Key Senator Prepares for Health Care Push

[wyldwolf]

Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT), the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, "will release a sweeping proposal to overhaul the health-care system that largely reflects President-elect Barack Obama's vision, increasing the chances for action next year," the Wall Street Journal reports.

"There is one important difference between the initiative coming from" Baucus and the plan Obama "laid out during his presidential campaign: Mr. Baucus would require all Americans to have health insurance, while Mr. Obama has rejected the idea of a mandate."

Said Baucus: "I believe -- very strongly -- that every American has a right to high-quality health care...and I believe Americans cannot wait any longer."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122646150211820091.html

[bunnies]

1. The devils in the details.

That whole mandate thing isnt working very well for MA, last I checked.

Why the hell cant we just have single-payer health care? Is it because it makes to much sense?

[wyldwolf]

2. I see something strategic in this, though... that may or may not be intended

Say the Senate pushes a mandate in a health care plan. The rightwing immediately jumps to demonize it. In rides Obama with his plan - a more private insurance / market driven approach - that is widely reported as a grand compromise.

[bunnies]

4. hmmm.

You make an excellent point. Intentional or not... it would be brilliant. And if everyone chooses the medicare plan, whala... baby steps to a single payer system. Works for me!

[Mass]

3. SO, there will be 2 Democratic proposals? Kennedy has been working on one for a couple months.

[ProSense]

5. The WSJ is writing a lot of BS articles. n/t

[Honeycombe8]

6. I'm not impressed with the mandate thing. So whaddya do if someone doesn't abide by it? Fine 'em?

That was Hillary Clinton's plan. Fine for the average American who failed to abide by the mandate.

Nope. Not gonna happen.