The Senate Finance Committee is poised to vote today on Chairman Max Baucus' health care plan.
If one had to bet, one would bet that the Democrats are likely, in the end, to "get something." Public option? Probably not. Universal coverage? Definitely not. "Bending the curve" on costs? Definitely not. But that's OK, because "muddling through" is always a good option in a democratic society. The joke floating around Washington is that if a piece of paper bearing only the words, "Health Care Reform Act of 2009" floated onto Barack Obama's desk, he would happily sign it and take credit for it: mission accomplished.
But the question is, why has it been so hard for the Democrats? After all, there's a Democratic president who campaigned on health care reform and who won in the biggest landslide for a Democrat in more than four decades. And, not only that, the Democrats have huge majorities in both houses of Congress.
So why the difficulty? I can think of five reasons, which are full of implications for this bill as it struggles to come to life in the years ahead.
(more)
SOURCE: Fox News
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Senate panel passes health bill
The finance committee's bill must now be combined with a bill drafted by the Senate Health Committee before going to the full Senate for a vote. It is not guaranteed to pass, as it needs all the Democrats, two independents and one Republican to vote in favour.
[...] Lawmakers are divided, however, over whether there should be a new government-run insurance scheme - the so-called "public option".
The finance committee's bill is the only one not to include a public option, an element advocated by Mr Obama and some Democrats as the means of creating competition between insurers.
SOURCE: BBC News
[...] Lawmakers are divided, however, over whether there should be a new government-run insurance scheme - the so-called "public option".
The finance committee's bill is the only one not to include a public option, an element advocated by Mr Obama and some Democrats as the means of creating competition between insurers.
SOURCE: BBC News
Senate Finance Panel Approves Health Bill, 14-9
WASHINGTON – The Senate Finance Committee Tuesday approved its health-overhaul measure, pushing a revamp of the U.S.'s health-care system closer to reality than it has been in decades.
[...] Senate Democratic leaders must now merge the Finance bill with a more liberal measure approved by the Senate health committee.
Among the issues on the table: whether the legislation should include a government-run health plan. As it stands, the Finance bill doesn't include one. Instead, the measure would create a network of nonprofit health cooperatives to compete with private insurers.
SOURCE: Wall Street Journal
[...] Senate Democratic leaders must now merge the Finance bill with a more liberal measure approved by the Senate health committee.
Among the issues on the table: whether the legislation should include a government-run health plan. As it stands, the Finance bill doesn't include one. Instead, the measure would create a network of nonprofit health cooperatives to compete with private insurers.
SOURCE: Wall Street Journal
Senate committee approves health overhaul bill
WASHINGTON – A pivotal Senate committee has approved a sweeping remake of the country's health care system, delivering a long-sought boost to President Barack Obama's goal of expanding coverage.
The 14-9 vote in the Senate Finance Committee sets up a historic debate on the Senate floor and moves health care overhaul closer to reality than it has been for decades.
Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine was the only Republican to join 13 committee Democrats in voting "yes."
[...] Health care legislation is expected to be on the Senate floor the week after next, said a spokesman for Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada. But it won't be the Baucus bill. Reid will combine the Finance version with a more liberal proposal from the health committee -- with unpredictable results.
SOURCE: Associated Press > Yahoo News
The 14-9 vote in the Senate Finance Committee sets up a historic debate on the Senate floor and moves health care overhaul closer to reality than it has been for decades.
Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine was the only Republican to join 13 committee Democrats in voting "yes."
[...] Health care legislation is expected to be on the Senate floor the week after next, said a spokesman for Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada. But it won't be the Baucus bill. Reid will combine the Finance version with a more liberal proposal from the health committee -- with unpredictable results.
SOURCE: Associated Press > Yahoo News
GOP's Snowe will vote for Democratic health bill
WASHINGTON (AP) - Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe broke with her party Tuesday and said she will vote for a Democratic health care bill, handing President Barack Obama a much-sought boost in his quest to expand access to medical coverage to all Americans.
SOURCE: Associated Press > Andrew Breitbart
SOURCE: Associated Press > Andrew Breitbart
Snowe's a yes on health bill -- for now
WASHINGTON -- Senator Olympia Snowe, Republican of Maine, just announced she will vote in favor of the Senate Finance Committee health care bill, which the committee is considering today. She is likely to be the only member of the GOP to do so, and her support gives Democratic leaders a shot of momentum as they continue their efforts to pass a major health care bill this year.
SOURCE: Boston Globe
SOURCE: Boston Globe
The Brawl Begins
The big question right now is whether the insurance industry will start running TV and radio ads against health reform. They could certainly dump millions of dollars on such a campaign at a moment's notice and probably have a big impact. On Monday, their chief Washington lobbyist was not ruling out such a media move.
SOURCE: Jamie Dupree
SOURCE: Jamie Dupree
Sen. Snow To Vote Yes, Move Bill Out of Committee
Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) announced that she will vote for the Senate Finance Committee health care bill. She is the first Republican to support the bill. The committee is expected to vote this afternoon on the legislation.
Source: C-SPAN website
Source: C-SPAN website
FreedomWorks News Digest
Issue: Senate Health Care Bill
Latest:
Latest:
- 10/13/2009 - The Truth About the Baucus Bill
- 10/07/2009 - $829 Billion for New Senate Health Care Bill ... Maybe
- 10/08/2009 - Interested in Reading the Baucus Health Care Legislation?
- 09/23/2009 - Sources Say Baucus Bill Gives FBI Open Access to All Medicare and Medicaid Records
- More...
SOURCE: FreedomWorks
GOP's Snowe voting for Democrats' health care bill
Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe says she will vote for a Democratic health care bill, breaking with her party on President Barack Obama's top legislative priority.
The Maine senator kept virtually all of Washington guessing how she would vote until she announced it late in the Senate Finance Committee debate Tuesday. Until then, she told reporters, she had not even let Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., in on her secret. She told her colleagues: "When history calls, history calls," even though she had some criticism of the bill.
Democrats, aware that Snowe could be the only Republican in Congress to vote for their health care overhaul, have spent months addressing her concerns about making health care affordable and how to pay for it.
SOURCE: TownHall.com
The Maine senator kept virtually all of Washington guessing how she would vote until she announced it late in the Senate Finance Committee debate Tuesday. Until then, she told reporters, she had not even let Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., in on her secret. She told her colleagues: "When history calls, history calls," even though she had some criticism of the bill.
Democrats, aware that Snowe could be the only Republican in Congress to vote for their health care overhaul, have spent months addressing her concerns about making health care affordable and how to pay for it.
SOURCE: TownHall.com
Baucus: Health care plan can pass Senate
"Ours is a balanced plan that can pass the Senate," declared Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont. Health care legislation is expected to be on the Senate floor the week after next, said a spokesman for Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, who must combine the Finance version with a more liberal proposal from the health committee...Across the Capitol, House Democratic leaders are working to finalize their bill, which does contain a public plan, and floor action is expected in both chambers in coming weeks. If passed, the legislation would then go to a conference committee to reconcile differences.
SOURCE: Associated Press
SOURCE: Associated Press
Mark-up = Bill?
Just got an e-mail stating the mark up will be the "bill" that will be voted on.
Has anyone heard if this is true?
Baucus: 'Time to get the job done' on health care
WASHINGTON – Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus has convened his panel for a long-anticipated vote on sweeping health overhaul legislation. He declared that "pretty much everything's been said and now it's time to get the job done."
The expected approval by Baucus' committee would mark the biggest step forward yet for President Barack Obama's top domestic priority. The Baucus-pushed 10-year, $829-billion plan would require all Americans to purchase insurance and aims to hold down spiraling medical costs over the long term.
SOURCE: Associated Press
The expected approval by Baucus' committee would mark the biggest step forward yet for President Barack Obama's top domestic priority. The Baucus-pushed 10-year, $829-billion plan would require all Americans to purchase insurance and aims to hold down spiraling medical costs over the long term.
SOURCE: Associated Press
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
