Lets give it up for Sherrod Brown. Demanding there be a Public Option!

[Thrill]

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) plans to introduce a resolution Thursday with 20 cosponsors demanding that any health care reform bill include a public insurance option.

The “sense of the Senate” resolution is the latest effort by a liberal bloc of senators to influence the closed-door negotiations of the Finance Committee, where the bulk of the bill is being written.

The group wrote a letter last month to Finance Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Health
committee Chairman Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.), calling the public option essential to reform.

Speaking with reporters at a breakfast briefing Thursday, Baucus said he expects the package to include some sort of public plan.

“I do suspect that a version will be there,” Baucus said. “Now, by saying that, I don’t want to frighten people, particularly on the industry side. … All I’m saying is, there are ways to skin a cat. There are ways to find a solution.”

The debate centers on how to construct a public plan. Some members of the Finance Committee have been giving consideration to a “fallback” plan, which would trigger a public insurance option if private competition proves inadequate in a geographic region.

Brown’s resolution does not stipulate what form a public plan should take – only that the legislation must provide one in order to give consumers choices.

[stopbush]

1. What does "proves inadequate in a geographical region" mean?

If two private insurers operate in an area and agree to jack rates up to the sky, is that deemed adequate competition? I don't think so.

I think adequate private competition means that a public option is put on the table as a marker, and if the private guys can't match it, then the competition is inadequate and the public option as outlined must be allowed.

Period.

[Vincardog]

3. the public option as outlined must always be allowed.

[TwilightZone]

7. It could also be meant to apply to areas where the private companies pull out.

Many auto and home insurance companies, for example, have pulled out of various states for various reasons. Many left Florida, Texas, and Louisiana after hurricane losses and the midwest after the floods the past few years and in the early 90s.

The "proves inadequate" language could be intended to fill in should that happen in the health care industry, perhaps if a company leaves to maximize profits elsewhere or if claims outpace premiums.

[Vincardog]

2. When Obama sent me his email asking me to sign the petition to congress I added the comment

that I would only support it if it had a Universal single payer option.

[DJ13]

4. “Now, by saying that, I don’t want to frighten people, particularly on the industry side. …"

Fuck the industry!

When will these Congresscritters understand this legislation isnt about dollars for the insurance companies, its about the lives of those who can no longer afford health care?!

:mad: :nuke: :grr:

[DrToast]

5. What a spineless fuckstick

He's terrified of upsetting big business. Fuck you, pal. You supposed to be representing the people.

[DrToast]

6. Ted Kennedy sponspored the resolution

That's a good sign, isn't it?

[EC]

10. I wish

but he also cosponsored No Child Left Behind...which was a gigantic sell-out of our kids.

[glitch]

8. It's also about our economy which has a giant leech called the medical insurance industry

sucking the lifeblood out of it. Actually that's only one of several giant leeches but getting it off our neck would be a start.

[OHDEM]

9. I took what he was saying more as...

...."We're going to supply the options and industry need not be afraid because they can try to compete." Of course, we all know they're too damn greedy to compete...

I really like my Senator! He works hard for labor even walking the lines with striking workers. When I had my first LTTE printed in a Cleveland paper, he sent a small note saying basically - keep it up, it matters. Now, I know he does this for everyone (at least every lib ;-) ), and his wife works at the paper, but it meant something to me that he put forth the effort. I met him probably around 15 years ago when he was first running for federal office. He came to the county admin building where I did some work and came around, shook hands and talked to EVERYONE. He is a very down to earth GOOD guy. I think he realizes that single payer is a tough fight and I'm proud that he's putting it on the table as part of the solution. As I've heard from many others, I think we may have to take steps towards true universal care and maybe his action has just put us on that path.

On edit: Oops, I misread Baucus' statement as coming from Brown. Here's a link to the story as well: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0509/22814.html