]

In this world of sin and sorrow there is always something to be thankful for; as for me, I rejoice that I am not a Democrate.

[Alethea]

Yes, and I'm thankful that I'm educated enough to how to spell Democrat.

[escribacat]

LOL. Zing!

[Shadow08]

Bingo!

[uvymopka]

Thank goodness I was never sent to school; it would have rubbed off some of the originality.

[teron678]

& Rejoice you're a "Republican" . . Right????

[Shadow08]

...man, just when you think these repub's cant get any more ridiculous...

[uvymopka]

A word to the wise ain't necessary, it's the stupid ones who need the advice.

[soapington]

I assume you must be a Republicane.

[Chernynkaya]

Some people are under the impression that Medicaid will take up the slack if we don't get a PO, or if we get one that will only cover 5% of us who do not get insurance through work. Here is the link to the Medicaid eligibility:

http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicaidEligibility/07_IncomeandResourceGuidelines.asp#TopOfPage

The max income for an adult is $10,830 PRE-Tax for Medicaid. That is the federal poverty level. For a family of 4 it is $22k. If you earn $11,000 you are not eligible. What insurance can you get for that?There is a HUGE gap between poverty level and affordability.

The Baucus bill is a disaster. and, as poster msjules points out, Obama says it will cover only 5% of people who do not have Insurance. Plus, if you have a job that covers you, you will not be able to choose the PO-- so you will still be paying outrageous premiums. Is that good enough for you?

[whatthel]

Well stated. Fanned.

[fcsakes]

Fanned.

[escribacat]

Right on, Ch. I'm self employed and generally make much more than the poverty level (when business is good -- which it isn't right now). I can't get insurance because of back problems -- except I can supposedly get into a "high risk pool" run by the state, which is so expensive with such a high deductible, it's not even worth it. I certainly hope whatever bill comes out of this will give me some better options than that.

[huff-fan]

Health care reform will benefit most people. The costs are unsustainable and if we do nothing, they will continue to rise. My premiums went up 2400 this year. The cbo has said that the reforms will bring down cost especially with the po. The public option is a small part of the bill. It should be a stronger more rebust option, but there are other ways in which reform will helpful. It may not be enough for some, but it is a good start. Single payer is not on the table, and it will not be no matter how much you wish it were.

[Chernynkaya]

I know that in my reply below, I said when I called my reps I wanted single payer. But that's just what I told them-- so they know I'd want a PO at least. I know that ship has sailed.

[janehenry]

No one said medicaid would "take up the slack." My point in the earlier comment was that the folks most likely to benefit from the public option, as we now know it, would be the working poor. No one said the Baucus bill was not a disaster or that they did not think better health care reform was needed. You chose to take comments out of context and turn them into something else.

We are not going to get universal health care or single payer health care. Do I think we should, of course,

[windup]

I've tried calling the white house comment line on innumerable occasions and have never been able to leave a comment. Is it really possible that the 'operators' are all busy? why are there even operators on a comment line? Isn't it taped? This is a 'transparent' white house that doesn't want to hear from it's citizens.

[ljc]

Try e-mail, you will get a response.

[Shadow08]

Yeah, well it's only the Whitehouse...I'm sure it's a plot to make you frustrated.