Orszag Sees Health-Care Law in Six Weeks, Praises Baucus Plan

[Purveyor]

Source: Bloomberg

Sept. 23 (Bloomberg) -- White House Budget Director Peter Orszag said health-care legislation can be completed in six weeks and may largely be based on a measure being drafted by the U.S. Senate Finance Committee.

“The goal would be, yes, over the next six weeks or so, maybe sooner,” Orszag said in an interview yesterday as the finance panel run by Montana Democrat Max Baucus began the first of three days of meetings to revise the measure.

Lawmakers have been struggling with legislation that would cover tens of millions of people who lack insurance and tame health-care costs, the top priority of President Barack Obama. Baucus’s committee is still dealing with the issue about two months after four other panels drafted bills because he tried unsuccessfully to court Republican support.

While the White House hasn’t endorsed any one plan, Orszag, 40, repeatedly returned to the $856 billion proposal Baucus released last week when asked about the overhaul effort. He said it “definitely” shows “you can devise a health-reform bill that significantly expands coverage while doing so in a way that is not only deficit-neutral” but “deficit-reducing,” citing a review by the Congressional Budget Office.

Baucus is still attempting to win Republican support as well as defuse criticism in his own party. He made changes to the proposal yesterday such as scaling back a tax on high-end insurance plans, a priority of labor unions, and expanding government subsidies to help Americans fulfill a mandate to buy insurance.

Deductions, Fees

Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601070&sid=atHbTSHX54mc

[OHdem10]

1. His green eyeshades are showing. The Bottom line is most important

Yes, I know he is a budget guy.

Has anyone noticed that no one is interested in what this does
to and for Americans, no it is how much can we cut.

I apologize for my negativity but the more I watch the
more disheartened I become.

[LibDemAlways]

2. If the final bill screws over the middle class there will be

political hell to pay - and the media will make sure the blame falls squarely on the Dems.

[ej510]

3. Not shocking at all.

I will continue to wait to be negative, but this doesn't sound promising at all.

[liberalhistorian]

4. Hell no, NO insurance mandates!

Baucus's bill is worse than doing nothing right now, frankly. And you'll be punished twice for being sick, since there's little in the bill to reign in the egregious insurance company practices, such as charging more for the sick, and little protection for those who are or have been ill and will be charged more because of it but who can't afford it. So they'll pay a ridiculous fine in ADDITION to not getting coverage for their illness. Crazy.

And the bottom line is that we're going the wrong way with this. Health insurance is NOT health CARE. Far from it. It doesn't matter how much or what kind of insurance you have, that is NO guarantee whatsoever that it will cover what you need covered, which means it will not only NOT solve the problems of accessibility to health care and financial ruin due to illness, but will make them worse. Only there'll be no relief in sight when it does get worse. Unbe-fucking-lievable that the WH is even considering this mess.

[JDPriestly]

5. What about the public option? I do not support a plan without a public option.

[Iowa]

6. I agree, but it depends on nature of the public option...

It's possible to have a public option that's just about as worthless as not having a public option at all. Unless the public option is strong, Congress and the WH can take their insurance company give-away and shove it. Not only will I not support their plan, I won't support them either... I'll be voting third party for the duration.