Dean Supports the HCR Bill

[berni_mccoy]

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2010/03/howard_dean_double_take_on_hea.html

So, did you read the story about the big health-care rally in Washington? Smack in the middle of it is this quote from former Gov. Howard Dean (D-Vt.). "We deserve a vote," he said. "This is a vote about one thing -- are you for the insurance companies or for the American people?" This struck us a little funny at our morning editorial board meeting yesterday, because we all recalled that Dean was against the Senate bill. At least, that's what he wrote in The Post. And here's what he said on "Keith Olbermann" a little more than a week before the Christmas Eve vote.

Last I heard, the game plan is to get the House to pass the Senate legislation that Dean, a physician and the former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, so vigorously opposed. What changed? "Nothing has changed in the Senate bill," Dean told me yesterday. What has changed, he said, is that "we now have 41 senators" who have gone on record for a public option. And there are the fixes to the Senate bill that will be made through reconciliation. For Dean that's enough to get on board. Perhaps he could try to convince Dennis Kucinich.

[Edweird]

1. So do you. But neither of you are in Congress.

[berni_mccoy]

2. wtf?

[mdmc]

3. with this bill ya get to be for the people and for the ins. companies!

I support the bill but understand full well that it will not increase access to affordable medical treatment.
I will still have full health insurance and will still not be able to afford the medical treatment recommended by my doctor.
Don't get me wrong - I support this awful bill - it is our awful bill - and it is as good as the corporations will allow.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

4. I guess the old reverse-LBJ tacticians are hard at work again

(the ones who pressure people into supporting bills that make things worse)

[Oregone]

5. Maybe he believes his lies and thinks it really is single-payer

Thatd sell it on him.

On edit - It was actually the public option that he claimed was single-payer on one occassion, and like single-payer on another:
http://www.healthcare-now.org/dr-dean-single-payer-is-not-off-the-table/

He's been really schizo on this whole issue. Kill the bill, I love the single-payer bill, not real reform, pass it and fix it!

[Larkspur]

6. From what I heard, Dean supports HCR but not enthusiastically

He change his mind in favor of it after Bernie Sanders got funding for community health centers. But Dean has also said that he will continue to fight for Medicare expansion whether HCR passes or not.

[spanone]

7. good for dr. dean.

[Owl]

8. I agree.

[mvd]

9. While it does impose some new restrictions, I wouldn't

say this is an insurance company-unfriendly bill. It gives them millions of new customers without enough PRICE controls to go with increased access. Loopholes such as the "fraud" loophole must be addressed. I'm a very reluctant yes (would speak out at the same time and attempt to bargain), and sure hope Dean is right with his leap of faith. Has the President indicated a willingness to accept major improvements?