Politico: Waxman Gets Deal on Health Bill

[flpoljunkie]

Waxman gets deal on health bill

By: Patrick O'Connor
July 31, 2009 10:24 AM EST

Liberals and a small core of conservative Democrats set aside long-standing ideological differences early Friday to cut a deal that should allow the House Energy and Commerce Committee to approve a sweeping health care bill, breaking a two-week deadlock that threatened President Barack Obama’s top domestic priority.

Blue Dog Democrats on the committee, who are the linchpin in the House health care debate, agreed to allow their liberal colleagues to cut billions from existing government-funded health care programs in order to restore some $50 billion to $65 billion in subsidies set aside in the bill to help middle-income families purchase coverage. In a separate side deal, Speaker Nancy Pelosi has promised the liberal wing of her caucus a vote on a single-payer, government run health system, according to a Democratic aide.

This final agreement should clear the way for committee passage later today. Energy and Commerce is the last of the three House committees to consider the bill, so passage will put the package in the hands of party leaders for a titanic fight when Congress returns in the fall over the government's role in health care. <snip>

The deal also would give the public plans the power to negotiate drug prices with pharmaceutical companies on a nationwide basis, instead of on a state-by-state basis, and insurers who participate in the exchange program would need to get government approval before raising their rates. Both changes are expected to save the government significant money.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0709/25661.html

[Oregone]

1. "cut billions from existing government-funded health care programs in order to restore some $50 bil"

So....let me get this straight. They are cutting from government programs to subsidize the purchase of private, for-profit policies.

Yup, sounds like a real nice step in the right direction. Right towards single-payer. Oh yeah. Riiight

[LittleBlue]

2. Single payer will get a vote because they know it will never pass

People will have a choice-- pay money under an insurance scam, or go to the far preferable single-payer.

If full, unrestricted single-payer is added, virtually everyone will choose single-payer.

[MarjorieG]

3. So tired of the liberal, moderate explanation for a plan that works, provides care, saves money, or

not, and just corporate giveaways. It's not the role of government, but impact of a for-profit insurance system gone amok.