WP,pg1: Closed-Door (Medicare) Deal Makes $22B Difference (for ins. cos.)

[DeepModem Mom]

Closed-Door Deal Makes $22 Billion Difference
GOP Negotiators Criticized for Change In Measure on HMOs
By Jonathan Weisman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, January 24, 2006; Page A01


House and Senate GOP negotiators, meeting behind closed doors last month to complete a major budget-cutting bill, agreed on a change to Senate-passed Medicare legislation that would save the health insurance industry $22 billion over the next decade, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

The Senate version would have targeted private HMOs participating in Medicare by changing the formula that governs their reimbursement, lowering payments $26 billion over the next decade. But after lobbying by the health insurance industry, the final version made a critical change that had the effect of eliminating all but $4 billion of the projected savings, according to CBO and other health policy experts.

That change was made in mid-December during private negotiations involving House Ways and Means Chairman Bill Thomas (R-Calif.), Senate Finance Committee Chairman Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) and the staffs of those committees as well as the House Energy and Commerce Committee. House and Senate Democrats were excluded from the meeting. The Senate gave final approval to the budget-cutting measure on Dec. 21, but the House must give it final consideration early next month.

The change in the Medicare provision underscores a practice that growing numbers of lawmakers from both parties want addressed. More than ever, Republican congressional lawmakers and leaders are making vital decisions, involving far-reaching policies and billions of dollars, without the public -- or even congressional Democrats -- present....

***

"It happens in the dead of night when lobbyists get a (Republican lawmaker) in the corner and say, 'We've got to have this,' " said Rep. Fortney "Pete" Stark (Calif.), the Democrats' point man on Medicare issues. "It's a pattern that just goes on and on, and at some point the public's going to rise up."...


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/23/AR2006012301700.html?sub=AR

[blm]

1. This PROVES Dems are NOT on the "team" against us as so many claim

here. They get cut out of these meetings.

[Lorien]

4. This only proves that it was republicans acting alone in this instance

what about the bankruptcy bill? Did ANY Democrats sign that? I'd love to believe that all Democrats worked in the people's interest over powerful corporate interests every time, but unfortunately that simply hasn't always been the case.We need to be aware of who votes which way, and elect new Democrats in the primaries when the old ones serve the people less often than they should.
The one thing we do know for certain is that nearly EVERY republican will act against the people's interest 99% of the time.

[WePurrsevere]

5. FYI: Democrat Senators that voted FOR the Bankruptcy Bill...

From http://www.blackcommentator.com/132/132_guest_bankruptcy_bill.html">HERE:

Sen. Joe Biden (D-Delaware)
Sen. Tom Carper (D-Delaware)
Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Nebraska)
Sen. Tim Johnson (D-South Dakota)
Sen. Max Baucus (D-Montana)
Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Indiana)
Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-New Mexico)
Sen. Robert Byrd (D-West Virginia)
Sen. Kent Conrad (D-North Dakota)
Sen. Dan Inouye (D-Hawaii)
Sen. Jim Jeffords (I-Vermont)
Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wisconsin)
Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-Louisiana)
Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Arkansas)
Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Florida)
Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Arkansas)
Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nevada)
Sen. Ken Salazar (D-Colorado)
Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan)

Hillary did not vote for or against it... but I *think* she wasn't there for the vote because of Bill's surgery.

[Lorien]

2. The public won't rise up if they are constantly distracted and kept in the

dark. Even though this is a page one story, the title is ambiguous enough to allow most people to only skim over it-and will the cable news stations even mention it?

[DeepModem Mom]

3. It's too complicated for cable TV, I'm assuming.

:mad:

[bettyellen]

6. K+R

[williesgirl]

7. SAVETHIS VERSION, NOW OFF FRONT PAGE, HEADLINE CHANGED

Looks like someone complained to the Post about the front page story on the site and the headline. Now in the Politics section with a different headline altogether.

The Post's downfall to Bush lapdogs makes me sick.

Edited to show new "headline" on the Politics front page, although when you click on the story, that headline and story is unchanged.

New Headline:

GOP Deals in Congress Prompt Call For Change
Push for lobbying changes raises questions about prevalence of closed-door decision-making by Republican lawmakers.

Old Headline on Front Page of Site:

Closed-Door Deal Makes $22 Billion Difference
GOP Negotiators Criticized for Change In Measure on HMOs

Quite a difference on reader impact - wonder how many will click on story vs who would have on better headline!