Interesting idea: "HCR is solved! Pass the Reform Bill Now-Reconcile a Medicare 'Buy-In' in January" [View All]

[Pirate Smile]

Daily Kos Diary:

***HCR IS SOLVED!!! PASS THE REFORM BILL NOW-- RECONCILE A MEDICARE "BUY-IN" IN JANUARY***

by BenJah
Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 08:16:23 PM PST

Writing an obit for HCR brings a couple of things immediately to mind.

First, we should all acknowledge that Max Baucus was right. He located the 60 vote pivot-point perfectly with the bill that emerged from his Senate Finance Committee. As much as we progressive may not like the bill, Baucus knows the Senate better than we do. He knew what it would take to get 60 votes. The bill that becomes law will be substantially the same bill that Baucus reported out of his Committee.

Second, real HCR reform is not dead. Over the jump is the way we can do this.

UPDATE: Lots of great support for this idea. Please REC this so we can keep spreading the word and get rid of all the bitter "Fuck You Joe Lieberman" Diaries. We need to replace bitter resignation with a will to keep fighting.

BenJah's diary :: ::

There are several problems with using reconciliation to pass the bill:

1. The Reconciliation Process (RP) can only work with existing programs. We cannot create new programs, as this bill does. We cannot create meaningful reform without creating some new programs.

2. RP requires all measures to be germane to the budget process. Again, that means we would lose a great deal of reform, simply because it does not affect the budget per se.

3. RP is subject to esoteric parliamentary rules that few people understand. Suffice to say that any HCR reform bill that emerges from RP will be a disgusting cross between swiss cheese and sausuage. (definitely NOT kosher)

So what to do?

The answer is simple and requires a 3-part strategy.

First, we pass the Lieberman-Weasel Bill now. Let's face it, we may want a public option, but this bill would still be meaningful. This bill is WAY more powerful than no bill at all. It improves the healthcare of millions of Americans.

Second, we use a Manager's Amendment, so that the bill can pass straight through the House without the delay of a Conference Committee. President Obama can sign this before the Christmas Break.

Third, as soon as the bill is signed into law, we insist that the Senate takes up a Medicare Buy-In Deficit Reduction Bill that will make it through the RP in one piece.

A medicare buy-in works perfectly with RP. First, it modifies an existing program. Second, it will reduce the deficit substantially, and is thus germane to the budget. Finally, it can be crafted in a way intended to survive the RP in one piece. We can even reduce the buy-in age to 50. This may be the WH strategy already. The key is for all of us to keep up the pressure for a medicare buy-in AFTER the Lieberman-Weasel bill passes. Then we will have the best of both worlds, and we can focus our attention to finding a new Chairman for Homeland Security.

http://bit.ly/6RKGCE