Nine Senate Democrats press Reid to expand public health insurance choice

[t0dd]

Source: The Hill

Nine Democratic senators from across the party’s ideological spectrum are pushing Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to make the government-run health insurance option available to workers with employer-based coverage.

But Reid is facing conflicting pressure from labor unions that strongly oppose the idea.

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) is the lead sponsor of the proposal to let workers with employer-based coverage sign up for a public option or other health plans that would be made available on insurance exchanges. These exchanges are designed to serve as clearinghouses for various health plans, but only Americans who do not receive health benefits from their employers would be eligible.

“We are concerned that under current proposals too many Americans will not be able to purchase insurance in the exchanges,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter dated Oct. 30.

“To ensure that health reform promotes real competition among insurers, we support a version of Sen. Wyden’s free choice proposal to expand consumer choice by opening up the exchanges.”

The lawmakers cited an estimate by Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Director Doug Elmendorf that less than 10 percent of the nation’s population could choose from plans on the exchanges, thus “limiting the opportunity that the exchanges and their innovative new products will have to succeed.”

A mixed group of liberal and centrist Democrats signed the statement: Sens. Mary Landrieu (La.), Evan Bayh (Ind.), Bill Nelson (Fla.), Barbara Boxer (Calif.), Maria Cantwell (Wash.), Ted Kaufman (Del.), Jean Shaheen (N.H.), Roland Burris (Ill.) and Wyden.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.), an Independent who caucuses with Democrats, also signed it.

But these lawmakers face a powerful opponent in the AFL-CIO, which has taken a strong stance against the proposal.

...

More here: http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/65669-nine-senate-dems-press-reid-on-expanding-insurance-choice

[Vinca]

1. I realize the unions worked hard to get the benefits they have, but

allowing everyone into the public option would give the unions an opportunity to negotiate for larger paychecks rather than benefits.

[xchrom]

2. i think union workers will have a hard time getting increased wages anytime soon.

all americans are ever bashed with is that the cost of labour is bad.

makes ya wonder why everyone pays so much for fancy schmancy Financialists.

[derby378]

3. It's unwise for unions to turn against the party that supported them

That said, why are Landrieu and Ben Nelson coming around to this? Weird.

[democrat_patriot]

5. I was thinking the same thing.

Wasn't Landrieu against the PO? Now she wants it expanded?

She getting pressure from constituents? Or do I smell a rat?

I trust B. Sanders signature, more then hers.

[lostnfound]

4. Politics makes strange bedfellows..Wouldn't the insurance companies

be on the same side of this fight as the AFL-CIO?

[Oregone]

6. Yes, they would

Opening up takes healthcare as a bargaining chip away from the unions. It also has the potential to decimate the insurers.

[t0dd]

7. decimate insurers is right

which makes it funny Senator Wellpoint is supporting it.

[Oregone]

8. Maybe he doesn't like unions

:)

Unions have nothing to worry about though. If all workers instantly had the option of affordable and responsible healthcare (subsidized by their employer), then they would have a lot of other things they could concentrate on. Unions in single-payer countries are not impotent.

[elbram]

9. my brain hurts

I trust Bernie Sanders and Ron Wyden as they have been consistent with where they stand; but I have to rely on hope that they have the same information that these other Senators seem to have on this one...

[pundaint]

10. How is it in the unions interests to oppose this?

With people being laid off, or put on overtime to avoid additional hires, how is it in the interest of the AFL-CIO membership to oppose bringing the total cost of healthcare to the lowest possible?

Federal employees to handle the public option would probably be unionized - insurance companies aren't. However else the money going to the executives at insurance companies is spent will certainly have a higher ripple effect on the economy stimulating job growth and enhancing the value of labor. It's just dumb to separate labor from the general population right now when the commonality of interests and the opportunity to increase union membership is so great.

[Bette Noir]

11. Ben Nelson and Bernie Sanders on the same side?

My head hurts.

[Divine Discontent]

12. the mixed lot of signees makes me have a headache also! HA

well, I am a union guy, but I support this, from what I can read from it. more choices is not a bad thing.

[JerseygirlCT]

13. What's the union's objection?

Seems to me the more choice, the better.

[SpartanDem]

14. Two main things

unions fear that fewer people will join since they'll lose some control over member benefits and of course one their selling main points is being able to deliver certain benefits. They worry what it will do existing employer based plans. This has been the dirty little secret of the health care debate that unions have been fighting against an expansive public option.

[JerseygirlCT]

16. Seems awfully short-sighted to me

If people don't wish to join, then perhaps there's some tweaking to be done on the unions' part.

And the more allowed choice, the stronger the option and the less power the "health care" monopoly holds.

[ProSense]

15. Wyden's plan is awful and comes with unintended consequences

It also doesn't open the exchange any more than the existing bills.

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