What utter bullshit from the Senate

[ProSense]

Dems agree to drop gov't-run insurance option

By DAVID ESPO, AP Special Correspondent

WASHINGTON – Democratic senators say they have a tentative deal to drop a government-run insurance option from health care legislation. No further details were immediately available.

But liberals and moderates have been discussing an alternative, including a private insurance arrangement to be supervised by the federal agency that oversees the system through which lawmakers purchase coverage. Additionally, talks centered on opening up Medicare to uninsured Americans beginning at age 55, a significant expansion of the large government health care program that currently serves the over-65 population.

Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa told reporters he didn't like the agreement but would support it to the hilt in an attempt to pass health care legislation.

<...>

In place of the public insurance option that Reid inserted into the bill earlier, Democrats are considering a plan for the Office of Personnel Management to oversee private insurance, much as it does for federal employees and lawmakers.

Details were sketchy, but it appeared to win support from moderates as well as a positive response from Sen. Joe Lieberman, the Connecticut independent who has vowed to oppose any government-run health care plan.

There were few details available of the proposed Medicare expansion, which would open the program to the uninsured beginning at age 55.

more

Fuck Joe Lieberman.

[IndianaGreen]

1. We told you so!

We the bitter supporters of single payer.

[Hissyspit]

2. Health Care Reform has been a pile of shit for months now.

[hedgehog]

3. For people 55 and over, what's the difference between this and single payer?

[Cant trust em]

6. It sounds great for those folks.

What about people under 55?

[dflprincess]

18. Opening it up to 55+ doesn't mean it will be affordable

I haven't heard anything about how much the "buy in" will cost and if it will require supplemental "medigap" coverage.

"Opening up Medicare" sounds okay - but lets see the details. If this is good it might actually be a first step toward single payer. Certainly the expansion of a government administered health plan might be more of a move in that direction than the "exchange" or the House bill's "public" option.

However, I'm not holding my breath. I just heard Kos on Olbermann say that the health insurance companies are claiming victory - not that we didn't know they had won.

[Oregone]

39. Yep, lets see the details. But it has great potential

Before anyone cheers or hisses too much, it'd be nice to see more about this. It sounds appealing.

[Thrill]

7. Great for them. But pure BS for everyone under that age.

Unreal

[ClarkUSA]

24. If this report is true, we'll get the same healthcare options as those in Congress.

Which is what Candidate Obama promised Americans at every one of his general election rallies.

[Oregone]

37. Except it removes the most expensive from the risk pools

You don't think that will have an effect? Honestly?

[DrToast]

15. Tons

It's not a single payer system. They'll be grouped in with other 55-64 year olds and pay high premiums accordingly.

[sandnsea]

23. And subsidize the cost increases in Medicare

We're being fucked. Just like they did to us with FICA back in the 80s. Told us there were so many boomers that we would need to contribute to our own retirement. Okay fine. Then they took it and gave it to rich people. Now they want to use our money to keep Medicare solvent in the short term, and watch them tell us Medicare is broke in fifteen years.

[ProSense]

5. "We told you so!" What?

You told us they'd open Medicare to people under 65?

Still, this is only the Senate bill.

[Thrill]

4. I agree. I'm sick of this party. Won't get a single penny or vote from me.

Major League Sellout

[doc03]

16. I agree, I thought we won the election and it has been nothing

but a nightmare for the last 11 months. I don't even bother arguing with anyone anymore when they repeat some stupid stuff they hear on Faux. Just like tonight on CBS news they brought up some of the ridiculous spending the Congress put in the Stimulus bill one that stood out was almost $1,000,000 to study ants and another one a study on why teenagers don't like to use condoms. I mean how the hell can you defend crap like that and now they want to dump more of our money down a rat hole making as few high paying union make work jobs. For Chrissakes reduce the deficit with it or put it in SS but don't bull shit us about making jobs.

[tosh]

8. Nix Lieberman's committee seats!!

And, to the unrec-ers, don't shoot the messenger.

[high density]

9. jeeze, all this for one or two people

They might get re-elected but the party gets fucked as a whole.

[DrToast]

17. Amazing huh? So much for democracy in America. (nt)

[MarjorieG]

10. Are we sure Conference will also drop public option, have to if passed Senate? Given assurances no

different? Why must the entire country turn inside out for a few Senators who-contrary to their bs-don't want deficit reduction and competiton.

[rwheeler31]

11. I want details.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

12. We need to pave the way for single payer healthcare

if senators are too spineless to serve the people they should resign.

[Blaukraut]

13. Unless they have the 'privately run public option'

like FEHP for those under 55, this is half-assed at best.

[d_b]

14. but hey, at least the republicans aren't in charge. amirite?

I can't believe I gave time and money to these fucking bums.

[Clio the Leo]

19. Climb down off the ledge Proey!!!!

Howard Dean is happy ..... I'm happy.

[izquierdista]

20. Yes!

This is great, a real first step to expanding government paid health care to more and more people. If they can combine it with opening up VA medical facilities to spouses and children of veterans, that would be even better.

Nibble away at private health insurance bit by bit, group by group. In a few years, all they will have left are children of families where both parents work in the private sector, who are between 21 and 25.

[jefferson_dem]

30. You talk sense!

People. Realize this -- change - American style - generally happens incrementally. This would be a tasty step in the right direction. Nibble...nibble.

[ClarkUSA]

21. If this report is true, we'll get the same healthcare options as those in Congress.

Which is what Candidate Obama promised Americans during all of his general election rallies.

[IndianaGreen]

26. No, we are not!

Congress is not on Medicare, and they have a very generous plan, far more generous than the one enjoyed by government workers.

[Clio the Leo]

27. I was thinking that last night....

.... and I ALMOST made an OP comparing the two. ;)

[xchrom]

22. shrug -- this is what we get when we're

only voting for the lesser of two evils.

don't care any more.

[ChiciB1]

40. xchrom... I KNOW What You Mean, Don't Know How Much More Of This

"dicking" around I can take! Sorry for the nasty word, but it's like playing PING-PONG! I don't understand what's going on half the time these days, and this is just so "not right!" Some CLARITY PLEASE, I want to stop guessing and I want to hear the REAL TRUTH!

So, they say NO PUBLIC OPTION now, but another thread says Reid says "not dead!" I'm just so not with this crap anymore! I'm tired of it!

[jeanpalmer]

25. Who's going to pay for this new Medicare

If the new beneficiaries aged 55-62 have to pay for it themselves, the premiums are going to be out of this world. But if those younger than 55 have to help pick up the tab, they're going to get creamed -- paying for regular Medicare, paying for the new Medicare, and psaying for their own mandated insurance. They'll be working mostly for nsurance companies, and to fund politically motivated wars.

[timeforpeace]

28. This is what Obama's address to the Senate Sunday brought about? Leadership deficit.

[Undercurrent]

29. Howard Dean was just on TV

endorsing this idea.

[Ken Burch]

31. This is the chamber that kept Jim Crow in place and lynchings legal until 1964

What do you expect?

The Senate is only there to stop everything that could ever be of value, including(now) a great number of lives.

The blight of the 3/5th Compromise still poisons this country.

[jenmito]

32. Reuters: Sen. Reid says reports of public option death "not true."

Reported a couple minutes ago by Rachel on MSNBC.

[Peacetrain]

33. Great minds Jen.. I saw that too..

[jenmito]

35. That's right. GMTA. :)

[ProSense]

41. It figures. n/t

[IndianaGreen]

43. Debunked by Reuters!

but you knew that already.

[AllentownJake]

34. Told you so nt.

[ProSense]

42. This makes you happy?

It now appears the OP report may not even be accurate.

Save the "I told you so" until you know all the details.

[AllentownJake]

44. Nope doesn't make me happy

Just knew that they'd cave to Lieberman.

[quakerboy]

36. Politics is the end of us

We no longer take ideas, and vote for or against putting them into action. Now we make packages with hidden threads and deals and nary a bit of honest debate to be found.

[Oregone]

38. And to think...all that free shilling and at the end of the day, you might not even get a reach-arou