Senate Dems may change health care Medicare expansion proposal

[Better Believe It]

Senate Dems may change health care compromise
By ERICA WERNER
Associated Press
December 11, 2009

WASHINGTON – Senate Democrats are considering changing a proposed expansion of Medicare to address complaints from doctors and hospitals and defray costs for consumers, officials said Thursday, two days after party leaders hailed it as part of a breakthrough for health care.

Under the plan, uninsured individuals ages 55 to 64 could purchase coverage under Medicare. The expansion is part of a compromise for dropping a full-blown national government-run insurance plan from the legislation that Democrats and the White House hope to push through the Senate by Christmas.

The American Hospital Association and American Medical Association have both criticized the proposed Medicare expansion since it was announced Tuesday night, saying the program pays health care providers less than private insurance companies, and warning against increasing the number of patients.

"We are trying to find a solution," Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, told reporters in the Capitol, saying that the groups had raised legitimate concerns.

- The link to the above article is no longer available! The article has been replaced with an update that doesn't include the above info!! -

I found a different link to the article:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jlMpJGn28kqCcgU-aGcYE_ZHW-ywD9CGOCB00

[joeglow3]

1. Good. I am glad they are addressing this and figure it out.

We need medicare for all, but this is a start. However, some friends of ours own their own medical practice and they lose money everytime they accept Medicare. Certainly not a sustainable system. However, address this issue and we could be seeing the beginning to true medical reform.

[Clio the Leo]

2. lol @ "full-blown national government-run insurance plan"

.... what page was that on?

Ha ha, oh the press, that was cute.