Waxman: Health care bill will advance in House

[cal04]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090731/ap_on_go_co/us_health_care_overhaul

Democrats on a key House committee said Friday they have patched up their differences on a health care overhaul, and went back to work confident they can advance the complex legislation.

"We have agreed we need to pull together," said Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif. Liberals, moderates, and conservatives negotiated late into the night Thursday to reach a deal that would restore some subsidies to help low-to-middle income people pay their health insurance premiums, would preserve a strong public insurance option, and would cut drug costs more deeply, Waxman said.

No details of the deal were immediately available, but Waxman said he intends to formally present it to the committee later in the day, and the panel should pass the bill Friday afternoon.

The full committee resumed its deliberations on the sweeping legislation that seeks to hold down costs and provide health care to nearly all the nation's 50 million uninsured.


House Democrats "pull together" on health bill
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090731/us_nm/us_usa_healthcare_panel

Rep. Jane Harman, a California Democrat, said the House bill would include "a robust public option" for people to get health insurance, but did not offer details.

House Committee Democrats Agree On Changes To Health Bill
http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/stock-market-news-story.aspx?storyid=200907311117dowjonesdjonline000707&title=house-committee-democrats-agree-on-changes-to-health-bill

[bluethruandthru]

1. I really hope the subsidies won't be used to buy private insurance!

The last thing I want is our tax dollars going to for profit insurance companies. Subsidies should only go to the public option.

[Eric J in MN]

3. People will be allowed to use the subsidies for private insurance. NT

NT

[Eric J in MN]

2. I wonder if the pay for doctors will be similar to Medicare...

...under the new compromise.

The House Progressive Caucus wanted Medicare + 5%.

Then the Blue Dogs convinced Henry Waxman to just let the HHS Secretary set the rates (which would probably mean much higher pay for doctors, and therefore higher premiums for the public).

The House Progressive Caucus didn't accept that.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x345791

[cal04]

4. Gibbs talking about this now

hoping to get it out
elements that are laudable
continue to work on a bipartisan basis to get something done in the fall
the President has been part of this process
we are urging the committees to progress


Chip on the question about the people who already have health-care and their doctors
if you're happy with what you have we're here to protect that
they want more tests is what chip is saying, and they are concerned
they are not going to do that, just what's not necessary
violation of the Hippocratic oath/ Gibbs