Senate Republicans reluctantly consider bipartisan healthcare talks

[Doug the Dem]

Source: Reuters

July 19, 2017 / 6:03 AM

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - As their seven-year effort to repeal and replace Obamacare derailed in the U.S. Senate, Republicans faced the prospect of doing the once unthinkable: working with Democrats to make fixes to former President Barack Obama's 2010 healthcare law.

Bipartisan breakthroughs would likely come in the form of individual bills targeted at issues such as stabilizing insurance markets or lowering prescription drug costs. A wholesale overhaul of healthcare, senators say, is a bridge too far for the two parties, locked for years in an ideological battle on that issue and many others.

Democrats, clearly delighted with the turn of events, welcomed the Republicans' failure to replace Obamacare as an opportunity to work together. Republicans conceded their other options may be exhausted.

"This is our moment, we have been waiting for this moment for months and months and in fact for years," Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar said at a Tuesday news conference.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-healthcare-idUSKBN1A40UX

---

SHUT THE FUCK UP, AMY. Why should we give THEM any kind of life line? Two paragraphs later in the article:

'The No. 2 Senate Republican, John Cornyn, told reporters it was "unfortunate" that he expected bipartisan talks to begin.'

THEY made the rope. THEY fashioned it into a noose. THEY put it around their OWN FUCKING NECKS! NOW LET THEM HANG!

[Hortensis]

1. The Republican congress already hung themselves.

Now we step in to stabilize the ACA markets. Because we're not joining them to hang America.

"Amy," as you choose to refer to Senator Klobuchar in your insulting comment, and the rest of the Senate Democratic leadership she is part of know what they're doing.

[atreides1]

8. "...and the rest of the Senate Democratic leadership she is part of know what they're doing."

That remains to be seen!

[Squinch]

2. Problem is Republicans have only two choices now: strangle Obamacare and blame Democrats

for the carnage that follows, saying, "See. We told you it could never work and we were right. Democrats did this to you. Now you stupid voters who we hate cannot have ANY healthcare." This seems to be where Trump(R) and the leadership are headed.

The only other option is to improve Obamacare. Fund it appropriately, expand Medicaid to all states, etc. This is the only option that does not cause massive suffering, so the typical Republican doesn't like it. But there are a few who are making noises that they might be willing to do this.

8 years of their bullshit on healthcare has just been proven, unequivocally, to have been bullshit. If a few Republicans find their souls, we might be able to make some progress on providing decent healthcare for more people. If I were a Democratic representative, I'd be trying for this option. Not giving them anything, mind you, but looking for someone who'd work with us to fix what needs fixing in Obamacare so it works as it was designed to work.

[pandr32]

20. I agree

They are setting Democrats up to take the blame.
I also agree with what you recommend in the second paragraph. They have tried to make "Obamacare" fail by refusing to properly fund it and by some states refusing to implement the medicaid expansions as well as not allowing health plans into their marketplaces. On top of that their attacks on clinics and women's health because--you know--birth control and abortion have limited access to health care.
At this point they should just stop.
They should stop calling it "Obamacare" and call it by its name--the ACA or NACA (the New Affordable Care ACT).
They should fully implement it and take a bow to their base as things improve.
Democrats would not mind.

[beachbum bob]

3. GOP figured out that some of their own saved them from themselves as they were hoping

would happen. OF course this theater made Mcconnel look more inept and trump more of a fool.

The answer to the ACA has always been to tweak the ACA where the problems are and leave what is working alone. But the GOP in their over powering hate of Obama tied themselves to the disaster of replace and repeal of the ACA with no replace ever agreed to, ZERO leadership from Trump. 100% disaster of their own making.

NOW, action needs to be taken but the GOP can;t do it alone, trump is no leader and the Whitehouse generally is run by buffoons. The GOP is trying to figure out how to proceed that will not ALLOW democrats look like heros....

[BumRushDaShow]

4. The Social Security Act of 1935

is not the same law currently in effect "as is" some 82 years later. It has been amended a number of times to improve it and to even add Medicare in 1965. The same needs to happen with the ACA.

[briv1016]

5. Democrates should only support a bill that results in MORE people getting coverage.

Unfortunately such a bill is almost certainly DOA in the house.

[bucolic_frolic]

6. This is where Republicans have to justify their ideas in re: ACA

should be quite a take down

[Dustlawyer]

7. I have two words for them all: SINGLE PAYER!!!

[mountain grammy]

9. +1000

For the only idea that will actually work..

[davsand]

25. Certainly, this is the time to push for it.

IMO, that is clearly the best option.

Having said that, on a purely practical level, I think that is probably not the most likely outcome right now. Not gonna lie, I have serious doubts that 100% of the Dems truly want Medicare for all. It can happen here, but I also think it is a really important time for the Dems, and their base, to ID exactly what is the minimum we need to move forward with Ryan and Mitch at the helm in the House and Senate.

We need a full expansion of Medicaid in all 50 states, as well as drug price reductions and controls. Just opening it up for Medicare to negotiate drug prices would help a lot. Allowing imports from Canada and other countries that meet standards would help too. I think (again, probably a pipe dream) forcing all providers to conform to the Medicare chargemaster would make a big difference in medical expenses. We've given an open checkbook to the hospital billing departments, and that needs to stop.

Dems have an ability to make a difference here, but it will mean keeping united and it will mean actually focusing on the welfare of the people--not just the political benefit these votes will bring.


Laura

[Dustlawyer]

32. You are right, it won't happen, unless

Americans are fed up with enough of these terrible bills and so concerned about their health care that we en mass demonstrate, march, call and write to our supposed Representatives! Still a long shot but that is what it will take. If Democrats would tell their Donors no on this issue and run on it they would sweep the Republicans off of the map, gerrymandered or no!

Only 12-15% supported the last Health Care Bill. That means that even die hard Republicans are paying attention for once. We just have to get everyone involved similar to the Women's March. They need to know in no uncertain terms that we mean business!

[greymattermom]

10. I think many southern red states

might do medicaid expansion if it's proposed and backed by one of their Senators instead of by Obama. They can call it Purdue care or whatever they want.

[obamanut2012]

13. Agreed, like in Kentucky

[Juliusseizure]

31. Make it a white GOP senator

Nevermind they're all white.

[turbinetree]

11. The republican tories which I will call them because they are f*cking republican tories

made there fucking bed, now sleep in it.

I am going to call my two Maryland Senators and ask them , not tell them, to not work with these ass****. I am going to ask that these motherf*ckers eat sh*t and bark at the f*cking moon

For over (7) plus f*cking years, (and even going back to 1964 when Medicaid and Medicare, was made into law, American with Disabilities Act, the list goes on and on).

They, the f*cking tories republicans have been trying with all there f*cking worthless bigoted, misogynistic, racist, homophobic, hate, bribery, destroy government of the people and by the people, and for for the people, greedy, self serving pieces of sh*t, have tried to kill me, my family, my friends,and people that I don't even know, based on there f*cking agenda, of just screwing with people , and to fulfill a dream ( wet one at that) of just making legislation that is hateful, and to just hurt human beings, so that they can take my /your hard earned money and give it to some one else that is just like them, so that they could give a rats ass and just wanting to rat f*ck everyone and everything......................

They can sit on there proverbial thumbs and twirl

And the tory republicans can go and FUCK OFF



I and millions of others want and demand SINGLE PAYER, Now, not yesterday, but TODAY, and an APOLOGY, we the millions of US that protested and wrote letters and such deserved APOLOGY, if they can't work with human beings that want this, then they have a problem...............

[Ms. Toad]

24. You're also telling my daughter to fuck off - AND DIE.

The ACA has faults, and is actively being sabotaged.

If there is an opportunity to make the ACA better - even if better just means continued funding and minimizing the attacks because the Rs have their name on a little piece of it - we damn well better take it.

I'm just as disgusted at democrats who put party above people's lives on matters of health care as I am at republicans who are doing the same thing on matters of the Trump presidency. People's lives matter far more than politics.

[moreland01]

12. This needs to happen.

I'm one of the unlucky ones that could go broke if someone in the family gets seriously ill. I'd like to see this worked out.

During "bipartisan negotiations" (yeah, right), the lines will be drawn for all to see on exactly which provisions the Rs are for vs the Ds. The gobbly gook from the Rs about wanting all to have "choices" (unless you're a woman) will be revealed as the option to choose a plan that you will be paying for that will cover absolutely nothing when you need it. Pre-2010 crap.

[hibbing]

14. How do you bipartisan kick 20+ plus million off insurance?

Give the ruling class their tax cuts (which probably half the Democrats will vote for) and then what?


Peace

[Bayard]

15. I think this is a good thing

I can't see Dem's voting to take AWAY from ACA, only tweak it. They don't have to, they're in the driver's seat now. And with the much hated bills the Rethug's already proposed, they will really look like assholes if they try to screw it up. And their constituents will continue to hound them.

[broadcaster90210]

16. Single Payer or bust.

nt

[flamingdem]

17. It's a trap

dems should know better by now

[Demsrule86]

23. We have to try...lives are stake and if we don't for political records than we are no better than

the GOP.

[Justice]

18. Healthcare is too important for Democrats to just let GOP hang.

[forgotmylogin]

19. Very true.

While it would be fun to let the Rs twist in the wind, they currently are the only ones who can pass legislation.

As long as they work on shoring up the ACA, and not any of the zombie versions of McConnell/Ryan's plans, and hold firm that tax cuts are not an option so ACA is funded, and 45 isn't allowed to choke all the money off to *make* it fail, the Democrats should certainly be involved in the future of the ACA.

[Demsrule86]

21. So the ACA doesn't fail and thousands dies...one of the more heartless post around here.

[Ms. Toad]

22. Nice. Still playing political football with my daughter's life.

It doesn't matter one iota whose name is on the bill that makes access to health care universal and affordable.

There are problems with the affordable care act - some inherent in the bill, some created as court decisions ate away critical piecs. They need to be fixed.

No one who truly cares about people should be holding their breath until they turn blue for the sake of political gain. There are real people's lives involved here - including my daughter's. I'm perfectly happy having a Republican name on a bill that makes it possible for her to live - and live fully.

[onetexan]

26. Yup, now that they're at the end of their rope they're willing to work with Dems, and

claim it as a Trump-GOP victory. Dems need to stick to their guns and ensure that ONLY FIXES to Obamacare should be done, that it WILL REMAIN OBAMACARE IN ITS CORE, and that it WILL NOT BE KNOWN BY ANY OTHER NAMES other than the ACA or OBAMACARE.
This is O's signature accomplishment and it should remain that way given the maggots can't come up with a better solution.

[riversedge]

27. Please delete your nasty comment about Sen. Amy Klobuchar. It is not necessary and she is a good

Democrat.

[C_U_L8R]

28. Gee they might get kooties

[harun]

29. All GOP wants is tax cuts disguised as a Health Care bill. How the hell can Dem's get on board with

that?

[NCjack]

30. No, no DEMs. We have them right where we want -- in control of the govt and paralyzed. nt