Senate Democrats Consider Tactic to Push Through Government Health Plan

New York Times ^ | August 24, 2009 | Robert Pear

[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.

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

[perfect_rovian_storm]

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.

[JrsyJack]

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.

[Postman]

It’s good that someone here recalls recent history.

[ImpBill]

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!

[Boiling Pots]

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.

[Boiling Pots]

Chafee?

[LostInBayport]

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.

[CurlyDave]

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.

[ncalburt]

Chafee lost in 2006.

[ncalburt]

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 .

[Atchafalaya]

Blue Dogs=House

[wastedyears]

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

This is not going to be pleasant.

[Secret Agent Man]

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.

[JrsyJack]

Is private pay for benefits denied by Medicare permitted today?

[mojitojoe]

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.

[Nateman]

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.

[Terpfen]

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.

[WOSG]

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.

[PhiKapMom]

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.