Is this the Senate Health Care Proposal?

[berni_mccoy]

1. Same reforms (no lifetime cap, no refusal for pre-existing condition, etc), but public option dropped
2. The General Public can enroll in the current Federal Employee Healthcare Plan (currently managed by private insurance)
3. Medicare age lowered to 55.

Is that basically the deal that is being talked about?

[Cant trust em]

1. What about the mandates? nt

[berni_mccoy]

3. Have no idea. Not enough info yet. I hope Insurance Companies lose their Anti-Trust Exemption

That was a big part of the reform.

[regnaD kciN]

7. The House-approved bill and both Senate committee bills have the mandate...

...so it's probably in this one, too. The question is whether it emulates the House bill (which imposes penalties for all who fail to obtain insurance) or the Senate Finance bill (which limits penalties to cases where a comprehensive insurance policy is available for 8% or less of your gross income -- from what I'm seeing right now, that would pretty much waive penalties for any individual with income of less than $44,000, or family with income less than $96,000 or so).

[timeforpeace]

2. Maybe. Maybe not. It changes on a daily basis so stay tuned.

[frazzled]

4. Not really

Although the details are not yet fully know, what has been said is that

2. The "The Office of Personnel Management," which is the govt agency in charge of FEHP, "will shepherd national, non-profit plans into existence."

3. Those 55-64 won't be "eligible" for Medicare, as you said, but will be able to purchase Medicare for a premium until they turn 65. From what I read, once the Exchange (those other non-profit plans) is up and running in a few years, and subsidies for people kick in, 55-64 year olds will be able to use any subsidies they qualify for to pay for this Medicare premium.

[berni_mccoy]

6. Thank you for the clarification. Do you have a link to more info please?

[frazzled]

9. Well, here's a few

WIth the proviso that nobody really knows the full details yet:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2009/12/the_team_of_10_reaches_a_deal.html

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/12/democrats-trade-opt-out-for-trigger-medicare-buy-in-and-more.php

[regnaD kciN]

5. No one really knows yet...

First off, it's not clear whether the public option has in fact been dropped, retained with a trigger, and/or retained with limited eligibility (or maybe even some other terms).

Also, the OPM (which runs the FEHBP) would be tasked with creating a non-profit plan for the general public, but it wouldn't be the FEHBP itself.

In addition, I'm also hearing rumors that:

-- Medicaid eligibility would be increased from 133% of poverty line to 150%.

-- Those under 300% of poverty line could enroll in a "basic health" plan that might be run by the states or the federal government (which, in itself, might be a limited "public option").

At this point, we won't know until they release the details. And they won't do that until the CBO scores the new proposals. We'll all have to wait and see.

[NYC_SKP]

8. I've read that Medicare becomes available to 55-up, but not for free.

Some say a Medicare buy in at $800+/month.

I'm holding back, like you, until this is a little more clear.

[glinda]

10. $800/mo. Surely you must be kidding!

[NYC_SKP]

11. Only read this in replies to threads on DU.

It's absurd if true...

I wish it would all stop. :P

[timeforpeace]

13. That better be the Cadillac Plan. Or the Platinum Plan. What are premiums now, $100 a month?

[HuckleB]

12. No one knows the plan, as of now.

But boy the speculation is silly rampant, at least here at DU.

[B Calm]

14. How do we go about impeaching Senators?