About the rumored new Senate health care plan proposal, I agree with Dr. Howard Dean, former DNC chair and author of "Prescription for Real Health Care Reform," who commented to the Washington Post's The Plum Line:
"The question is, is there enough of a kernel of real reform in the bill to make it possible for progressives to vote for it? Given the details we know today, I think there is."The group at largest risk is being taken care of, those over 55. There really is reform. Is there enough reform? No. But significant reform matters."
I call it "rumored" because full details haven't been released... and because the "facts" of the plan vary widely, depending on the political persuasion of the particular U.S. senator commenting on the "deal."
The expansion of Medicare, which now covers Americans 65 years and older, to cover Americans starting at 55 years old, is pure genius... and cleverly designed to embarrass Republican senators into supporting the measure. For weeks, a plethora of Republicans has railed against any Medicare cuts that might be economically necessary to pay for health care reform that includes a public plan option.
Truth is, the public plan option is merely a watered-version of single payer health coverage, which is much more desirable to liberals. Medicare, which is universally admired by both conservative and liberal users, is a successful single-payer system.
But much remains unknown about this new Senate health care plan proposal. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid sent the plan to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office this week for scoring, which will provide many answers. One fact I need to know before throwing my support behind this latest bill is: how many uninsured Americans will remain uninsured under this plan?
In the most inspired move of the entire 2009 Democratic drive for health care reform, Sen. Reid established a working group of ten Democratic senators... five centrists and five liberals... who have worked, and will continue to work, together on this latest iteration of health care legislation. The ten Democratic senators are:
- Liberal Democrats in health care working group
- Sen. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin
- Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio
- Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa
- Sen. Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia
- Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York
- Centrist Democrats in health care working group
- Sen. Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas
- Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana
- Sen. Mark Pryor of Arkansas
- Sen. Tom Carper of Delaware
- Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska
One definitive statement I can make today about this newest Senate health care plan proposal: I deeply respect the hearts, minds, and voting records of Sen. Feingold and Sen. Brown.
If these two progressive senators, and Howard Dean, give the Senate health reform bill a hearty YES, count me in, too!
(Photo of Dr. Howard Dean: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
Comments
Although expanding Medicare coverage is not a bad idea what about every one else less than 55 years of age. I guess they do not get sick or contract diseases. I understand the tactical reason to push for it, but this is again selective socialism or age discrimination would be a better way to put it.
On another note the new word on the street is that the senators are going to remove the legislation restricting caps on health insurance benefits. What else will the senators remove from this bill before the bill becomes a big payoff to the insurance companies. I thought this bill was being put in place to protect Americans from tyrannical insurance companies. I like so many other Americans have just given up. We would be better off with anarchy at this rate.
Here is the link to their new proposed changes.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/12/11/health.care.benefit.caps/index.html