tagged w/ Health Care Reform
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Half the Republicans' opposition to a public health care option comes not from policy differences with the Democrats, or fundamental philosophical differences about the role of government, but purely from a desire to score political points against President Barack Obama, a senior Republican senator has admitted.
George Voinovich (R-OH) said on CNBC Wednesday that a desire to prevent the Democratic president from scoring a historical victory with a public health plan accounts for at least 50 percent of the GOP opposition to the plan.
Squawk Box host Carl Quintanilla asked the senator: "How much of this disagreement with the administration is about the policy of health care and how to fix it, and how much of it is Republicans' ... desire to declaw the president politically?"
To which Voinovich responded: "I think it's probably 50-50."
But Voinovich quickly added that there are many Republicans who are willing to work on a bi-partisan compromise on health care and other entitlement reforms.
"I'll tell you this, we have enough Republicans in the United States Senate who want to work with this president on a bi-partisan basis that will try to come up with something that won't kill our economy and make sure that we start to do a better job with the money that's being provided for health care," Voinovich said.
Voinovich's admission plays well into the hands of the Obama administration, which has seized upon a comment made Monday by Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) that health care could be Obama's "Waterloo." The administration has launched a grassroots campaign using DeMint's words as proof that there are no principles or ideas behind the GOP's opposition to public health care.Half the Republicans' opposition to a public health care option comes not from... more
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Rep. Anthony (D- New York) blasts Republican support of the status quo health care plan since they even agree it needs reform. it becomes obvious that Republicans are simply adversarial to anything Obama and democrats propose. They have stated that they want Obama to fail and that's why they oppose reform. So obviously then, they believe health care would succeed if they fear it would make Obama a success.
What is it with republicans? Do their mothers collectively drop them on their heads as infants or what?Rep. Anthony (D- New York) blasts Republican support of the status quo health care... more
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President Barack Obama got right to the point on health care reform and answered every GOP charge at the July 22 White House press conference.
Obama tied the need of doing health care reform now, not only to help the almost 50 million Americans who don't have health insurance, but to significantly rev up the economy.
The president, before taking questions, reminded the public of the more than trillion dollar deficit he inherited from the Bush administration and the costly and inefficient Bush Medicare plan. He also spoke about the economic crisis and what his administration inherited. All this geared, many said, to answer the cacophany of Big Business, insurance-medical complex and GOP misinformation that has echoed throughout the media these last days.
He said investment in clean energy and health care reform are key to reviving the economy and creating more jobs. He also asserted confidence in the stimulus package that would be doing its job -- by saving or creating some three million jobs -- over the next two years.
Obama said the bill he is looking forward to signing must lower costs, guarantee choice and expand coverage. He said he would not shift the cost of the health plan to the "middle class." And would not sign a bill that added to the deficit.
He said right now two-thirds of the reform plan could be paid for with current tax revenue already going to health coverage. The other one-third, he said, could be paid for by decreasing tax deductions on the wealthy. "That was my idea. But there are other ideas out there," he said. The House bill projects a surcharge on incomes of $1 million and more.
The president stressed that he would not allow the "middle class" to pay anymore. "People are already hurting," he said and referred to the growing wealth gap.
Every question but two were geared towards health reform. The president attempted to neutralize the personal and other attacks unleashed by the GOP and the insurance lobby over the last few days. "Health care reform is not about me. I have great health care," he said. It's about the American people, he said, and told many personal stories of struggling Americans with inadequate health insurance.
When asked if any of the plans would cover all the uninsured, Obama said that only the single-payer system, where everyone is enrolled would do that. But the current Congress plans he has seen and favors would cover 97-98 percent of the uninsured, he said.
When asked if the public option would deny benefits, the president said it would "largely match up" with the kind of care that Congress gets.
He also talked about a committee of doctors and health experts that could oversee what works and what doesn't in efficient and quality coverage.
It doesn't make sense to get the same test done two or three times because there wasn't coordination, he said.
The only limitations to the health plan would be things that don't make Americans healthier. He stressed decisions have to be medically and evidence based.
Right now, he said, doctors are forced to make decisions based on a fee-reimbursement system, not medical evidence or what the patient really needs.
Obama stayed firm on the need to do the reform in the next months. Without a deadline, he said, nothing gets done in this town.President Barack Obama got right to the point on health care reform and answered every... more
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President Barack Obama is acknowledging that Americans are "understandably queasy" about the rising federal deficit and the government spending trillions of dollars. Yet he says revamping health care is crucial to helping the economy.
At a prime-time news conference Wednesday, Obama said he understands the public's concerns after the bank bailout, recovery package and various supplemental spending bills that have cost trillions. He said those were steps he had to take to deal with a deficit and economic crisis that he inherited.
He said eliminating waste in the system and other budgeting changes aren't enough. To save money -- and reduce the deficit -- the government needs to change health care.
He said overhaul is not going to add to the deficit but rather will be designed to lower it.President Barack Obama is acknowledging that Americans are "understandably... more
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Just got back from an hour-long interview Speaker Pelosi gave to a few journalists on healthcare. I've interviewed the speaker a number of times, and it always strikes me how vast the gap must be between Pelosi's public persona as a kind of gentle earnest liberal grandmother, and her behind-the-scenes role as an incredibly effective vote wrangler. At one point she said that she's always called Washington DC "the city of the perishable. When you got the vote, you take the vote." And at this she pounded her fist into her hand with relish and a smile that made me think about just how much she seems to like her job.
She seemed confident about the House being able to pass a healthcare bill with a "strong" public option, the importance of which she repeatedly stressed. "That's gonna happen," she said flatly. She also said that for all the stories about Democrats rebelling over the Ways and Means proposed surtax on the rich, she's gotten very little push back from members of her caucus.
And unlike Democrats in the Senate, Pelosi didn't seem overly concerned with getting a bipartisan bill. "This is bigger than anything we've done in our political lives," she said of passing healthcare reform. "It's the most noticeable initiative that Congress can take that improves the lives of Americans." Republicans, Pelosi said, know just how politically potent the issue is and how much successful reform would benefit Democrats. And that's why they're devoted to killing it. Jim DeMint's comments that defeating healthcare would "break" Obama, "blew their cover." Pelosi said. "They will do anything to stop it."
All of that said, Pelosi, who urged forward momentum and no delay, wouldn't commit to a firm time line. And she was restrained and diplomatic in responding to questions about members of the Blue Dog caucus that have sought to slow things down. While she suggested the house would pass their version of the bill before August recess, she stopped short of promising it. She clearly feels the urgency, however. "Ideas can melt in the sun," she said, "especially in August."Just got back from an hour-long interview Speaker Pelosi gave to a few journalists on... more
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New Ipsos-McClatchy online polls find that patients in Canada, despite some grumbles about waiting times, are much more likely to say that they have access to all the health care services they need at costs they can afford, by a margin of 65 to 49 percent. Looked at another way, 65 percent of Canadians said they had access to all the health care services they needed at costs they could afford; 49 percent of Americans felt the same way. That difference probably reflects the costs of health care: Patients pay nothing at doctors' offices in Canada. It also helps explain the fact that Americans see health care differently based on their incomes, while Canadians see it roughly the same regardless of what they earn.That split verdict comes as President Barack Obama and Democrats in Congress are proposing several plans to cover the uninsured and to offer a government-run insurance plan to compete with private insurance companies.
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Why can't Americans have what the Canadians have?New Ipsos-McClatchy online polls find that patients in Canada, despite some grumbles... more
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A private memo distributed by the Republican National Committee calls for like-minded advocates to help defeat President Barack Obama's health care proposals by delaying its consideration.
The memo, which was obtained by the Huffington Post from a Democratic source, provides the clearest illustration to date of the political playbook being used to stop Democratic attempts at a health care overhaul. Much of the material mirrors the speeches and presentations made by conservatives both inside and out of elected office to date. Obama's plan for health care is deemed an "experiment" and a "risk" that could bankrupt the country and dangerously change the doctor-patient relationship.
In particular, the 12-page memo makes the case that it is a Republican priority to slow down the consideration of health care reform before it can become codified.
"The Republican National Committee will engage in every activity we can to slow down this mad rush while promoting sensible alternatives that address health care costs and preserve quality," the memo affirmatively declares.
In an effort to slow down reform, the RNC advises its advocates to use a whole host of political tools, from organizing town halls, to writing letters to the editor, to booking surrogates on radio and television, to engaging in "Street Theater" protests outside Democratic events. And in a bit of irony, the memo's authors encourage readers to frame the president as the one acting out of political motivations.
"Despite the president's increasingly skeptical reviews, it should also be noted that the Obama administration is fantastic at the PR game," the memo reads. "In some cases, they are even a little too good at it, selling things that are demonstrably untrue."
"The president's PR team uses rhetoric to mask reality, and the White House spin machine is in overdrive trying to convince Americans as well as our nation's health care professionals that their plan is the cure for what ails us," it argues at another point. "Republicans will not allow the Democrats' rhetoric to define this debate."
As for a Republican alternative to the president's agenda, the RNC memo doesn't offer much in the way of details, save to make the argument that the status quo isn't as bad as it is being painted.
"The Republican Party knows we have the best health care system in the world," the memo declares. "The Republican Party also knows it is a system in need of reform because it is costing our families and our businesses too much."A private memo distributed by the Republican National Committee calls for like-minded... more
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So is it 40 million uninsured Americans including 12 million undocumented, or is it 40m+12m undocumented people?
Asked by CBS News' Katie Couric in an exclusive interview whether illegal immigrants should be covered under a new health care plan, President Obama responded simply, "no." But he said there may need to be an exception to that policy for children.
"First of all, I'd like to create a situation where we're dealing with illegal immigration, so that we don't have illegal immigrants," he said. "And we've got legal residents or citizens who are eligible for the plan. And I want a comprehensive immigration plan that creates a pathway to achieve that."
"The one exception that I think has to be discussed is how are we treating children," he continued. "Partly because if you've got children who may be here illegally but are still in playgrounds or at schools, and potentially are passing on illnesses and communicable diseases, that aren't getting vaccinated, that I think is a situation where you may have to make an exception."So is it 40 million uninsured Americans including 12 million undocumented, or is it... more
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July 18th 2009, the League of Young Voters, Healthcare NOW!, SEIU, Change that Works, Organizing for America, Maine People's Alliance, UVAW and others organized a rally around the topic of Health Care reform.
Hundreds of Mainers from all across the state came to Monument Square in Portland, ME to hear speeches by surrogates from the offices of Sen Susan Collins (R), Rep Mike Michaud (D), Rep Chellie Pingree (D), and hear speeches from Maine state legislators Sen Peter Mills (R) and Speaker of the House Hannah Pingree (D).
Portland City Council's Dave Marshall (G), and Maine State Senate Majority Leader Phil Bartlett (D) were also in attendance.July 18th 2009, the League of Young Voters, Healthcare NOW!, SEIU, Change that Works,... more
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asherp
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2 years ago
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Health Reform garners as many questions and proposals as there are in religious circles about mans relationship to God. so this is going to take a while...Health Reform garners as many questions and proposals as there are in religious... more
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"With the public’s trust in his handling of health care tanking (50%-44% of Americans disapprove), the White House has launched a new phase of its strategy designed to pass Obamacare: all Obama, all the time. As part of that effort, Obama hosted a conference call with leftist bloggers urging them to pressure Congress to pass his health plan as soon as possible.
During the call, a blogger from Maine said he kept running into an Investors Business Daily article that claimed Section 102 of the House health legislation would outlaw private insurance. He asked: “Is this true? Will people be able to keep their insurance and will insurers be able to write new policies even though H.R. 3200 is passed?” President Obama replied: “You know, I have to say that I am not familiar with the provision you are talking about.” (quote begins at 17:10)
This is a truly disturbing admission by the President, especially considering that later in the call, Obama promises yet again: “If you have health insurance, and you like it, and you have a doctor that you like, then you can keep it. Period.” How can Obama keep making this promise if he is not familiar with the health legislation that is being written in Congress? Details matter."
Hmm, Section 102 of H.R. 3200 -is- rather vague.
A copy of it can be found here: http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h3200/text
Is this a bit of over-concern, or do you think that people should be actually worried about this? Personally, it's got me biting my nails a bit.
Even if private health care is allowed, the bill states it must meet certain requirements; what will those requirements be, exactly, and are they realistic enough to allow insurance businesses to stay afloat?
If this passes... I mean, I can't find anywhere in the bill where it talks about those standards.
Thoughts?"With the public’s trust in his handling of health care tanking (50%-44% of... more
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NBC News' Chuck Todd aptly critiqued the media coverage of President Obama's health care push on Monday, saying that standard legislative battles are falsely hyped as potential death blows to reform. "I sometimes think we're getting played here a little bit," Todd said. The media Has "created this drama that [Obama's] struggling to get this done." Some sort of health care reform, he asserted, is going to pass.
Watch:NBC News' Chuck Todd aptly critiqued the media coverage of President Obama's... more
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The beltway consesnsus seems to be that the Democrats' prospects of passing meaningful health insurance reform this year have become much slimmer, if they haven't already entirely evaporated. Like Ezra Klein, however, I'm not really sure what everyone was expecting. There is a lot of money -- and political capital -- at stake here. Were opponents of health care reform going to roll over and play dead? Has anything proceeded that differently from how we might have expected it to proceed ahead of time?The beltway consesnsus seems to be that the Democrats' prospects of passing... more
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The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released estimates this evening confirming for the first time that H.R. 3200, America’s Affordable Health Choices Act, is deficit neutral over the 10-year budget window - and even produces a $6 billion surplus. CBO estimated more than $550 billion in gross Medicare and Medicaid savings. More importantly, the bill includes a comprehensive array of delivery reforms to set the stage for lowering the future growth in health care costs.
Net Medicare and Medicaid savings of $465 billion, coupled with the $583 billion revenue package reported today by the House Committee on Ways and Means, fully finance the previously estimated $1.042 trillion cost of reform, which will provide affordable health care coverage for 97% of Americans.
“This fulfills the strong commitment of the President and House leadership to enact health reform on a deficit-neutral basis,” said Chairmen Henry A. Waxman, Chairman Charles B. Rangel, and Chairman George Miller. “The reforms included in this legislation will help control health care costs and expand access to quality, affordable coverage to all Americans in fiscally-responsible manner.”
The estimates also cover important reinvestments in Medicare and Medicaid, including phasing in the closing of the “donut” hole in the Medicare drug benefit. The bill’s long-term reform of Medicare’s physician fee schedule to eliminate the potential 21 percent cut in fees, and put payments on a sustainable basis for the future, will cost about $245 billion. Those costs, however, are not included in the net calculations above, as they will be absorbed under the upcoming statutory “pay go” legislation that is pending in the House.The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released estimates this evening confirming for... more
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Sam Bee and John Oliver argue over whose country has the worst universal health care system, while Wyatt Cenac is thankful to be an uninsured American.Sam Bee and John Oliver argue over whose country has the worst universal health care... more
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asherp
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Praising and prodding Congress at once, President Barack Obama on Wednesday said a vast reform of the nation's health insurance system is required to head off instability to families, industry and the government itself.
"Deferring reform is nothing more than defending the status quo — and those who would oppose our efforts should take a hard look at just what it is they're defending," Obama said in the Rose Garden, pushing for landmark legislation to hit his desk before Congress' August recess.
Putting more of his own political stake behind the effort each day, Obama outlined the troubles with the U.S. approach to health care coverage, with an emphasis on the cost to consumers. He spoke of soaring premiums, deductibles and out-of-pocket costs and promised with reform, "You'll save money."
"If you lose your job, change your job, or start a new business, you'll still be able to find quality health insurance you can afford," Obama promised. Once again assuring Americans who are dubious of what might be changing, he said anyone happy with their doctor and health care plan will be able to keep it.
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Source: MSNBCWASHINGTON (AP) — Praising and prodding Congress at once, President Barack Obama... more
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House Democrats plan to fund the broadest U.S. health-care expansion in four decades by increasing taxes on the wealthiest Americans, imposing a surtax of 5.4 percent on couples with more than $1 million in income.
The legislation unveiled yesterday would place additional taxes on households with more than $350,000 a year in income and calls for further increases if the measure doesn’t hit a target for cost savings. The provisions are intended to raise $544 billion over 10 years.
House leaders said the plan, which includes mandates to purchase coverage and a public health-insurance option, would cover 97 percent of Americans by 2019. President Barack Obama praised their work, saying it will “begin the process of fixing what’s broken” in the system.
The 1,018-page House Democratic plan builds on a June 19 draft and for the first time includes details on how to pay for the measure. In addition to the levy on millionaire households, the House would place surtaxes of 1.5 percent on couples with incomes of $500,000 to $1 million and 1 percent on those with incomes of more than $350,000.
In 2012, the White House budget office would review the estimated savings from the health-care overhaul. If the savings are $150 billion more than expected, then the government would scrap a planned second set of increases for those making between $350,000 and $1 million. If the extra savings top $175 billion, the surcharge for those incomes would be eliminated altogether.
The surtax on wealthier Americans would be imposed based on adjusted gross income, meaning it would also apply to capital gains and dividends, which are currently taxed at a 15 percent rate. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel said lawmakers targeted high earners because it “causes the least amount of pain on the least amount of people.”House Democrats plan to fund the broadest U.S. health-care expansion in four decades... more
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Barack Obama's campaign arm is going after Republican and Democratic Senators alike in a major new health care reform advertising campaign that could last for the remainder of the month.
Organizing for America's 30-second spot, titled "It's Time," was formally made public to reporters including the Huffington Post in early July. Now the details of the ad, which frames the need for health care reform around personal stories of struggle, have officially been released. And they're impressive.
OFA will be running the ad on national cable, the District of Columbia, local stations in Arkansas, Indiana, Florida, Louisiana, Maine, North Dakota, Nebraska and Ohio, and major online news sites. While no financial figure for the purchase was offered, an official with the group said the spot will be airing for the next two weeks -- roughly to the point when the Senate Finance Committee is hoping to finalize its version of health care legislation.
From the details it is easy to infer just which Senate votes the White House and, by extension, leadership in the Democratic Party see as most critical to health care's passage. No Senators are named in the ad. But the spot is airing in the home states of critical moderates - Senators Ben Nelson, D-NE, Olympia Snowe, R-ME, Susan Collins, R-ME, Mary Landrieu, D-LA, and Blanche Lincoln, D-AR - as well as recalcitrant Democrats - Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D. - and retiring Republicans - Senators Mel Martinez, R-FL, and George Voinovich, R-OH.
"Millions of Americans lose their health insurance when they lose their job, are denied care because of a pre-existing condition, and delay care or skip medication because they can't afford it," said OFA Executive Director Mitch Stewart in a statement trumpeting the ad's release. "Skyrocketing health care costs are hurting American families and straining already-strapped budgets for businesses and governments. It's time to reform our health care system to lower costs, preserve patient choice and ensure that all Americans have access to quality, affordable care."Barack Obama's campaign arm is going after Republican and Democratic Senators... more
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With almost 20 years inside the health insurance industry, Wendell Potter saw for-profit insurers hijack our health care system and put profits before patients. Now, he speaks with Bill Moyers about how those companies are standing in the way of health care reform.With almost 20 years inside the health insurance industry, Wendell Potter saw... more
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asherp
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Rep. Paul Broun, a Georgia Republican, upped the rhetoric against public health care Friday, saying that giving people the option of a public plan "is gonna kill people."
Broun is a doctor. "A lot of people are going to die," he diagnosed from the House floor.
He criticized the British and Canadian systems of universal health care and said those nations, "don't have the appreciation of life as we do in our society, evidently."Rep. Paul Broun, a Georgia Republican, upped the rhetoric against public health care... more
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