128 House Democrats Revive the Public Option

http://washingtonindependent.com ^ | 7/29/10 | By Sahil Kapur

[Maelstorm]

Four months after President Barack Obama enacted the Affordable Care And Patient Protection Act, House Democrats have revived a top liberal priority that was eliminated from the sweeping health care law in the latter stages of a grueling year-long debate: the public option.

Armed with a new line of attack aimed at soothing deficit fears, Democratic Reps. Lynn Woolsey (Calif.), Jan Schakowsky (Ill.) and Pete Stark (Calif.) last Thursday unveiled a bill that would offer consumers the choice of a “robust” government-run insurance plan alongside the private plans in the law’s exchanges. The Congressional Budget Office projects that the bill, which has gained 128 co-sponsors, will reduce the federal deficit by $68 billion between 2014 and 2020.

“As the deficit continues to grow, so does the need for a program that can save billions of dollars and improve health care while doing it,” Woolsey, the co-chair of the progressive caucus, told The Washington Independent. “We are introducing the public option now so it will be available as a ready-made offset or deficit reducer in this or the next Congress.”

Schakowsky argues that the lower overhead costs of government plans such as Medicare would allow the public option to create a better deal for consumers. “We could offer that kind of plan at a lower cost, and it would compete with private insurance companies, who would have to be more efficient and lower their costs,” she told TWI. “It would follow the same rules as private insurers.”

[Maelstorm]

Never trust a Democrat. Liberals are like Zombies.

[Choose Ye This Day]

“Deficit reducer”????

These guys have no sense of irony...and no B.S. detector.

[Psycho_Bunny]

“We are plagued by a corrupt polity which promotes unlawful and/or immoral behavior. Public interests has no practical significance in everyday behavior among the ruling factions. The real problems of our world are not being confronted by those in power. In the guise of public service, they use whatever comes to hand for personal gain. They are insane with and for power.”

[GoCards]

Im about to pop. I might have to leave FR and the news for awhile because Im getting really worked up about the state of affairs. When is there going to be some news that “common sense” has taken over again. I am not even feeling good about Nov.

[mjp]

As the deficit continues to grow, so does the need for a program that can save billions of dollars and improve health care while doing it,”

control every aspect of everyone's health and eventually their life.

[marstegreg]

How is this article even remotely Independent? Umm...It kind of reads a lot like the HuffPo.

[rhombus]

“Deficit reducer”???? These guys have no sense of irony...and no B.S. detector.

They have no sense of reality. They think they can just pass a law and make it so. Need a hip replacement? They just pass a law that says it only cost $100. Need a hospital and doctor to do it for that price? Just pass a law. In the meantime, get in line... they'll find someone to do it... now where did all the doctors go? What the hospital's closed... well pass a law and open a new one...

[frogjerk]

Im about to pop. I might have to leave FR and the news for awhile because Im getting really worked up about the state of affairs. When is there going to be some news that “common sense” has taken over again. I am not even feeling good about Nov.

Ditto.

[dartuser]

will reduce the federal deficit by $68 billion between 2014 and 2020 But at the rate the deficit is rising under the Dem congress ... $68 billion is IN THE NOISE!

[roses of sharon]

Zombies or not...you gotta hand it to them, they stole the earnings and the private healthcare of our families with little more than a whimper from any male in the US.

In the old days no man would allow such a theft of his livelihood.

[Erik Latranyi]

Im about to pop.

Well, this might just make you explode. My understanding of why they are doing this is to have these bills positioned in such a way that they can be shoved through after the Nov elections.

[FReepaholic]

My employer uses an insurance consulting company to help compare and negotiate medical plans with insurance companies.

Was in a meeting with the consultant yesterday and she was asked how Obamacare was really going to affect us. She said it was going to get bad. Said that the whole thing was designed to fail (we knew that).

What I didn't know is that the Feds will begin to tax us on the part of the premiums that our employer pays. Beginning in 2011 the Feds will "track" those amounts and then in 2012 we'll have to "report" those amounts. Whatever that means.

[raybbr]

...will reduce the federal deficit by $68 billion between 2014 and 2020.

Wow! Sixty-eight billion out of trillions. F these people.

[Maelstorm]

The only thing that is stopping an armed revolt is the hope of repeal. I’ll never comply with the Health Care plan. They can do their worst.

[JimSEA]

In order for universal healthcare to work the way the progressives intend, there must be a "single source" healthcare system. As long as there are any choices available to the citizen, "inequities" will persist. After all, why should one person be able to receive better health care than any other. Unless, of course, you are essential to the leadership elite.

Carry on Comrades.

[sickoflibs]

RE :”Armed with a new line of attack aimed at soothing deficit fears, Democratic Reps. Lynn Woolsey (Calif.), Jan Schakowsky (Ill.) and Pete Stark (Calif.) last Thursday unveiled a bill that would offer consumers the choice of a “robust” government-run insurance plan alongside the private plans in the law’s exchanges. The Congressional Budget Office projects that the bill, which has gained 128 co-sponsors, will reduce the federal deficit by $68 billion between 2014 and 2020. “As the deficit continues to grow, so does the need for a program that can save billions of dollars and improve health care while doing it,” Woolsey, the co-chair of the progressive caucus, told The Washington Independent. “We are introducing the public option now so it will be available as a ready-made offset or deficit reducer in this or the next Congress.” Schakowsky argues that the lower overhead costs of government plans such as Medicare would allow the public option to create a better deal for consumers. “We could offer that kind of plan at a lower cost, and it would compete with private insurance companies, who would have to be more efficient and lower their costs,” she told TWI.

As silly as this argument sounds it provided one purpose for Obama. He got moderate democrats to vote for Obama-care based on phony made up CBO numbers. So now they think this scam will work again for the public plan. They are citing the broke (redistribution based) medicare as their model of fiscal efficiency.

[TSgt]

November and December will be a very dangerous time for this country. Vote them out, fine, they’ll just slam through a bunch of crap before leaving town.

[SteamShovel]

they’ll just slam through a bunch of crap before leaving town.

Like Saddam torched the oil wells on the way out of Kuwait.....

.....The RATS will leave intentional destruction in their wake.

[Maelstorm]

That is the problem. They start from a false premise. There is no such thing as universal equity of outcome and it is impossible to achieve even with great oppression of those who are naturally better off than another. The qualities of resources available to different classes will always vary. Without stratification and differentiation progress is slowed especially in improving the livelihood of the poor. Today the left judge equity in terms that are impossible to achieve and would require the destruction and oppression of the most innovative, productive, and capable citizens. We saw how well this worked out in the now defunct Soviet Union.

We would not have a tenth of the technology and progress had the govt been the sole source of “innovation”.

[JimSEA]

Yes! And the Left will soldier on in support of their delusion. The only help the poor can receive is access to compete is the society. If they are frozen out either by some sort of caste system or by a supposedly benevolent socialism they are forever doomed.