Some Dems are wary of Obama's final health push

[cory777]

Source: AP

Mar 4, 3:06 AM (ET)
By ERICA WERNER

WASHINGTON (AP) - Rank-and-file Democrats in Congress remain wary of health care legislation in spite of President Barack Obama's closing argument for overhauling the system, well aware that success is far from assured and political perils abound.

"I think he has succeeded in prying open a window of opportunity, but it's a very narrow window," said first-term Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va. "And he and the leadership here had better clamber through that narrow window while they can."

In a speech Wednesday at the White House, Obama called on lawmakers to end a year of legislative struggle and angry public debate and enact legislation ushering in near-universal health coverage for the first time in the country's history. He called for an "up-or-down vote" within weeks under rules denying Republicans the ability to block the bill with a filibuster.



Read more: http://apnews.myway.com/article/20100304/D9E7MK100.html

[ro1942]

1. This bill is more harmful then it is good

No wonder nobody likes it

[cyclezealot]

2. Al Franken did insert his rule

Insurance companies must spend no less than 90% of their revenues on actual health care delivery.. Good start.. Also controls over pre-existing conditions. A decent Start.?. There will be no other chances at reform for another 12 years..
Much of the bill was written by Ohio's Sen. Sherrod Brown.. So , is he a bad guy..

[Lagomorph]

3. That looks like a good rule on the surface.

I hope they don't move the goals posts, yet again, by redefining "health care delivery" or bundling a lot of insurance company perks into "health care delivery". They might need a 300ft yacht or a luxury jet to deliver medicare supplements to American retirees in Costa Rica, the Caymans, Bermuda, Monaco, Hong Kong...you get the idea.

[Nite Owl]

4. I thought that 90% went down

in their final bill to 85%? And I remember reading that the insurance companies have already found a way around that so they aren't too worried about that rule. The mandate has to go, it isn't in there for us it's a protection for the corps. If they can't function without it they don't deserve to exist.

[cyclezealot]

5. The 85% figure was for

insurance companies with a smaller number of subscribers.. For the large mega insurance companies, the factor was 90%. We should call up Al Franken and see if his amendment was weakened. . Let's say it wasn't and they have to apply those funds towards health care.. That will bring on huge savings alone. Since they waste so much. No rate increase should be justified for the next 50 years.. !.
. Two threads back... About services to Americans in Costa Rica.. Should the Insurance CEO's find yachts useful in delivering medical services, likely Wellpoint's CEO will surely buy the new , modern, Queen Mary.

[No Elephants]

7. Irrelevant standard. Not to mention, this is not the bill Brown would have written a year ago.

It's a bill written after a year of deals, health imsurance and big health industry written bills, etc.

"here will be no other chances for reform for another 12 years."

If you're right, all the more disgrace that the Democrats mangled this the entire year they had sixty in the Senate Caucus.

Pre-existing conditions a good start? Sure, like a jobs bill that create jobs at the cost to taxpayers of $400,000 per job. It would have been a better start if the insurers were not allowed to increase rates on those with pre-existing conditions.

BTW, I wonder if Franken's provision or the pre-existing conditions provision can pass the test of the Byrd Rule. If not, they cannot make it through reconciliaton. So, let's not count those chickens just yet.

If you were a health insurer and saw your customer base aging into Medicare, you'd party over the mandate. That's why so many insurers contributed to Coakley's campaign, not Brown's.

[SandWalker1984]

6. How the hell is the House passing Senate version going to win hearts & votes in Nov?

I've not found anyone - Republican, Democrat or Independent - so far that actually likes the Senate version of the HCR bill. None. Polls reflect the same.

So how is passing the Insurance Corporation Profits Protection Act aka heath care reform bill of the Senate going to make people want to vote for Democrats in November????

The Dems really should get some psychiatric help to find out why they are so self destructive. :crazy:

[No Elephants]

8. Democrats have no good alternative at this point. It's either pass a bill

most disdain for one reason or another, or appear even more inept by not being able to pass anything at all, even after spending over a year on this while holding the House, the Senate and the Oval Office.

Most people say the latter will be worse for the Democrats, especially for Obama, so I believe something will pass. Even a turd.