Ted Kennedy asks Hillary Clinton to head Senate healthcare team

[Truth Teller]

Source: LA Times

Reporting from Washington -- Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y), considered a prominent contender to become secretary of State in the Obama administration, was offered an alternative Tuesday -- to be a senior member of the Senate team aiming to overhaul the nation's healthcare system.

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), who has announced plans to craft sweeping healthcare legislation next year, asked the former presidential contender to head a working group focused on insurance coverage.


Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/washingtondc/la-na-hillary19-2008nov19,0,4156588.story

---

Better spot for her than Secretary of State, IMO.

[Phred42]

1. She can't do that if she accepts SOS

[Jim Sagle]

57. Then she shouldn't accept SOS.

[Autumn]

2. This would be a good thing

she can do much more in the Senate.

[Truth Teller]

8. Agreed, health care is her passion n/t

[John Q. Citizen]

3. That's good news!

[apnu]

4. Good choice on Teddy's part. This is an issue she is very passionate about.

Teddy knows his time is short here and his healthcare torch must be passed. Hillary would be a good torch bearer for that cause.

[hisownpetard]

5. When it rains, it pours.

[Mist]

6. A good face-saver for HRC. I hope she takes it--her qualifications for healtcare

issues are higher than her qualifications or SoS.

[Myrina]

18. Agreed!

It's a nice 'out' for her so Obama can give SOS to Richardson, who IMO is much more qualified/better suited.


:hi:

[LostinVA]

24. You mean a face-saver for Obama, right? Because he asked her

[Kahuna]

32. Exactly. From my POV, he had good intentions but it's a baaad idea. nt

[bdamomma]

29. I think Hillary has always been an advocate for Health Care Issues

that is what she fought so hard for when she was first lady.

[EFerrari]

42. She reportedly lobbied to head a new subcommittee but was offered

this instead. Heard on WJ this morning, maybe a report from The Swamp.

[peace13]

7. How cool would that be.

Hill would live to fight another day. Al of those rethugs that smirk at how she could never do anything about health care! It will pass this time and she would come out smellin' like a rose. With her tenacity this could be done! Thanks Sen. Kennedy.

[bdamomma]

30. yes, smear the repigs faces in it.

go for it Hillary!!!!!

[peace13]

34. I love our 'Obama' like ways.

I laughed at your response and then checked over my shoulder for the Obama police. Hey we have to let it out sometime. Peace, Kim

[snappyturtle]

9. I not against this but is Sen. Clinton's idea of healthcare and Sen. Kennedy's

the same? I wasn't jumpin' up and down for her healthcare system idea as she presented during the primaries.

[Cleita]

39. Unfortunately, they are.

We need an improved Medicare for all. It's not rocket science and is the most efficient and cost effective way to get it. Its the private health insurance and HMOs that have created this problem and they have to be legally gotten out of the health care system. To include them will bring us the same chaos that Medicare Part D have gotten us, a big bonanza for the industry and drugs that are still too expensive for the average senior on Social Security. I know because I have stopped taking a medication that is costing me so much more now than it did formerly before the prescription drug benefit, I can't afford it anymore.

[snappyturtle]

46. Thanks for your answer. Not what I wanted to hear....but...

Sorry about your medication. My medication too has risen astromonmically! I'm two weeks out and I hope we have the money to refill it if not, my heart rate will go to 150 beats a minute and I know I can't live long like that.

[Cleita]

47. I'm sorry to hear that.

I wish I had a solution for you but I don't. There might be an herbal remedy that may help you. There are several excellent websites that deal with this and have message boards where people exchange information on what works for them. Every time I go to the pharmacy, there are people in line who refuse to buy their prescription when they are told how much it costs. You and I aren't alone. I can't see how any pill can be so expensive to manufacture when the same medicine is being sold to other countries that have decent NHC for sometimes a third of what we are being charged.

[snappyturtle]

53. I've researched natural remedies but to no avail. It's an electrical

conduction problem. Anyway the doctors told me years ago at Loyola Medical Center in Chicago that I will take this medication for the rest of my life. It sells in Canada or about half price and I'm very tempted to order that way. Do you know of anyone who gets medicine from Canada? I bought some once in Cabo, when my life was better, but couldn't buy much as their pharmacies didn't stock much of it.

[Cleita]

55. Here's a warning about the Canadian pharmacies.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/14/AR2005061400254_pf.html

I personally researched a few of them. Google has a large list, but I didn't find any significant savings, not to mention I would have to get a prescription to them somehow. Also, AARP used to have a discount mail order pharmacy that seems to have disappeared since the neo-cons took them over.

[snappyturtle]

56. Interesting article. However t sounds like, from the following, that

Canadian pharmacies may not be a problem. The problem seems to be weeding out those that aren't really Canadian!

"A U.S. Government Accountability Office investigation in June 2004 also found that legitimate Canadian online stores were requiring U.S. citizens to provide a doctor's prescription. GAO investigators purchased drugs from more than 60 online pharmacies -- including 18 in Canada -- and found that all of the Canadian sites required a patient-provided prescription. Most of the troublesome online pharmacies examined in the GAO study were located in the United States and countries other than Canada."

[Mari333]

10. she can make up for having dropped the ball on it

when bill was in office. I remember when she touted universal health care, and then dropped it like a hot potato . back when republicans were complaining about her not making enough cookies in the white house, and all that nonsense.

[patrice]

11. This USED to be her issue. Trust Ted, Hillary!

He is not in a position to steer anyone Wrong right now.

[patrice]

12. She's also in the RIGHT place on this issue: UNIVERSAL Health Care for all Americans!

I will pray for her.

[Oregone]

40. I thought she was for mandated private health insurance policies?

Are you sure she is for universal health care?!?

[Zhade]

50. She doesn't support UHC. She supports universal insurance...

...which only ensures the enrichment of corporations who will deny health care to increase their profits.

[Kahuna]

13. Good ole Ted is providing an out for both parties in what in my

opinion and apparently in Ted's is a unnatural fit having Hillary heading the state department.

[patrice]

15. "unnatural" That's more or less what Scott Ritter just said.

He was also speaking within the context of Iran, especially.

[Kahuna]

19. Great minds... I didn't hear Ritter, but I just think that Hillary is

too independent thinking to represent Obama. Think about it. She was married to a president for eight years. I don't think that she would have the natural inclination to revere a president's directive because she may not hold the same reverence for the position having had a president for a mate.

[ginnyinWI]

17. I think he's got the right idea, too.

She would be able to do a lot more in the Senate with this issue and it would be her work, not something done on Bill's coattails. She should stay in the Senate where she can work for the many good years she has left.

[redqueen]

14. Can we swamp Ted with demands to just pass HR 676 already?

PLEASE?

There is a national alliance forming to push this... let's get on board, ok?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x4468918

[patrice]

16. I will stick with the local group I've seen working on this and talk to my friends. nt

[Cleita]

48. I think I'm getting tunnel carp syndrome just from typing HR676 over

the years but I guess we must press on.

[redqueen]

54. Yes... it's frustrating seeing it get so little traction here...

but I'm not giving up!

[Fearless]

20. It gives her a graceful way to bow out of the SOS running...

That man just plain knows politics.

[Kahuna]

21. He's great and very wise. nt

[trudyco]

22. Hmm. Obama doesn't want single payer. So can she work in line with his plan?

One of the reasons I didn't vote for Hilary is that I don't want single payer. Universal yes. Single payer, no. I'd prefer health insurance per individual (not dependent on your job) with a cap on prices for single, for couples, and families including premiums, co-pays and deductibles. Those prices can not differentiate based on pre-existing conditions, lifestyle or jobs. Private insurance must offer a minimum number of government defined options, and a minimum number of government defined riders and the government specified "explanation of benefits and expected annual costs" for each policy offered by the insurance company. The insurance companies can offer more, but they can't offer less coverage than the government specified minimum. In addition, every individual is offered a version of Medicaid or Medicare on a sliding scale. If the private insurance can't compete then we'll see the country move towards a government sponsored health insurance naturally. But it will be the individual's choice. Premiums,co-payments and deductions would be deducted from individuals' taxes.

[soleft]

23. I'm wondering, did Obama pick her for SOS to keep her away

from being involved with healthcare.

[LeFleur1]

25. Just for the Record

She didn't 'drop health care like a hot potato'. She was thwarted by the Good ole Boy Senators and Reps. They wouldn't work with her, wouldn't take her seriously, wouldn't budge. After all, she was a woman and that was enough to disqualify her from anything serious in health care reforms at that time.

[xultar]

27. No shit. I can't believe people here still post that GOP bullshit.

[soleft]

33. I didn't say anything about potatoes

[karynnj]

41. Not - really

She excluded the Senators from the planning process that she and Ira Magaziner had. Including some of them would have gotten their experise in what could pass - and even co-opted them to sell it to their peers.

It had NOTHING to do with he being a woman. There is a problem when NO ONE on the Finance committee like it One Senator who opposed it is Bradley - who was not a sexist person the fact is that he and others were treated rather badly.

[xultar]

26. DING! She'll have a huge powerbase in the Senate and she could block his plan...I like hers bettter

than his plan anyway.

[Kahuna]

31. Maybe she'll be as effective with the issue as she was when

her husband was the president. Ya thnk? :eyes: And exactly who comprises this "huge powerbase" you speak of? I hardly consider NY, NJ and CT for a total of 6 senators a "huge powerbase." (this should be good) :popcorn:

[xultar]

37. Sounds Rethugish. Only Republicans believe she dropped it.when they know they blocked her.

[Kahuna]

45. She didn't exactly show any DIPLOMACY in trying to get their

support either. She was all on her on, not accepting any input and they showed her the door. That's the way that went down. They were never going to go along, but she didn't even try to see if she could get their support. If she can't win over republicans how is she suppose to effectively deal with the international community?

[customerserviceguy]

35. I'm thinking that was part of the plan

It's a great tradition among Presidents to offer a plum job to your biggest rival in the Senate from your party. Eisenhower made California Senator Earl Warren the Chief Justice position to take him out of the Senate.

The wingnuts already identify any change towards universality in healthcare as "HillaryCare". She was a convenient target on this issue back during the Clinton Administration. Having her be the face of healthcare reform in the coming Administration is one more obstacle that President Obama has to overcome in the minds of many people.

And you can damn well bet that anybody who would be affected negatively in the health care industry is going to lobby against this like hell.

[trudyco]

36. Maybe. I'm not antil Hilary except for DLC. I just think a more nuanced

approach to the healthcare problem is better (and more affordable at this time). Obama's is kind of thin. I want a lot of regulation, no discrimination (in offering policies and in prices), separation of healthcare from your job, clear explanations of what you get and a sliding scale government provided healthcare for those who can't afford it.

Oh, and uniform forms to submit from the healthcare provider to the insurance with required limits on how long an insurance company can dick around with it before paying. Stiff penalties for late payments. And some sort of reigning in of malpractice insurance with better monitoring of doctors and hospitals to keep malpractice down (some sort of public rating system would be nice).

Yep. Lots of things to work on without going to the extreme of single payer healthcare.

[bdamomma]

28. I would see Hillary an asset to help with Health Care Issues.

Thanks Teddy.

[Cleita]

38. Well, there goes HR676, the only workable health plan offered, and in

come the insurance company lobbyists. Shit.

[Zhade]

51. Indeed. Insurance companies are in the business of DENYING BENEFITS.

It increases their bottom line. Why people believe otherwise is beyond me.

[Mnemosyne]

43. Praying for health-care reform! And Hillary had a fairly good plan, iirc, in the 1990's,

some tweaking and there ya' go.

I am so tired of seeing my daughter, two of my sisters and several of my friends suffering without health care; especially my friend with severe arthritis in her back that works three fucking jobs and is still having a tough time surviving. She is very frugal, not a spendthrift at all. :grr:

I am disabled with medicaid and have a healed tibia fracture(2001), a non-joined fibula fracture(?)and a non-joined fractured tarsus that several someones 'missed' in 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2007. Now they say can only fuse it. My ass, it's all that ACCESS will authorize, pricks.

Another friend has developed some serious heart problems, no insurance.

Why do our "employees" have such amazing care and we get nada?! :grr:

:hi:

[Zhade]

52. Under her plan, your loved ones still won't have health care. They'll have insurance.

NT!

[Mnemosyne]

60. So how do we get actual health care? Universal sounds best so far. n/t

[goforit]

44. Now this is more up her alley!!!

[Zhade]

49. Uh... InsuranceCare won't solve our problems.

As I've said before, it's insane to put health care decisions in the hands of corporations whose job is to DENY care to fatten their bottom line!

[4_TN_TITANS]

58. Terrible idea...

What a shining oportunity to link Kennedy's efforts to the hated 'HillaryCare' of the 90's. She's failed at this once, let's not take a chance on twice.

[Tiggeroshii]

59. She seems experienced in that field

I like it much better.