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Waxman: Health Care Bill Still On Track
Just as a bit of an update, since there have been so many ups and downs, House Energy and Commerce Committee chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) says health care legislation is still on track to pass his panel, probably before day's end.
Waxman says he's managed to mollify progressives on his panel by restoring some subsidies to uninsured, middle-class Americans who, under the terms of the bill, will have to buy health care on the individual market. At a glance, this mini-bargain doesn't seem as if it will placate the 57 progressive signatories to this letter, who say they won't vote for the final bill unless minor changes to the public option, made at the behest of House Blue Dogs, are reversed.
But I'll look into it.
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Josh
Matt
Eric
Brian
"placate the progressive caucus?"
You still don't get it do you
That was a stunt...a Contract for America East Front Steps stunt to show that they were still around and to give whatever little leverage they could to ONE OF THEIR OWN, Henry Waxman
July 31, 2009 11:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
Frankly, I am tired of hearing about which committee is working on what. Just get it done so Obama can have his victory and the GOP, drug industries and insurance companies can sweat!
Get Baucus and Ross out of there. They are fox in sheeps clothing.
July 31, 2009 12:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
I agree. They are probably finished. And of course this is always great news for Republicans.
July 31, 2009 2:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's what the bad guys are counting on. All of us getting tired, frustrated, disgusted with the process while they remorselessly push their agenda. This bill is going to go thru the sausage grinder the rest of the summer and all fall long. We will have little victories and defeats along the way. Get used to it, accept that timeframe and hang in there. This is a long fight so keep that in mind.
August 2, 2009 9:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
Soon we will have 4 of 5 Congressional committees that have acted, reporting bills that Obama can praise, criticize, endorse campaign for and one Committee left out in the cold...with the insurance companies
That is the name of that tune
July 31, 2009 11:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
As I understand it, the Medicare reimbursement rates are the bigger issue.
I think they would swallow the cut to subsidies if the reimbursement rate was switched back.
July 31, 2009 11:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
The operative word is MINOR
who say they won't vote for the final bill unless minor changes to the public option, made at the behest of House Blue Dogs, are reversed.
Medicare rates is a minor change for a couple of reasons. First, this is a committee bill...the conference committee (if we ever get one!) will decide that minor issue
Next, Medicare fee for service is a prime target for revision anyway. It is a major culprit in rising health care cost. That's why there's the Medpac provision in the bill.
If you watched Dr. Dean on Countdown interview the author of a book on why the VA is the best health care delivery system in America it is because they don't use the Medicare fee system
As for negotiated rates, in the proper environment, negotiated rates using a Medpac like system is what Germany uses to control its costs.....favorably noted by Paul Krugman
July 31, 2009 11:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
Wow really?, "Dr. Dean on Countdown interview the author of a book on why the VA is the best health care delivery system in America"
I didn't see this, need to go back and check.
(not being sarcastic here)
I was alwasy under the impression that the VA was one of the worst because it was so underfunded and our veterans were dieing in their beds and not getting treatments for things like stress disorders, brain damage, etc..
There was that one bald guy (name slips my mind) that would show up on Rachel M.'s show and complain about how bad it was.
July 31, 2009 1:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
There have been problems with some aspects of care - PTSD & the Walter Reade debacle.
But overall, most vets rate their medical care very highly.
As far as the guest on Maddow, I believe you are thinking of Paul Rieckhoff.
July 31, 2009 1:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Actually Walter Reid is an Army Medical Center and is not part of the VA.
July 31, 2009 2:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
The Medicare reimbursement rate language the Blue Dogs insisted on and Waxman gave them is the same language in the Kennedy HELP bill. I'm not thrilled with giving that power to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, because we're not always going to have a Democratically appointed HHS Sec. But I'm not happy just using the blunt instrument of paying 80% of the submitted doctor's bills like Medicare. Providers just pad the bill and it drives up prices. I'd rather have those decisions made by MEDPAC/IMAC like I believe it is in the other two House bills. They can fine tune payments, steer a bit more money to rural and inner city hospitals and most importantly pay based on best practices and healthcare outcomes.
July 31, 2009 12:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
In general I agree with your point on the IMAC proposal.
Question - How is the IMAC panel appointed/elected? Could the same problem arise with the panel as you mentioned with a HHS Sec?
July 31, 2009 12:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think the exec branch appoints the commissioner for a set term with the advice and consent of the senate but it'll be more like an quasi independent agency like the Fed or FCC instead of a cabinet agency.
July 31, 2009 3:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Too many ups and downs. I think it's time for a healthcare laugh by Mark Fiore. If only we could have real reform...
July 31, 2009 11:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
Tnx!
July 31, 2009 11:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
Your welcome. It's a funny video I saw, but in the end it makes you think...
July 31, 2009 11:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
Can we move Waxman to the Senate, please? This man should be the majority leader over there, not Harry.
July 31, 2009 12:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'd love to have him as my Senator.....
Retire DiFi
July 31, 2009 12:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Make sure you tell your friends to boycott John Stossel's hit piece on Canadian health care tonight. Do not give that douche bag any ratings.
Here is an awesome clip of a segment of him and Glenn Beck with subtitles debunking their claims.
http://progressnotcongress.org/p?=2352
Spread the word.
July 31, 2009 1:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
13 in Congress control health care debate
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/07/31/EDLK191IT3.DTL
July 31, 2009 1:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thinking about this in terms of the fear Republicans have spread about the bill including provisions to euthanize elderly people, it seems we've had some success beating back the nuttiness about Obama's birth certificate by disseminating the word "birthers" and making Republicans go on record agreeing or not with their claims. Well, a term I've heard for the people spreading the lies about euthanasia is "deathers", and perhaps we can help Waxman and the public option by making this term a widespread one, and making Republicans deny there's such a provision in the bill.
July 31, 2009 2:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
US taxpayers plus Wall Street just handed out 32 billion in bonuses to the bankers. This amount of cash could sure go a long way in shoring up Medicare and other single payer options.
2% of our population lives large while the rest struggle. Go figure.
July 31, 2009 2:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
I noticed that Steny Hoyer described the bill as "insurance reform" on Press this AM. And to think I wanted a universal healthCARE bill.
July 31, 2009 5:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
The bill just had to get passed. We needed to get the ball rolling and we did. We are closer than we have EVER been. This may be the most imporntant domestic bill in 70 years.
August 1, 2009 9:42 AM | Reply | Permalink