Rockefeller Blasts ‘Rapacious’ Insurance Companies

[babylonsister]

http://washingtonindependent.com/61199/rockefeller-blasts-rapacious-insurance-companies

Rockefeller Blasts ‘Rapacious’ Insurance Companies
By Mike Lillis 9/29/09 10:50 AM


The Senate Finance Committee this morning is taking up a much-anticipated amendment, offered by Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), to create a public insurance plan to compete with private insurers on a newly formed health insurance exchange.

It likely won’t pass the committee, considering the conservative-leaning Democrats that sit on the panel. But that hasn’t stopped Rockefeller from arguing his case today in hopes of building momentum for the proposal when it hits the Senate floor. The highlights:

1) The public option would be just that: an option. No one would be forced to get coverage under the public plan.

2) Recent polls show that both the American public and physicians support the creation of a public plan.

3) The cost to administer the public option would be much less than private insurers pay to administer their plans, leaving millions of dollars that instead could be spent to care for patients.

4) And finally — and perhaps most significantly — the public option, being a nonprofit, wouldn’t have to worry about rewarding shareholders. The for-profit model, Rockefeller contended, necessarily puts profits before patients. “It’s a harsh statement,” he said, “but a true statement.”

After voting on the Rockefeller amendment, the committee will consider a second public plan amendment, sponsored by Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.).

[Captain Hilts]

1. Good for Rocky. He's been hibernating ever since he decided not to run in '92. nt

[BlooInBloo]

2. +1 for Americans who have more than merely a casual acquaintance with the English language...

The more so when they're on our side.

[gratuitous]

3. More like this, please

Ben Nelson, nincompoop from Nebraska, is yammering about health care reform needing 65 votes in the Senate in order to be considered "legitimate" in his eyes, and how he wants to see "savings." Well, Mr. Nelson, I'll bet 300 million health care consumers can swing a slightly better deal than each of those consumers individually entering the Colosseum to do battle alone with Big Pharma, Big Insurance, and Big Hospital.

[stuball111]

4. I thought this was a democracy?

Even though polls show the people want it, the ones elected to serve and enact the will of the people STILL stonewall universal health care! And it's not even a majority of politicians.... it's a handful of conservatives posing as liberals sitting there feeding their asses on corporate money!

[Echo In Light]

5. Phony democracy: in rhetoric, yes. In actuality, no. Guess which more people believe in?

[stuball111]

6. I would like to think that democracy actually works....

But you're right, rhetoric seems to overshadow the real thing...