Last week I wondered what Sen. Maria Cantwell would do about the Baucus Bill for health insurance reform. Today brings the beginning of an answer.
Cantwell’s office says she’s using her status as a member of Baucus’s Senate Finance Committee to propose amendments to his bill that are related to Medicare, Medicaid, and the overall financing of health insurance reform. She’s also signed on to several amendments connected to the lack of a public option in Baucus’s plan.
More as I get up to speed on Cantwell’s proposed amendments.
But the even bigger question: will she ultimately vote to move the bill out of committee? I’m sure a lot depends on what happens in the next few days with these amendments. At the moment, the committee’s hoping to vote on the Baucus Bill this Friday.
No public option.
No support.
People have this crazy idea that the bill that moves out of committee has anything to do with the final version that’s made from the many bills in both the House and the Senate that is sent to conference to be put back together as a totally different bill.
It isn’t. Let her craft her magic – that’s what we pay her for.
Let her be sure that includes a public option! Because without it, it is only something for the insurance companies to love. I’m already imagining the press conference with Obama in the middle and triumphant smiling democrats on either side, patting themselves on the back for a health-care bill lacking a public option and thus being less than useless..[preemptive fuming].
With Democrats like Maria Cantwell why do we need Republicans? She ignores the very people who drool over her. She doesn’t work for you, folks. She works for her multibillion-dollar johns in the corporate world.
And Eli I’m interested to know whether she’ll put an amendment in, that clarifies in explicit language that illegal aliens… hence those here illegally will not have access to public healthcare, and that proper multiple forms of identification be given for primary (non emergency) care. Furthermore, I’m curious to see whether another amendment is drafted whereby, universal coverage is not achieved thru illegal alien amnesty, and that the language basically ensures that by explicitly denying coverage to anyone covered under any future illegal alien amnesty provision.
Until such time as we ensure that illegal alien amnesty is not used as back door coverage for all,….
Then I’ll support the Healthcare bill if it has a public option. But the public option shouldn’t be a get into the hospital free card for those flaunting our immigration laws, both the illegals themselves, and those working in a clandestine fashion to get them coverage.
Ohh and Eli… if you or Golob could answer this question… I’m really curious why this hasn’t been tried yet..
To lower insurance rates for individuals we need competition.
The answer to more competition isn’t bigger Insurance companies. They just buy out the competition when its necessary. To get insurance costs under control is to “Prohibit” employer paid health insurance. You will see competition like never before when the insurance companies are trying to sign up individuals instead of taking the easy money from the large companies.
You would get an increase in your pay and you could take the responsibility of providing health care insurance and shop for the coverage and price you want.
Give the individuals the tax break on their 1040 as a deduction similar to their home interest deduction.
You keep your insurance if you are laid off or change jobs.
Create a Health Insurance Savings account similar to the Health Care Savings account to let individuals to fund a cushion if they lose their job to pay for their insurance premiums.
Keeping the same insurance company reduces the problem with pre-existing conditions.
Create a “risk insurance pool” similar to car insurance, requiring all insurance companies to cover high risk individuals, those with pre- existing conditions in a lottery type selection..
Keep the 11 million who don’t have insurance and need it on Medicaid, instead of cutting the program. Medicare is deducted from each senior’s social security check, deduct Medicaid from the individuals public assistance check each month. Medicaid only cost 226 billion in 2008. Offer a Medicaid “part B” as a gap for coverage above what Medicaid covers. Similar to part B offered to cover the gap in coverage with Medicare. A part D drug program could work the same way.
I almost forgot, prohibit paid health insurance for federal, state, county, city and municipal employees too. Increase their pay and let them shop for the best deal Congress and the President too. That should help increase competition.
Mandatory open state borders for all insurance companies to do business. In instead of one “public option” we would get 60 major insurance companies and all of the other small insurance companies looking for our $$$.
As a last resort break up the large insurance companies into regional competing insurance companies. Similar to the break up of North Western Bell years ago.
Mandatory 10 years cleaning bed pans for health care fraud!!
Seriously health care and insurance can be reformed or tweaked with out a public option if only the people we send to DC would take care of business instead of trying to hang the other party from the tallest tree.
To lower healthcare costs by lowering insurance rates to doctors, hospitals, clinics, Tort reform is necessary and congress doesn’t want to touch it.
Offer a “Patients comp” insurance policy to doctors, hospitals, etc. similar to Worker’s Comp. to eliminate frivolous and mega lawsuits by trial attorneys.
Man was that simple, I should have thought of this months ago!
excluding illegal aliens (who would pay at cost, not the subsidized rate) actually drives UP the cost of health care for hospitals and urban doctors.
So stuff it, reality check.
@8 HAHAHAHAHA
Will you are such a moron. What? In your words “excluding illegal aliens (who would pay at cost, not the subsidized rate) actually drives UP the cost of health care for hospitals and urban doctors.
At the risk of sounding obtuse… HUH?
You goddamn right illegal aliens should be excluded. They shouldn’t get in the door… they shouldn’t pass go… they shouldn’t be admitted AT ALL! With the exception of TRUE emergency care, they should be DENIED entry to an ER, unless they have LIFE THREATENING injuries. They should be triaged upon entry by a admitting nurse, and unless they can proof an imminent possibility of death, but shown the door. PERIOD!
There would be NO driving up of any costs, as the wouldn’t be seen.
How hard is that to understand?
Go STFU Will… you are in serious need of an honest reality check.
*as they wouldn’t be seen…
SLOG really needs to make the comment boxes larger when typing these replies… let’s get on it Anthony!
@9 – the day you understand the differences between national health care systems and cost impacts is the day Hell freezes over.
And, unless you’re part Native like me, you’re an illegal alien, douche.