Senate Democrats close in on health reform votes

[discocrisco01]

Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senate Democratic leaders are close to securing enough votes to advance a sweeping healthcare reform backed by President Barack Obama, a top Senate Democrat said on Sunday, adding that it likely would include a national health plan that would allow states the option of dropping out.

Senator Charles Schumer, a member of the Senate Democratic leadership team, said he is pushing a compromise that would create a new national health insurance plan and allow states to opt out. The proposed public plan would compete on a level playing field with other insurers, he said.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is expected to produce a bill on Monday that will be sent to the Congressional Budget Office for an official cost estimate, an aide said.

Reid and other Democratic leaders have been talking with liberals, who want a strong public plan, and moderates who lean toward a less expansive government program and more state-level options


Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE59M4PB20091025?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews

[Stuckinthebush]

1. So the red states will opt out

For political reasons and our citizens once again get the shaft.

Trust me, Alabama will opt out.

[Endangered Specie]

3. Thats not necessarily true...

Cause states that DO opt out will likely end up with substantially worse health care than surrounding states. Residents would notice, people might even leave!

[clear eye]

6. Would the "opt out" also exempt the state's businesses from having to pay the fines for uncovered

employees who need subsidized coverage, since there won't be any subsidized coverage? Or is the opt out only for the privatized "public" option, not for the whole exchange? Does it mean opting out of the individual mandate altogether?

If so, the whole miserable thing is looking to be so expensive, that I'm just not sure they won't be better off. Businesses would move there. They'd still benefit from the part of the bill that says group insurers can't discriminate for pre-existing conditions or drop people for getting sick.

I need to find out a lot more about what "opt out" means. Surely it can't mean just from the one privatized, gov't underwritten "public" option that has to cost the same as the private plans in the exchange? What earthly difference would that make?

[Go2Peace]

2. The "Compromise" sounds like what we feared. A weak public option that actually will

actually do more harm than good.

This is really discouraging.

[golddigger]

4. Congress: Fuckin up wet dreams is our business!!!

[barbtries]

5. it's gotta be for everyone

not just for the states not burdened with asshole governors.