Cantwell's alleged Public Option

[laughingliberal]

The Senate Finance Committee narrowly passed an amendment Thursday from Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) that moves the conservative panel as close as it will likely get to a public health insurance option.
The amendment creates a "federally funded, non-Medicaid, state plan which combines the innovation and quality of private sector competition with the purchasing power of the states," according to an overview.
It would be available to people with incomes above Medicaid eligibility but below 200 percent of the federal poverty level -- a very narrow window. However, Republicans fear -- and progressives hope -- that once the plan becomes law there will be pressure to expand it.


Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/01/senate-committee-passes-q_n_306831.html

Ok, it's not much but we don't need any public option out of this committee to get one in the final bill so this is some progress. Very slim but some. A bright spot in the article was this line:

Yet Democrats are increasingly negotiating the final details of health care reform within their own party, leaving the GOP to protest process.


Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/01/senate-committee-passes-q_n_306831.html

[Thrill]

1. What happened with Wyden's amendment??

[BlooInBloo]

2. I stand by what I said 2 months ago about Cantwell...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=6261715#6261767

[laughingliberal]

3. No argument here on that and I'm not popping the champagne bottles open

Just that Finance voted anything in with public financing was more than I expected. And I liked the part where it stated Democrats are increasingly negotiating among themselves leaving the GOP to protest process.

[Ruby the Liberal]

4. It is a publically funded co-op and a subsidy for the insurance industry

Not even in the shadow of a PO.

Fail.

[WatchWhatISay]

5. Like Medicare, Medicaid and Flood Insurance, this is just the government getting rid of the chaff

for the insurance companies so that they can make more money on the wheat

[EmeraldCityGrl]

6. Cantwell never fails to disappoint.

A corporatist through and through.