Schumer promises public option in health care, Biden promises thug tactics when health care bill makes it to conference
ByAnybody who has been paying attention is aware that a ‘public option’ in health care will force private insurance companies out of business. But New York Senator Charles Schumer doesn’t care and promises a public option in the Senate’s health care bill. Some republicans and centrist democrats have proposed health care cooperatives, which would not be government run, but Schumer rejects the idea. He seems to be under the delusional impression that the government is good at anything. He also claims that President Obama is on the same page.
The healthcare reform bill that emerges from Congress this year will include a government-run public health insurance option, regardless of the bipartisan negotiations seeking a compromise in the Senate, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Sunday.
“Make no mistake about it, the president is for this strongly. There will be a public option in the final bill,” Schumer said on CBS News’s “Face the Nation.”
They’re predicting the bill the Senate churns out will cost about $1 Trillion. If history is any guide, that means it will cost anywhere from $2 to $4 trillion, but hey, who’s counting? Whatever the cost, they promise tax increases, too. Lucky us. Just one question, why weren’t those promises made during the last election?
The major sticking point between Democrats and Republicans on the Finance Committee — and throughout Congress — has been the public option. Democrats maintain that a not-for-profit, nationwide alternative to private insurance must be made available to “keep the insurance companies honest,” Schumer said. “We don’t trust the private insurance companies left to their own devices and neither do the American people.”
Schumer must think we’re all stupid. When insurance companies, left to their own devices, unfairly deny treatment we have the option to fight their decisions. Once government takes control, who do we turn to? Who will overturn the government’s decision?
In addition to the public option, democrats also want to require employers to provide health insurance to employees. Forget the fact that the US economy is already bleeding jobs. A conspiracy theorist may believe that they plan to finally do away with small business in America.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) reiterated on Fox News Sunday that the lower chamber’s bill will include a strong public option. “We think there’s going to be a public option. Yes, we think we need that. We need to make sure that there is an option available for public that can’t get through at the private insurance. We think that’s essential if you’re going to have access,” Hoyer said.
House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) indicated that a public option would be a deal-breaker for Republicans. “I think having the government have a plan to compete with the private sector is unfair, because the government has no cost of capital,” Boehner said.
Hoyer also defended proposals to require most employers to provide health insurance to their workers or pay the a fee to the government. “We believe that if the employers don’t participate, then they need to — by having their employees covered by their own insurance, then they need to participate in helping to pay for the system,” Hoyer said. Grassley said an employer mandate would be lethal to small companies. “Such an employer mandate would put a lot of small businesses out of business,” he said.
Vice President Joe Biden weighed in on the debate, and answered criticism that President Obama isn’t taking an active role in the health care debate.
Though Obama has been using the bully pulpit more and more to promote healthcare reform via press events at the White House and town hall-style meetings, some Democrats and liberals outside Congress have called on Obama to become more directly involved in pressing congressional Democrats on major issues in the reform debate, such as the public option. Biden rejected the notion that Obama is not engaged in the process. “Oh, he’s engaged,” Biden said. “I promise you, he’s engaged.”
Translation: Obama has plenty of trust in the statists in the House and Senate. So much so that he doesn’t believe now is the time to employ Chicago-style politics. He’s biding his time.
“Then it goes to conference and some of all of the elements of what we are proposing are in each of the bills, and that’s when we will fight very hard to try to produce a bill out of that conference that is consistent with what we believe is the way to fund it, the way to make sure there’s competition with the insurance industry, through a public plan, to cover the vast majority of the American people,” Biden said.
When any health care bill makes it to conference, Biden promises the Obama administration will begin strong arm tactics to make sure they get this thing passed.
Here’s the real irony: They want to devise a national public plan to compete with insurance companies. Yet today, insurance companies cannot compete with each other if it means crossing state lines. Can anyone explain how this makes any sense?
Popularity: 4% [?]
I am pretty convinced private health insurance companys are for profit businesses who are not your friend. They are in it to simply make money and have enabled a dysfunctional cost plus health care system to become so expensive and corrupt(just read your explaination of benifits statements from your doctors offices and see how the insurance colludes with them in creative accounting to overbill) and you ought to be asking questions. I like the idea of regional cooperatives that compete in price against the insurance companys to make them more honest and more cost effective. We do not owe the big insurance companys. They are fleecing this country systematically in every possible way they can. We need competition, and they will adapt and become more honest. They are currently lobbying their legislative schill’s and the media through advertising to block any health care legislation that gives people an honest competitor. The regional co-operatives would add even more competition if they are set up right, so you don’t just have this one huge US treasury payor out there. States require people that want to drive to purchase basic auto liability insurance and it works darn well. You can’t tell me we can’t develop a creative program that puts everyone into a risk pool of some sort, individual choice, or regional co-operative default pools funded by payor, employer, or government. As a person who has had several top private insurances I can tell you they are not covering the costs of health care just from my own example. Copays keep going up, more prescriptions are denied or need a lengthy complicated unreliable preauthorization, and office billings are going through the roof. Its not working well and I don’t even trust it anymore. And Fidelity estimates it retiree health care costs, even with medicare, will cost all of us 200,000 out of pocket in the years to come. (it keeps going up). We need competition. I say this as a conservative who looks for honest value in products. I don’t want to enable the big insurers to play their games on all of us anymore. Read your EOB’s and see for yourself.
Brian says that co-ops will work if they are set up properly. Therein lies the weakness in his proposal. When did the government ever set up anything properly, other the military? And surely, he doesn’t believe that the gov. will let anyone else set them up.
AMERICA’S NATIONAL HEALTHCARE EMERGENCY!
It’s official. America and the World are now in a GLOBAL PANDEMIC. A World EPIDEMIC with potential catastrophic consequences for ALL of the American people. The first PANDEMIC in 41 years. And WE THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES will have to face this PANDEMIC with the 37th worst quality of healthcare in the developed World.
STAND READY AMERICA TO SEIZE CONTROL OF YOUR NATIONAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM.
We spend over twice as much of our GDP on healthcare as any other country in the World. And Individual American spend about ten times as much out of pocket on healthcare as any other people in the World. All because of GREED! And the PRIVATE FOR PROFIT healthcare system in America.
And while all this is going on, some members of congress seem mostly concern about how to protect the corporate PROFITS! of our GREED DRIVEN, PRIVATE FOR PROFIT NATIONAL DISGRACE. A PRIVATE FOR PROFIT DISGRACE that is in fact, totally valueless to the public health. And a detriment to national security, public safety, and the public health.
Progressive democrats the Tri-Caucus and others should stand firm in their demand for a robust public option for all Americans, with all of the minimum requirements progressive democrats demanded. If congress can not pass a robust public option with at least 51 votes and all robust minimum requirements, congress should immediately move to scrap healthcare reform and request that President Obama declare a state of NATIONAL HEALTHCARE EMERGENCY! Seizing and replacing all PRIVATE FOR PROFIT health insurance plans with the immediate implementation of National Healthcare for all Americans under the provisions of HR676 (A Single-payer National Healthcare Plan For All).
Coverage can begin immediately through our current medicare system. With immediate expansion through recruitment of displaced workers from the canceled private sector insurance industry. Funding can also begin immediately by substitution of payroll deductions for private insurance plans with payroll deductions for the national healthcare plan. This is what the vast majority of the American people want. And this is what all objective experts unanimously agree would be the best, and most cost effective for the American people and our economy.
In Mexico on average people who received medical care for A-H1N1 (Swine Flu) with in 3 days survived. People who did not receive medical care until 7 days or more died. This has been the same results in the US. But 50 million Americans don’t even have any healthcare coverage. And at least 200 million of you with insurance could not get in to see your private insurance plans doctors in 2 or 3 days, even if your life depended on it. WHICH IT DOES!
If President Obama has to declare a NATIONAL STATE OF EMERGENCY to rescue the American people from our healthcare crisis, he will need all the sustained support you can give him. STICK WITH HIM! He’s doing a brilliant job.
THIS IS THE BIG ONE!
THE BATTLE OF GOOD Vs EVIL!
Join the fight.
Contact congress and your representatives NOW! AND SPREAD THE WORD!
God Bless You
Jacksmith – WORKING CLASS
“Anybody who has been paying attention is aware that a ‘public option’ in health care will force private insurance companies out of business”
No it won’t… it will only force them to compete.. if they can’t compete,adapt and survive? then so be it.. you wouldn’t cry for their loss in a complete capitalistic society.. so why are you crying now?
Brian has bought into the argument that making money is BAD. I’m way to tired to deal with Brian tonight. And how on earth did Jacksmith sneak in here? Sorry–I’m one of those old fashioned capitalists; I also happen to understand the insurance industry from the inside out and you’re both full of crap. This has nothing to do with a “public option” forcing competition—it’s all engineered to eradicate the system as we know it and replace it with that sterling example of National Health as practiced in GREAT BRITAIN. Go over there and wait 11 months for an aortic stent. If you survive, you can come back and describe it for us.
Schumer could have easily said “We don’t trust the CURRENT GOVERNMENT left to their own devices and neither do the American people.”
All you whiners can just forget about any help from me when it all caves in. You don’t need us individualists, capitalists. Good. We won’t be there.
The Obama health care plan will not only cost one trillion dollars to administer, it will also cost the nation 100,000 jobs!
We are already seeing the effects at our web site, http://www.gorillamedicalsales.com, a job board for medical device sales representatives to find jobs. Medical products companies are simply leaving vacant sales territories unfilled as the specter of socialized medicine looms on the horizon.
It looks like Jack has been leaving the same twisted comment all over the internet. I was going to delete, but thought I’d leave it as an example of what we’re up against.
This is a key issue for American workers right now. Additionally, encouraging a workplace health program is a great way to lower overall health care costs and to improve employee health. Companies of all sizes can incorporate wellness and prevention into the workplace. Find out how and sign a petition at http://www.friendsoftheuschamber.com/issues/index.cfm?ID=52