CBO: Health Care Bill Now $871 Billion, Public Option Compromise Does Not Lower Premiums

Sweet.

I'll have to read the language but if that 85% MLR requirement applies to private plans in the exchange almost all the doomsday scenarios become moot, it makes it almost impossible to continue the current predatory model of shoving people who make claims off the role while seeking out customers ho are less likely. Doing so just elevates the risk of rebates.

This provision was in the Tri Committee and HELP bills but was effectively eliminated in non SFC and the Speaker/Majority Leader verisions.It's reinsertion by the Team of 10 is potentially huge and the for-profit insurers their worst nightmare. So people shouldn't write off Franken until the actually read the languag.

85% for large group plans. 80% for small group and individual plans. The Secretary can lower the percentage if they feel it is causing disruption in the market.

Rank doubletalk accepted at face value by his own partisans. Hmmmm. Somebody might get suspicious that the fix was in all along.

You're my favorite.

I think the abortions provisions go too far, but it's important that the regulatory changes and controls (I'm very pleased the 85% minimum health expenditure clause made it) get passed and really they can not be done through Reconciliation. So pass this even if it means holding your nose, and then come back after the 2010 elections and pass whatever we can through reconciliation in a lame duck session. I think we'll be able to hold at least a simple majority after the 2010 midterms, but the best time to push through reconciliation items is during the appropriations process when there are so many must pass bills and there is already pork laid out on the table for those more concerned about their tenure than they are about their constituents.

Well enjoy the feeling while it lasts ......

The only other option in a zero sum game is to give power back to the Republicans ..... I am heartened to know now that we have at least 55 Democratic Senators who would do the right thing. If the Senate were not such a rigged and hobbled institution that would have gotten us what a democracy is supposed to get a majority ..... the votes to win the day. My new talking point is how undemocratic the Senate really is. Wyoming has less citizens than DC yet we get TWO SENATORS from fucking Wyoming and none from DC. ALABAMA AND MISSISSIPPI GET THE SAME VOTE AS CALIFORNIA AND NEW YORK! Plus you need 60 votes to wipe your ass now that the Republicans have lost all shame whatsoever.

The United States Senate is killing our Democracy!

Maybe if people like you and Lieberman hadn't "compromised with evil" to begin with, the world would be a better place and a better bill could have been created.