Posted on 01/09/2010 7:03:03 AM PST by upchuck
Senior House Democrats have largely abandoned hopes of including a government-run insurance option in the final compromise health care bill taking shape, according to several officials, and are pushing for other measures to rein in private insurers.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other senior Democrats told President Barack Obama in recent meetings they want the legislation to strip the insurance industry of a long-standing exemption from federal antitrust laws, officials said. That provision is in the House-passed measure, but was omitted from the bill that the Senate passed on Christmas Eve.
They also want the final measure to include a House-passed proposal for a nationwide insurance exchange, to be regulated by the federal government, where consumers could shop for private coverage. The Senate bill calls for a state-based system of exchanges.
Additionally, House Democrats want to require insurers to spend a minimum amount of premium income on benefits, thereby limiting what is available for salaries, bonuses, advertising and other items. The House bill sets the floor at 85 percent; the Senate-passed measure lowers it to 80 percent for policies sold to small groups and individuals.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the negotiations are private.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
Are the Donks really willing to committ Obamacide with this stinking heap of Crapola??
I’d love to see the entire bill doomed. I’ve been praying for this bill’s demise every day for a solid year. However, I’ve learned that with this bunch, when one hand is doing something or promising something, I have to look at what the other hand is doing.
These corrupt traitors are going to be kicked in their treasonous asses come 2010; don’t worry about down the road; their political thievery and treason has ended with We The People. Too bad jail time isn’t in their future.
Yep, of course they have for the whole healthcare issue is DOA in the house AND in the senate before discussions can even take place. /s
Beware of what rhetoric may come out of the beltway.
As far as I’m concerned, it’s too bad there’s a “future” in their future.
Don’t fall for the oily-mouthed rhetoric and get complacent. The Dems and their MSM dogs one trick is getting really old and transparent: whine about how they’re not gonna get everything they want and wringing their hands about how the vote is going to be so close and how if so-and-so doesn’t support it, the whole thing might fall apart.
Then, when the ‘Pubs have fallen asleep or diverted their attention elsewhere -—SLAM!! Push this thing through intact at the last minute under cover of darkness. This tactic has worked well for them REPEATEDLY.
Don’t let up. Keep the screws tightened. Just like a brood of vipers, don’t let them out of your sight for a minute. If we get bit again, we have no one to blame but ourselves.
We were told last Fall by the people here on FR who stayed home that if Obama got what he wanted it would repulse everyone in voting for Conservatives candidates, right?
This bill is government run health care. It is not a matter of getting their foot in the door. Dictating business policies is defacto control. Many Democrats will prefer this level of control. Rats will become the effective super board dictating policies to the industry. Rats will blame the industry for all problems and unleash their trial lawyer bagmen to quell unrest. I do not even want to imagine the negative impacts on health care quality and availability.
Here is just a small glimpse of the impact that the rats are already having. On January 1, reimbursement rates were reduced by about 20% to Medicare providers and 10% to Medicaid providers. My physician neighbor told me that her practice had a 4 hour meeting this week to discuss changes caused by sharply reduced Medicaid rates. She was also complaining about the ridiculous mandates for digitation of medical records.
Digitation of medical records so the Government knows ALL about our health care history. I can’t believe that the majority were SOOOOOOO stoopid in November 2008!
The only thing that’s doomed is the American People if any of this Bill manages to pass. The Structure will be in place for not only the Public Option, but any Option that the Dims care to put in place from now, till the end of time. Health Care will become nothing more than a Political Football at Election time, much like Social Security and Medicare now are. Our very Freedoms are at risk, while much of the American People are simply looking for another Freebie. God Save America.
Don’t buy this thing being over or in jeopardy. The Democreeps are misdirecting us again. Remember when healthcare was dead a few months ago? This thing isn’t over until it stops breathing and is buried.
Exactly right! Politician Obama's only mistake is his insatiable appetite for instant gratification.
Single payer will not be far behind.
True they just want to get anything passed and they add all the pork to later a Ted Kennedy trick.
True they just want to get anything passed and they add all the pork to later a Ted Kennedy trick.
Oh pleeezzzz. Everyone knows if this monster passes; the the thugs will pass amendments to it on everything they pretended not to get in the original.
Don’t pass the bill.
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