Ezra Klein: The Five Republican Compromises Already in the Health Care Reform Bill

[flpoljunkie]

(Emphasis mine.)

The Five Republican Compromises Already in the Health Care Reform Bill

At this point, I don't think it's well understood how many of the GOP's central health-care policy ideas have already been included as compromises in the health-care bill. But one good way is to look at the GOP's "Solutions for America" homepage, which lays out its health-care plan in some detail. It has four planks. All of them -- yes, you read that right -- are in the Senate health-care bill.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/assets_c/2010/02/PH2009121901598,jpg-thumb-454x302.jpg
Photo credit: AP Photo/Harry Hamburg.

On Sunday, John Boehner and Mitch McConnell responded to Barack Obama's summit invitation by demanding Obama scrap the health-care reform bill entirely. This is the context for that demand. What they want isn't a bill that incorporates their ideas. They've already got that. What they want is no bill at all. And that's a hard position for the White House to compromise with.

List:

(1) "Let families and businesses buy health insurance across state lines." This is a long-running debate between liberals and conservatives. Currently, states regulate insurers. Liberals feel that's too weak and allows for too much variation, and they want federal regulation of insurers. Conservatives feel that states over-regulate insurers, and they want insurers to be able to cluster in the state with the least regulation and offer policies nationwide, much as credit card companies do today.

To the surprise and dismay of many liberals, the Senate health-care bill included a compromise with the conservative vision for insurance regulation. The relevant policy is in Section 1333, which allows the formation of interstate compacts. Under this provision, Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, Utah, and Idaho (for instance) could agree to allow insurers based in any of those states to sell plans in all of them. This prevents a race to the bottom, as Idaho has to be comfortable with Arizona's regulations, and the policies have to have a minimum level of benefits (something that even Rep. Paul Ryan believes), but it's a lot closer to the conservative ideal.

Click link below for (2-5).

By Ezra Klein
February 8, 2010

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2010/02/five_compronises_in_health_car.html

[Chipper Chat]

1. Who is the godfather of "The Party of No?"

Who 'ordered' the 100% total obstructionism of ANY and ALL democratic-proposed legislation?
Boehner? Doubt it- not enough clout.
Canter? Who listens to that mealy-mouth?
McConnell? I think he takes orders.
Who does that leave?
McCAIN.
Scary. Because who has mind-control over Gramps?
You-betcha!

[ellenfl]

2. shoot, she doesn't even have mind control over herself.

although i bet she's the wife/daughter he wishes he'd had. :eyes:

ellen fl