July 24: Dr. Marcia Angell and journalist Trudy Lieberman on Bill Moyers' program called it

[brentspeak]

http://www.examiner.com/x-17571-LA-Populist-Examiner~y2009m8d31-Health-Care-Reform-Part-10-Notes-from-PBS-interview-with-Marcia-Angell-MD--Trudy-Lieberman

TRUDY LIEBERMAN: I feel the American people need to know what is in that bill. And what's in the bill is an individual mandate that is going to require all Americans with a few exceptions, to carry health insurance. And that means if you do not get insurance from Medicare or Medicaid or your employer. You're going to have to go out and buy health insurance.

And that is a lot of money for most people because most of them would buy it now if they could afford it. About 85% of the uninsured require subsidies, because they can't afford it. And I think this is going to come up as a big surprise to people to realize they're going to have to buy insurance from private insurance companies or face a tax penalty.

(snip)

BILL MOYERS: The President, as you were saying a moment ago, is saying to everybody who's not covered, we're going to mandate that you exercise that right. We're going to mandate that you buy some form--

MARCIA ANGELL: We're going to deliver the private insurance companies a captive market. That's right. And they love that....

BILL MOYERS: Say that again.

MARCIA ANGELL: They love that.

BILL MOYERS: The-- his policy does what? His program?

MARCIA ANGELL: Delivers to the private insurance industry a captive market.

BILL MOYERS: By the mandate.

MARCIA ANGELL: By the mandate.

BILL MOYERS: It says "Marcia Angell, you've got to--"

MARCIA ANGELL: For whatever price they want to charge. Right. And so, this will increase costs. And let me tell you what he's running into, and he'd like to be able to pull a rabbit out of the hat, but he won't be able to. If you leave this profit-oriented system in place, you can't both control costs and increase coverage. You inevitably, if you try to increase coverage, increase costs....

You know, you don't pour more money into a failing system. You convert.

BILL MOYERS: I saw back in the spring-- the chief lobbyist for the Big Pharma industry, Billy Tauzin, used to be a member of Congress. He was on CNBC. And he was in support of this bill, whatever this bill is. Because it would broaden the industry's customer base by providing subsidies for people to buy...More coverage from the private insurers.

TRUDY LIEBERMAN: At whatever price they want to charge. It will be a bonanza for the health insurance industry. And a bonanza for the pharmaceutical industry....

BILL MOYERS: So, does this explain why Harry and Louise, who were around 15 years ago to help defeat Bill Clinton's health plan, Bill and Hillary Clinton's health plan, are back now in support? Seemingly to be in support?

MARCIA ANGELL: You bet it does....

BILL MOYERS: Wouldn't that make you think that Big Pharma is supporting health care reform?....

MARCIA ANGELL: Yes...

BILL MOYERS: But on their terms, right?

MARCIA ANGELL: On their terms. Exactly....

(snip)

TRUDY LIEBERMAN: What's happened now is that the industries have gotten pretty much what they want out of the bills that are going forward.

And so, they need to build public support. They need to make everybody in the public realize that they actually are wearing white hats in this one. But behind the scenes, they are lobbying ferociously against the public plan....against all kinds of things that they don't want....

(snip)

[brentspeak]

1. Some anonymouse K-Street DU astroturfer unrec'd the OP before they could even finish reading it

[Tansy_Gold]

2. Not me. I read it. I kicked it. I r'ed it.

Tansy Gold

[Lydia Leftcoast]

4. Probably the same ones who have given my post a negative rec

:-)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8644574

[brentspeak]

7. I just gave you a rec

:)

[Raineyb]

11. I rec'd both OPs.

:)

[ProSense]

13. I'm starting to believe

that Moyers is still upset about the LBJ incident during the primary and is trying to portray this as lame to ensure that Obama's legacy isn't seen as surpassing LBJ's on this issue.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

3. If Tauzin (R-Whore) supports whatever bill ends up in the President's desk we'll all know it's shit.

[slipslidingaway]

5. knr n/t

[truedelphi]

6. Now I know what "Yes We Can" means.

It means that we who occupy the highest office in the land can charm the American people into yet another reform effort that will cause anyone who is not rich to suffer.

It means that Yes we can PRETEND to be the good guys, getting health care reform as a done deal, but still sticking it to those who have been destroyed by the very group of people they will now be forced to do business with. (And an expensive business deal it will be.)

Only five per cent of the people who need to get insurance will be allowed into the public option. If the public option even exists after the real politick-ing begins.

[slipslidingaway]

8. kick nt

[brentspeak]

9. s/kick

:kick:

[xchrom]

10. kick.nt

[ProSense]

12. The progressive caucus

highly disagrees.