Breakthrough: Health Care Talks Advance In Senate

[BREMPRO]

Source: Huffington Post


"We have made a lot of progress. There's a lot of agreement. We have decided to take the next step and that is to ask the CBO to score what we've been discussing," said Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.), one of five conservative Democrats negotiating with five liberals.

The discussion has focused on abandoning or greatly narrowing the public health insurance option. In exchange, people 55-64 would be able to buy in to Medicare and Medicaid eligibility would be expanded to people within 150 percent of the federal poverty line. And people within 300 percent of poverty would be eligible for a program pushed by Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) modeled on her state's Basic Health. Cantwell is not one of the ten in the meetings but has stopped by to brief negotiators.

<snip>

Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), one of the liberal members in negotiations, said that he was happy with where the talks had gone. "I've got a smile on my face. I don't smile naturally," he said.

<snip>

"We have a broad agreement," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) told reporters, refusing to give any details..."

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/08/senate-sinks-abortion-ame_n_384846.html

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wow! this is huge. once the CBO scores this it should be a no brainer. I never thought they would go this route in negotiations, but it seem to satify the critics of the PO, which is ironic because Medicare IS a govt. run program. crazy.

[rwheeler31]

1. This would put us closer to signal payer right?

[BREMPRO]

2. any expansion of medicare is a step closer to single payer

as it is a single payer govt. administered program. It would also save lots of money and be able to be implemented quicker because they don't have to design, set up and administer any new programs, just expand an existing one.

[regnaD kciN]

9. No...

If anything, it would enshrine private-only insurance for the vast majority of Americans.

:-(

[Pirate Smile]

3. People just want to complain here. Expect few high-fives or rec's.

You must not have gotten the memo - gnashing and wailing are required at the moment.

I know I'm supposed to just let them vent but I'm sick of the lack of perspective and over-wrought reactions.

[BREMPRO]

4. you mean the orwellian good is bad memo where we are supposed to be upset about good news?

yah, got it. Battling the reflexive cynicism here is a tough job, but someone has to do it :/

[Pirate Smile]

6. I usually just ignore it but tonight was just a bit too much.

:D

[impik]

15. People begin to run away from the Left

I see comments and blogs everywhere, by long-time Liberals who just had enough with the Left teabagging and constant Obama-Bashing.

[New Dawn]

5. It will still include the fascist Individual Mandate...

That will force most adults to buy a service (low coverage "health insurance") from private, for-profit companies. Any bill that includes the "Individual Mandate" is a step backwards. Once the Mandate has been put in place, the "health insurance" vampire companies will jack up their prices for everyone (the vast majority) that can not get on Medicaid or Medicare. If the Mandate becomes law, there will be a massive backlash by the electorate, just wait and see.

[w4rma]

7. Didn't medicaid used to be for people about 55 and older until Congress raised the age?

So all this work just to undo that? BAD.

[BREMPRO]

12. no, it's always been 65 from when it was enacted in 1965

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0795/is_2_27/ai_n16108607/

[No Elephants]

8. Rockefeller's optimism gives me hope. He's stood for the PO all long.

I've emailed to thank him and I hope others have as well.

[regnaD kciN]

10. So did Harkin, and he just folded...

...saying that he was "disappointed" with the agreement but would back the individual-mandate, no-public-option plan "to the hilt."

As usual, when it comes down to brass tacks, progressives cave again. That's why, no matter who's in power, conservatives always win. :grr:

[Garam_Masala]

13. Progressives are easy going by nature, conservatives are

curmudgeons.

[Bette Noir]

11. Fingers crossed.

[impik]

14. I think it's big

People should stop with this PO fanaticism - it was a very weak PO to begin with - and look at the big picture. This bill contains tons of good stuff, and considering the fact that no one managed to reform this system in decades and decades, this is a HUGE progress.

[BREMPRO]

16. you hit it right on the money. They seem to be improving it

rather than watering it down.