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Senate Democrats Consider Tactic to Push Through Government Health Plan
New York Times ^ | August 24, 2009 | Robert Pear

Posted on 08/23/2009 8:04:24 PM PDT by reaganaut1

Senate Democrats said Sunday that they were fleshing out plans to pass health legislation, particularly the option of a new government-run insurance program, with a simple majority, instead of the 60 votes that would ordinarily be needed to overcome a filibuster.

After consulting experts in Senate rules and procedure, the Democrats said they were increasingly confident that they could legislate creation of a public plan in a way that would withstand challenges expected from Republicans.

Appearing Sunday on the NBC News program “Meet the Press,” Senator Charles E. Schumer of New York, the third-ranking Democrat in the Senate, said a public insurance plan was “essential to getting the costs down, which is our No. 1 problem.”

Proponents of a public plan say it would drive down costs because it would not have a profit motive and would have lower overhead costs and lower executive salaries than private insurance companies.

In Colorado on Aug. 15, President Obama said people had become “fixated” on the public plan option, which he described as “just one sliver” of efforts to overhaul the health care system.

Mr. Schumer said it was “looking less and less likely” that Republicans would support Democratic proposals to subsidize coverage for tens of millions of the uninsured. And Senate Democratic leaders said they had little hope that the chairman of the Finance Committee, Senator Max Baucus, Democrat of Montana, would be able to forge a bipartisan compromise.

In the last week, Democrats have begun to talk openly of using a procedure known as budget reconciliation to pass a health bill in the Senate with a simple majority, assuming no Republican support.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 111th; agenda; bhohealthcare; communism; democrats; dncstrategy; donttreadonme; healthinsurance; liberalfascism; obamacare; publicoption; reconciliation; schumer; senate; senatedemocrats; socialism; socializedmedicine
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To: givemELL
OK I've heard this all before. Doctors will leave their practices.What are they going to do? A doctor spends 12 years minimum after HS to get his degree, license and certification. What does he do, walk away and open up a Dipping Dots stand in a mall? To me this is the weakest argument against Obamacare or any govt program.

You will have fewer people entering the profession as the rewards are reduced. But that's for the future.

41 posted on 08/23/2009 8:55:28 PM PDT by xkaydet65
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To: Jeff Chandler

No, that was different. They were going to change the rules of the senate to stop filibusters on judicial nominees, which was something the Dems were doing that hadn’t been done before. They weren’t going to remove the filibuster entirely or push through legislation that nobody wanted.


42 posted on 08/23/2009 8:56:42 PM PDT by perfect_rovian_storm (The worst is behind us. Unfortunately it is really well endowed.)
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To: Go Gordon
And going forward, what person in their right mind would want to shell out the big bucks to become some cookie-cutter physician that all they get to do is say turn your head and cough?

Someone who would never get in to a medical school today and would jump at the opportunity to be a doctor once the bar is lowered.

43 posted on 08/23/2009 9:02:10 PM PDT by JrsyJack (There's a little Jim Thompson in all of us)
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To: Jeff Chandler

It’s good that someone here recalls recent history.


44 posted on 08/23/2009 9:05:03 PM PDT by Postman
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To: reaganaut1
It is only mildly amazing to me that now, today, with this President, Democrats are concerned about reducing the overall cost of healthcare!

Pass this bill at your own peril is my thought.

There is a storm brewing!

45 posted on 08/23/2009 9:09:42 PM PDT by ImpBill ("America ... where are you now?" signed, a little "r" republican!)
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To: Parley Baer

But what Chucky didn’t tell you was that no GOP votes are required to pass the bill.

The Dems may not even have 50 votes for it.


46 posted on 08/23/2009 9:10:58 PM PDT by Boiling Pots (Evil-Mongering Angry Mobster)
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To: Secret Agent Man

Chafee?


47 posted on 08/23/2009 9:12:03 PM PDT by Boiling Pots (Evil-Mongering Angry Mobster)
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To: xkaydet65
OK I've heard this all before. Doctors will leave their practices.What are they going to do? A doctor spends 12 years minimum after HS to get his degree, license and certification. What does he do, walk away and open up a Dipping Dots stand in a mall? To me this is the weakest argument against Obamacare or any govt program.

Assuming that Obamacare essentially begins dictating how much doctors will earn by fixing prices for services, a Dipping Dots franchise may be more profitable when overhead and malpractice insurance cost more than what a doctor can earn under Obamacare.
48 posted on 08/23/2009 9:16:06 PM PDT by LostInBayport (Ted Kennedy: Receiving the world's best health care while legislating that everyone else never does)
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To: Jeff Chandler
No, because once private insurance is eliminated, there will be nothing to go back to.

I still have a little hope.

Depending on how the government option is worded, it may be possible that a few companies can offer private insurance to cover: (1) faster treatment, (2) higher level care, and (3) care which has been denied by the death panel.

These companies could be the nucleus of a return to private care.

Otherwise, as a senior, I expect I will be paying cash for most of my treatment in Mexico. May even have to move there to get reasonable medical care.

49 posted on 08/23/2009 9:23:33 PM PDT by CurlyDave
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To: Secret Agent Man
Chafee lost in 2006.
50 posted on 08/23/2009 9:23:50 PM PDT by ncalburt (Read all about)
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To: reaganaut1
This is the NY Slimes wet dream .
The Repubs would simply demand the entire bill be read on the floor which would shut down the senate for up to a year.And they have already told Harry Reid they would if forced .
51 posted on 08/23/2009 9:30:05 PM PDT by ncalburt (Read all about)
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To: MrEdd

Blue Dogs=House


52 posted on 08/23/2009 9:31:52 PM PDT by Atchafalaya (f)
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To: reaganaut1

They operate by their own rules. We haven’t the will to fight back (Rs in office).

This is not going to be pleasant.


53 posted on 08/23/2009 9:32:21 PM PDT by wastedyears (Genesis, Sega CD and Saturn work, and my 360 red rings after 2 and a half years.)
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To: ncalburt

It’s just a reflex, I always lumped those three together ever since I can remember.

He WOULD vote for it if he was still there.


54 posted on 08/23/2009 9:35:10 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (I'd like to tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.)
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To: CurlyDave

Is private pay for benefits denied by Medicare permitted today?


55 posted on 08/23/2009 9:35:11 PM PDT by JrsyJack (There's a little Jim Thompson in all of us)
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To: reaganaut1
Appearing Sunday on the NBC News program “Meet the Press,” Senator Charles E. Schumer of New York, the third-ranking Democrat in the Senate, said a public insurance plan was “essential to getting the costs down taking control of this country, which is our No. 1 problem goal.” There, fixed it.
56 posted on 08/23/2009 9:49:12 PM PDT by mojitojoe (Socialism is just the last “feel good” step on the path to Communism and its slavery. Lenin)
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To: xkaydet65
Doctors will leave their practices...

Are you familiar with the term Brain Drain? It was invented by the British after professionals packed up their bags and left the country. That's what some Doctors will do. They will go overseas.

57 posted on 08/23/2009 9:51:57 PM PDT by Nateman (If liberals aren't screaming you're doing it wrong.)
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To: reaganaut1
Proponents of a public plan say it would drive down costs because it would not have a profit motive and would have lower overhead costs and lower executive salaries than private insurance companies.

In other words, people who don't understand the basics of capitalism swear up and down that their program is economically viable. Yeah, no.

58 posted on 08/23/2009 9:55:12 PM PDT by Terpfen (FR is being Alinskied. Remember, you only take flak when you're over the target.)
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To: randita

I think Republicans will hang as a block against a public option.”

Good.

Even better:Republicans will hang as a block against higher taxes, mandates, more regulation on health insurance that just drives costs up, and against any bill that fails to include tort reform.


59 posted on 08/23/2009 10:10:22 PM PDT by WOSG (OPERATION RESTORE AMERICAN FREEDOM - NOVEMBER, 2010 - DO YOUR PART!)
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To: randita

Not in the House but I am not sure they have 51 votes in the Senate to pass this crap. With a public option they get no Republican votes — Snowe said she would not support a public option after being back in Maine so looks like the GOP will stick together.

Let them own this bill against the wishes of the American people. Lieberman said today until they get the cost way down it should not be voted on so I am guessing he is not a sure vote. I don’t see many Dems in the center of the Country daring to vote for this bill so I am not sure they have 51 votes in the Senate but if they do the nuclear option, they will lose their power in 2010 and the WH in 2012.

Go ahead Dems — don’t play by the rules you wanted with the 60 votes.


60 posted on 08/23/2009 10:11:41 PM PDT by PhiKapMom (Mary Fallin - OK Gov/Coburn - Senate 2010 ! Take Back the House/Senate! Stop ZERO!)
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