Insurance industry has had a 'long enough time,' Pelosi says

[eppur_se_muova]

Source: CNN

From CNN Associate Producer Martina Stewart

WASHINGTON (CNN) – The top House Democrat says she is standing by her support for a public health insurance option as part of a broader overhaul of the nation’s health care sector.

“No, no, no, no,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in an interview that aired Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union when asked whether she had softened her position on the public option.

“The president has said he believes the public option is a way — a way to keep the private insurance companies honest. But he said if you could find another way to do this, show it to me.”

Pelosi also rejected the idea of using a trigger to kick in a public option three to five years after passage of any health care reform bill.



Read more: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/07/26/insurance-industry-has-had-a-long-enough-time-pelosi-says/

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So who built a fire under Pelosi? :wow: She is all over the tube lately!

[tj2001]

1. The heath insurance industry should be obsoleted by law

and replaced by a single-payer system

[fascisthunter]

19. best damn suggestion in a long time

[Still Sensible]

2. I think Mrs Pelosi is simply acting like

a leader that knows she has the votes... or the leverage to get them.

That would mean the pressure is on Reid. Pelosi may well deliver the House only to watch Reid fuck it up in the Senate.

[WriteDown]

5. No....

This is actually a clever smoke screen. She knows the bill will mean a huge payday for the insurance industry and the lobbyists she is beholden to. By acting like this is somehow gong to punish them makes the bill sound more palatable and disguises its repugnant nature.

[No Elephants]

8. Yet, you don't support single payer, either.

[WriteDown]

10. Say what?

I've said repeatedly that that is exactly what we need,

[BlueIdaho]

3. Good for you Madam Speaker!

Its time for a real new option in health care. No triggers, no tricks, no nonsense. Real Change and real options.

[FreakinDJ]

12. Just hope she can get the job done

a lot of money being tossed around Washington these days

[BlueIdaho]

17. You and me too! nt.

[Cleita]

4. Most likely her voting base. Her district is very liberal. Maybe now they are

pressuring her to keep her promises.

[eppur_se_muova]

20. That would be nice. I was thinking maybe she'd had a little chat with The Boss, but ...

I'm not sure why that would suddenly make a difference now.

More power to riled constituents!

[ScottLand]

6. I don't fully trust her but

what she says is true. They should say the same thing to the insurance companies that was said to the telemarketing companies - "you had your chance, you blew it".

[No Elephants]

7. You tell 'em! It's Congress's turn to mess up reform now.

:puke:

[tomm2thumbs]

9. The for-profit insurance industry is the leading cause of driving up costs and driving down quality?

I could agree with that. Not that anyone asked the question. :)

[seafan]

11. "But he said if you could find another way to do this, show it to me.”

That statement made my ears perk up.


The answer is single payer, Mr. President. Expansion of Medicare for all.

The only way to "keep the insurance companies honest" is by removing them from our system of health care delivery. There's plenty of business in home/auto/life/fire/flood/wind, etc. Our physical and mental health and the denial of should not be viewed as a profit center for the insurance companies.


Administrative costs would be heavily reduced by going to single payer for everyone.



We do not need 50 different state plans. We do not need *co-ops*. We do not need a severely weakened public option with a *trigger*. All of this is hogwash.



We need universal, single payer for everyone. It will keep the insurance companies honest.



Let's do it.

Americans can always be counted on to do the right thing...after they have exhausted all other possibilities.----Winston Churchill

[Iowa]

13. What "we need" has long ceased to have anything to do with what Congress & the WH will do...

They sometimes make a very weak effort to con us into thinking they work for us (this is one of those times), but usually they don't even try to cover their tracks. They're corporate tools. Pelosi, Reid, Obama, and most of Congress (with a very few exceptions)... all corporate tools. And nothing will change unless we throw all of them out, destroy both corporate parties, and rebuild.

[Laelth]

18. Hear, hear! n/t

:dem:

-Laelth

[Odin2005]

14. Give 'em Hell, Nancy!!!

I think the Blue Dogs pissed off a few too many fellow Dem Congress-critters.

[Politicub]

15. My guess is Pelosi knows a strong bill is coming from the house

and she's building support for it by talking directly to the American people. Hopefully this will put some pressure on the senate to pass a bill that will be as equally as progressive.

Because once we get the public option, it will never be taken away. There would be too big of an outcry. So this is our (dems) battle to lose.

Can you imagine? The end is in sight for denying people insurance based on pre-existing conditions and giving those who want it the ability to use the public option.

[thelordofhell]

16. End Insurance Care NOW!!