Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

Health Care Bloat Bill (a failure founded in corporatism)

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Thanks to Joe Lieberman and Ben Nelson, the American people have been screwed by health insurance giants – Aetna, Cigna, United Health, and Wellpoint.

There is no “public option,” just for-profit insurance. There is no competition to hold down prices or keep corrupt insurers honest. Worst of all, Americans are required to buy private insurance under penalty of law.  

[…]

Here’s our plan:

  1.  Now: Tell the House-Senate Conference Committee to remove the outrageous “individual mandate” and replace it with Medicare Opt-in for Americans over 55. Also remove all restrictions on private abortion coverage.

  2. If the “Gang of Four” – Joe Lieberman, Ben Nelson, Blanche Lincoln, and Mary Landrieu – object to the Conference Report, make them lead a real filibuster and talk until they drop.  

  3. Next November: Elect 5 “Medicare for All” Democrats to the Senate who will expand Medicare Opt-in from 55 to all Americans willing to pay for it over the next 10 years.

[…]

We invite all progressive activists to join us in this effort by visiting FiredUp.us

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Comments

  1. four strategies to produce a better reform package:

      1. Try to pass a version of the House bill using reconciliation. Take provisions removed by the Byrd rule and pass them by attaching them whole or piecemeal to the next few big defense and/or agricultural appropriations bills.

      2. Use reconciliation to pass a bill with only Byrd-rule proof provisions. This would include an expansion of Medicaid, expansion of CHIP, early Medicare buy-in, public option, possibly employer mandate, etc…

      3. Pass the bill with no individual mandate for right now. Let progressives hold the individual mandate hostage until some point between now and 2015 (when the individual mandate goes into effect), and they will trade it in exchange for better reforms. There is zero need to have the individual mandate just sitting on the books unused for the next few years.

      4. Force Harry Reid to use the “nuclear option” like former Senator Bill Frist threatened to do.

    I will admit number four is a long shot (although in reality it is the simplest and best solution), but the first three should be completely doable. All the progressive leaders I know who are against this particular Senate bill have advocated for similar strategies to produce a better reform package. read the whole thing

  2. …or is the fact usually cited by reform opponents that this industry comprises 1/6 of the economy actually an EXCELLENT reason for it to be subject to tough regulations and strict scrutiny?

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