Posted on 09/03/2009 5:09:35 AM PDT by tobyhill
President Obama and top aides have quietly stepped up talks with moderate Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine on a scaled-back health care bill, according to two sources familiar with the negotiations.
The compromise plan would lack a government-run public health insurance option favored by Obama, but would leave the door open to adding that provision down the road under an idea proposed by Snowe, the sources said.
One of the sources said White House officials are "deep in conversations" with Snowe on a much smaller health care bill than Obama originally envisioned.
The modified proposal would include insurance reforms, such as preventing insurance companies from denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions, according to the source.
The potential deal would give insurance companies a defined period to make such changes in order to help cover more people and drive down long-term costs. But if those changes failed to occur within the defined period, a so-called "trigger" would provide for creating a public option to force change on the insurance companies, the source said.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Socialized medicine on the layaway plan.
How I detest these conniving, dishonest, presumptuous people.
So why would millions of people bother having health insurance, then?
Vermont is lucky. At least Bernie Sanders is honest about being a Socialist...............
Maine is stuck with two hapless RINOs who seem bent on giving the Marxist-in-Chief cover for his plan to destroy America.
All these rino's should be kicked to the curb in 2010, but it seems like all we are doing is talking about how bad Obama/liberals have been. (Not just here at FR, but the republican party as a while.)
The liberals/socialist WON the election! There's nothing we can do about that, BUT we can change the direction of the republican/conservative party, we HAVE too if we want to defeat these socialist! You can not defeat liberal policies with rino's!
They would force everyone to purchase it.
DOA. If this happens, I will renew my calls for McConnell to remove all committee assignments from Snowe. It's time to play hardball with the destructive RINOs.
It’s not the Republicans, it’s the Democrats who need a lesson. Especially the blue dogs, the easiest to defeat, as we proved in 1994.
These RINOs are a lost cause. They should be dumped on the roadside and left alone. Focus on the vulnerable donks.
Exactly, at least Bernie is honest about who he is and these hippee/unitarian/rino's dumbasses in VT still vote for him.
In other words, Snowe will "allow" us to keep our liberties for a little while longer, then she'll be happy to help the Communists take them away.
What is it with politicians who represent the littlest of states? Freud who have something to say about people like Snowe.
Need to toss a bucket of water on this witch so she melts away.
I agree.
I have a higher regard for the socialist.
Snowe and Collins are contemptuous.
Maine would be better to simply send us Democrats than sheep in wolves clothing.
Insurance companies base premiums on their costs. This premium sustains their profit. By limiting "pre-existing condition" coverage, lower premiums for their clients and company profits are insured. No one seems to be exposing the fact that if "pre-existing conditions" are covered as well as forcing the insurance comapnies to cover care not currently covered, premiums will dramatically increase - not reduce costs if the company's profits are to be sustained.
You can't do this, rino's have control of the party. Even if we won it would accomplish nothing right now without conservatives winning control! This is where our fight has to take place or rather change has to occur.
It's the dems who should be dumped on the roadside.
American citizens do not want the government involved in their health care... period. (At least that's the message I've been hearing)
Only a misinformed idiot liberal would think government involvement is a good thing.
JUST SAY NO!
The joint session is a sucker punch propaganda ploy to FORCE republicans to the table.
Republicans will look weak for being there to the enemies.
Republicans will look like traitors to the conservatives for showing up.
The fact snowe is betraying voters should be used like a tokyo rose.
you forget the pools are ARTIFICIALLY limited to one state.
Imagine if you could spread the cost accros all 50 states...(57 if you are Obama)
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