Grayson Offers Medicare Buy-In Bill, Makes Impassioned Speech (VIDEO)

When Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.) first became a father, his health insurance company refused to pay for the birth of the child, and Grayson had to pay $10,000.

Grayson told the House that story Tuesday during an impassioned and personal speech urging fellow lawmakers to support legislation that would allow Americans to buy into Medicare. Grayson introduced a four-page bill Tuesday that would make that a possibility. He asked would-be opponents to grant Americans the option to buy into the same health care plan that the federal government already offers.

Grayson: Isn't it time that we finally did something good for America? Isn't it time that we gave all Americans the right to buy into a public plan like this? Isn't it in fact past time that we did something like that and what's the harm? I say to those people on the other side of the aisle, if you don't want to buy into the public option, that's fine. But don't prevent me and my family and the ones who I love from doing the same. Let us have our alternative. And remember, remember what you said so many times before. You say the government can't do anything right. Well let's see. Let's see right now. Let's let people buy into the public option, this bill.

WATCH:

Comments

[ClassicalGas]

06:18 AM on 03/22/2010

Here's the link to Grayson's petition:

HR4789 - WeWantMedicare.com

you can track his co-sponsors at: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:HR04789:@@@P

Two other single-payer .orgs:
http://www.hr676.org/
http://www.pnhp.org/

[shivasquest]

03:13 AM on 03/22/2010

This would save medicare too by opening the pool.Its a win-win!

[suese]

07:17 PM on 03/12/2010

Thank you !

Grayson for president 2012.

[mykelb]

11:07 AM on 03/25/2010

I'm ready to vote for Grayson!

[frankbaldwin]

04:47 PM on 03/12/2010

Thank you once again Alan Grayson.
I love this guy.

[33Greeper]

04:03 PM on 03/12/2010

This is the best thing I've heard all year!

[mwbob]

02:41 PM on 03/11/2010

Why isn't this article linked to the main HuffPo page or even the HuffPo politics page? It's buried so far that you have to know it exists in order to find it.

This article is much more important than a bunch of the other articles that are being featured. Why is it so hard to find?

(But try to find it anywhere else -- even harder to find elsewhere.)

[stopthemadness69]

12:22 PM on 03/12/2010

I know. Over 5k signatures and I had never seen it anywhere. Dick Durbin majority whip in the senate said yesterday that he would whip aggresively for whatever package of fixes the house sent over.l So, It appears it is up to the house to add a PO. It is time for all of us who managed to get the public option letter from 4 to 41 in the senate, to send the letter back over to the house where it actually started and get the house signatures from 120 to 216. Start calling your house reps. and asking them to sign onto the PO letter.

[Peter Noble 2]

12:55 PM on 03/11/2010

Grayson's 4 page bill proposing and Amendment to the Social Security Act shows in its brevity that real reform is simple to understand.

We need Obama to be voted out in a Primary. For a Democrat President to suggest that profiteers be allowed to run and dictate HCR is revolting.

Grayson is representing the people rather than bankers and Oligarchs.

[Yarrr]

12:07 PM on 03/11/2010

Grayson is the single best freshman congresscritter.

[serven123]

07:17 AM on 03/11/2010

I don't know what snorkeling is (a la Maasa) but if this idea sees the light of day I will snorkel this man.

[SirenForSanity]

03:18 AM on 03/11/2010

Yes, Rep. Grayson. It IS time for congress to do something good for Americans--all Americans.

[bluepond]

11:29 PM on 03/10/2010

This is definitely the next thing in line.

[TrudySword]

10:16 PM on 03/10/2010

Ocala is a really great area of Florida. Great people there. Apparently very smart ones for electing this man. I'll bet he hates Washington though.

[ChelseaC]

03:01 AM on 03/11/2010

Ocala!

[TrudySword]

10:10 PM on 03/10/2010

It is good to know there is someone in DC with guts. Thank you Rep Grayson for actually listening.

As for Medicare deficits and subsidies, they are being paid to INSURANCE COMPANIES who got their hands in our pockets when we wanted to add prescription drugs to Medicare. The same lobbyists that are working on "reform." As always, what started out as a good idea was turned into a bonanza for the Insurance companies.

Government was not allowed to negotiate for drug costs, instead Medicare recipents were required to choose a "drug plan" from the insurers. Not a big deal at first. An extra $10-12 a month being deducted from SS checks. They sold us a bill of goods. It's a scam where it costs $40 a month, for them to cover generics at $7 copay.

UNLESS you join an "Advantage" program where you get your Medicare coverage through them and they control your care. It turned out to be a way to get the Medicare prermiums out of the governments hands and into theirs. The "subsidies" are to the insurance companies for their "administrative" costs, since Medicare has fewer claims to pay.

I go to Walmart for prescriptions, pay $4, and don't use my drug coverage. They charge less for generics the insurance co doesn't have on their formulary. Our choice is how to keep more money in our pocket and hope we die quick. ALL Insurance companies are muggers without guns.

[fromdnorth]

08:37 PM on 03/10/2010

The challenge is not which Repubs would be against it, it is which Democrats will be against it...

[ChelseaC]

03:00 AM on 03/11/2010

Obama will block Grayson--you just wait and see.
Look at how they're targeting Kucinich-- It's sickening.

I support MEDICARE for ALL.

http://www.pnhp.org/

[Peter Noble 2]

12:42 PM on 03/11/2010

Grayson is proposing to amend the Social Security Act..this is a compelling and simple move... 4 pages is all one needs to spell it out and this is what real reform looks like.

I agree "New Democrat" Obama will have " Clinton Democrat" Rahm squat on "Progressive Democrat" Grayson's head.

There will be a reckoning. The American people are in line with Progressive Democrats not with the careerist New Democrats.

[fromdnorth]

01:44 PM on 03/11/2010

Good to know. Thanks

Fanned

[senatortruth]

08:36 PM on 03/10/2010

nannews I'm a Fan of nannews I'm a fan of this user 14 fans permalink

Went away for a bit and had to use search to bring this story. Does anyone know how to coax HP to make it the top story of the hour??
************************************

Yes.

Convince HP that it won't make the advertisers from "freedom" works angry...