Oh, for Pete's sake, this corporate sellout almost makes me wish for Mel Martinez again. At least Mel isn't afraid to put (R) by his name in the broad daylight.
And notice in this article how Nelson is going out of his way to protect the Medicare Advantage program, which is not traditional Medicare, but is run by private insurance companies negotiating with Medicare. Who is surprised?
And when the media and Blue Dogs/ConservaDems shout *Obama is going to slash Medicare!*, what they
will not explain is that those cuts would be primarily aimed at Medicare Advantage private coverage plans (and NOT to traditional Medicare). That move would seem to open the door to fix the holes in Medicare, no? That would be a good thing.
But, nOOOOOOO, we wouldn't want to close those holes in traditional Medicare, now, would we? :sarcasm: Why, it would send private insurance companies *into the wilderness*. So, Bill Nelson is conflating the privately-run Medicare Advantage program with traditional government-run Medicare, in his claims that he is *opposed to Medicare cuts*.
Thanks, Bill, for your continued betrayal of your constituents, and everyone else's constituents.
When there is a choice between government-run Medicare and the private companies running Medicare Advantage, the Corporate Boys win with Nelson every time.
Bill, your days in the Senate are numbered, with this disgusting, unabashed corporate shilling.
We are sick to death of it.
Nelson sees bill as good startBy Jeremy Wallace
September 17, 2009
U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson finally made clear Wednesday where he stands on health care reform, lending key support to a new compromise bill unveiled in the Senate that does not include a public option sought by many House Democrats and President Barack Obama.
.....Florida's Nelson risks angering the liberal base of his own party.
Nelson also made clear he opposes any cuts to Medicare, a position likely to please Florida's large number of senior citizens. In particular, Nelson said he would work to protect Medicare Advantage, some benefits of which could be reduced under a plan put forth by President Obama.
Nelson said he will propose that the 25 percent of seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage, which operates like a health maintenance organization, be grandfathered in against benefit cuts. Medicare Advantage was supposed to reduce government cost of providing health coverage, but some estimates show it has cost more to provide care than if recipients had remained in the traditional Medicare program. <<<:mad:>>>
Overall, Nelson endorsed a compromise bill by Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., as a good starting point...
.....
Nelson's general support of the Baucus bill almost immediately drew frustration from Democrats in Florida who have been pressing him to support a public option to compete with private insurance companies.
"It's disappointing that he's supporting the Baucus bill," said Rick Cass, a member of the Sarasota Democratic Executive Committee who has been leading a phone and fax campaign to get Nelson to support a public option.
Cass said the Baucus bill does not do enough to break the near-monopoly health insurance companies have on the market.
A total disgrace.
How was
Borneo, Bill?
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