Support Up for Democratic Health Care Compromise

[dtotire]

Support Up for Democratic Health Care Compromise


By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: December 9, 2009

Filed at 3:06 p.m. ET



WASHINGTON (AP) -- After agreeing tentatively to jettison a key liberal priority -- a full-blown government-run insurance option -- Senate Democrats woke up Wednesday to some positive signs for the fragile coalition backing President Barack Obama's health care bill.
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A much-courted moderate -- Connecticut independent Sen. Joe Lieberman -- signaled he might be able to live with a compromise to offer private insurance plans under the auspices of the federal employee health program while also allowing middle-aged people to buy into Medicare. Liberal Democrats also spoke out in favor of the idea.
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The deal reached Tuesday would put even more requirements on insurers by requiring that 90 percent of premium dollars be spent on medical benefits, as opposed to administrative costs, officials said. The officials who described the details of the closed-door negotiations did so on condition of anonymity, saying they were not authorized to discuss them publicly,
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http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/12/09/us/politics/AP-US-Health-Care-Overhaul.html

[derby378]

1. The deal could cost them Feingold's vote

This much is fixed and immutable - no public option, no health insurance reform.

[AndyA]

2. They're throwing the baby out with the bath water.

They will lose the progressive vote if they do this.

How much support can they afford to lose?

Order those GOP door mats now, White House. They're coming back.