Congress failed to pass a public option. Now, Rep. Alan Grayson is leading the charge to set things right -- with his "Medicare You Can Buy Into Act." It's a 3-and-a-half page bill, it's a stronger public option, and it's got momentum...80 co-sponsors in its first week. Watch the video and then click on the header to participate.
BUCKNACKT'S SORDID TAWDRY BLOG We should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive & well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate, bier or wein in hand, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WHOO-HOO, WHAT A RIDE!!!!!!"
Showing posts with label public option. Show all posts
Showing posts with label public option. Show all posts
27 March 2010
19 February 2010
HEALTH CARE DEATH SPIRAL from MOJO 12 FEB 10
Last week the LA Times reported that Anthem Blue Cross planned to raise premium rates by 39 percent for some of its customers. HHS secretary Kathleen Sebelius demanded to know why. Yesterday they answered:
Financial woes have pushed healthier people to drop coverage or buy cheaper plans, the company argued to Sebelius.
...."While this dynamic always exists, in a challenging economy it becomes more prevalent as individuals who are paying for coverage without a government or employer subsidy must choose to continue coverage or use the money for other necessities," wrote Brian A. Sassi, president and CEO of the consumer business unit at Wellpoint, Anthem's parent company.
....WellPoint said the increases relate only to the individual insurance market, less than 10 percent of its California members, and that a minority of its 800,000 individual policy holders will see 39 percent increases. The company said an independent actuarial firm concluded its rates were "sound and necessary."
That's pretty much the answer everyone expected. Normal medical inflation was up less than 10 percent last year, so that doesn't come close to justifying a 39 percent rate hike. The only thing that does is getting stuck with a smaller, sicker pool of customers as healthy people decide to pay their mortgages instead of continuing to shell out for health insurance they're willing to risk living without.
This is, of course, the primary argument for single-payer health care, in which everyone is covered and everyone shares costs equally. Failing that, it's also the argument for an individual mandate. Basically, any system that doesn't rely on pools of customers (the entire country, an entire age cohort, an entire union, an entire company, etc.) runs the risk that healthy people will opt out, driving prices up for everyone else in an endless spiral. They'll eventually opt back in, of course, but only when they get sick—and this is, needless to say, not a sustainable business model.
However, as President Obama said on Tuesday, it's "a preview of coming attractions" if we don't get our health care act together. That's why the Senate and the House need to get serious about figuring out a compromise and passing health care reform. It's not going to get any easier by waiting.
Financial woes have pushed healthier people to drop coverage or buy cheaper plans, the company argued to Sebelius.
...."While this dynamic always exists, in a challenging economy it becomes more prevalent as individuals who are paying for coverage without a government or employer subsidy must choose to continue coverage or use the money for other necessities," wrote Brian A. Sassi, president and CEO of the consumer business unit at Wellpoint, Anthem's parent company.
....WellPoint said the increases relate only to the individual insurance market, less than 10 percent of its California members, and that a minority of its 800,000 individual policy holders will see 39 percent increases. The company said an independent actuarial firm concluded its rates were "sound and necessary."
That's pretty much the answer everyone expected. Normal medical inflation was up less than 10 percent last year, so that doesn't come close to justifying a 39 percent rate hike. The only thing that does is getting stuck with a smaller, sicker pool of customers as healthy people decide to pay their mortgages instead of continuing to shell out for health insurance they're willing to risk living without.
This is, of course, the primary argument for single-payer health care, in which everyone is covered and everyone shares costs equally. Failing that, it's also the argument for an individual mandate. Basically, any system that doesn't rely on pools of customers (the entire country, an entire age cohort, an entire union, an entire company, etc.) runs the risk that healthy people will opt out, driving prices up for everyone else in an endless spiral. They'll eventually opt back in, of course, but only when they get sick—and this is, needless to say, not a sustainable business model.
However, as President Obama said on Tuesday, it's "a preview of coming attractions" if we don't get our health care act together. That's why the Senate and the House need to get serious about figuring out a compromise and passing health care reform. It's not going to get any easier by waiting.
JOIN THE VIRTUAL MARCH FOR HEALTHCARE REFORM 24FEB10
On February 17th, a group of insurance company survivors set out from Philadelphia. Their goal? To walk to Washington, DC - more than 130 miles over 8 days - in honor of Melanie Shouse, the health care activists and Obama volunteer who died of breast cancer because she didn't have affordable health care. Copy and paste this link http://melaniesmarch.com/ to go to the website for the march. Click the header on this post to participate on 24 FEB.
They're marching to get Congress to pay attention to them and to millions of others across this country who need real health care reform passed and need it now.
On February 24th they will arrive in Washington, DC. On the same day, MoveOn.org is organizing a huge "virtual march" on Washington. We're helping them out, along with dozens of our partners. We're going to call Congress, fax Congress, email Congress, and do all of the things we know how to do to support these marchers and get Congress to listen to us, not the insurance companies. Click the header to participate.
These insurance company survivors are braving icy conditions and marching miles every day to win health care reform. We need to back them up with a barrage of action when they arrive in DC.
These actions will come at a particularly good time - February 25th is President Obama's bipartisan health care summit. Congress needs to hear from us before this summit. They need to hear that we want health care reform; we want real reform, not fake reform; and we want it now.
We need your voice!
Over the last week, we've been holding dozens of rallies all over the country to send our message to Congress. Now it's time to take that message to DC.
We all need to speak up at the top of our lungs if we're going to get health reform done and get it done right. The insurance companies and their army of lobbyists are spending millions every day to defeat health care reform.2
Can you speak up with us?
We're so close to the finish line. Thanks for helping us push Congress to listen to us and do the right thing.
To your health,
Levana Layendecker
Health Care for America Now
They're marching to get Congress to pay attention to them and to millions of others across this country who need real health care reform passed and need it now.
On February 24th they will arrive in Washington, DC. On the same day, MoveOn.org is organizing a huge "virtual march" on Washington. We're helping them out, along with dozens of our partners. We're going to call Congress, fax Congress, email Congress, and do all of the things we know how to do to support these marchers and get Congress to listen to us, not the insurance companies. Click the header to participate.
These insurance company survivors are braving icy conditions and marching miles every day to win health care reform. We need to back them up with a barrage of action when they arrive in DC.
These actions will come at a particularly good time - February 25th is President Obama's bipartisan health care summit. Congress needs to hear from us before this summit. They need to hear that we want health care reform; we want real reform, not fake reform; and we want it now.
We need your voice!
Over the last week, we've been holding dozens of rallies all over the country to send our message to Congress. Now it's time to take that message to DC.
We all need to speak up at the top of our lungs if we're going to get health reform done and get it done right. The insurance companies and their army of lobbyists are spending millions every day to defeat health care reform.2
Can you speak up with us?
We're so close to the finish line. Thanks for helping us push Congress to listen to us and do the right thing.
To your health,
Levana Layendecker
Health Care for America Now
DEMAND A VOTE ON A PUBLIC OPTION UNDER BUDGET RECONCILIATION
Click the header to sign the petition to Sen Majority Leader Reid.
MSNBC and Rachael Maddow video below.
LETTER FROM SENATE DEMOCRATS TO LEADER REID
Dear Leader Reid:
We respectfully ask that you bring for a vote before the full Senate a public health insurance option under budget reconciliation rules.
There are four fundamental reasons why we support this approach – its potential for billions of dollars in cost savings; the growing need to increase competition and lower costs for the consumer; the history of using reconciliation for significant pieces of health care legislation; and the continued public support for a public option.
FULL TEXT CONTINUED BELOW
Senator Michael Bennet (CO), Kirsten Gillibrand (NY), Jeff Merkley (OR), and Sherrod Brown (OH) are the orginal Healthcare Heroes who co-sponsored the Senate letter.
Now you can join them and add your name to the growing list of co-signers which already includes 119 House Democrats with more Senators signing on every day.
The current list of Senate signers includes:
Michael Bennet (CO)
Kirsten Gillibrand (NY)
Jeff Merkley (OR)
Sherrod Brown (OH)
Patrick Leahy (VT)
John Kerry (MA)
Sheldon Whitehouse (RI)
Al Franken (MN)
Roland Burris (IL)
Bernie Sanders (VT)
Dianne Feinstein (CA)
Frank Lautenberg (NJ)
Barbara Mikulski (MD)
Tom Udall (NM)
Jack Reed (RI)
Barbara Boxer (CA)
Chuck Schumer (NY)
Jeanne Shaheen (NH)
Show these Healthcare Heroes you have their backs -- join them as a citizen signer today.
The full text of Senator Bennet's Public Option Letter:
LETTER FROM SENATE DEMOCRATS TO LEADER REID
Dear Leader Reid:
We respectfully ask that you bring for a vote before the full Senate a public health insurance option under budget reconciliation rules.
There are four fundamental reasons why we support this approach – its potential for billions of dollars in cost savings; the growing need to increase competition and lower costs for the consumer; the history of using reconciliation for significant pieces of health care legislation; and the continued public support for a public option.
A Public Option Is an Important Tool for Restoring Fiscal Discipline.
As Democrats, we pledged that the Senate health care reform package would address skyrocketing health care costs and relieve overburdened American families and small businesses from annual double-digit health care cost increases. And that it would do so without adding a dime to the national debt.
The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) determined that the Senate health reform bill is actually better than deficit neutral. It would reduce the deficit by over $130 billion in the first ten years and up to $1 trillion in the first 20 years.
These cost savings are an important start. But a strong public option can be the centerpiece of an even better package of cost saving measures. CBO estimated that various public option proposals in the House save at least $25 billion. Even $1 billion in savings would qualify it for consideration under reconciliation.
Put simply, including a strong public option is one of the best, most fiscally responsible ways to reform our health insurance system.
A Public Option Would Provide Americans with a Low-Cost Alternative and Improve Market Competitiveness.
A strong public option would create better competition in our health insurance markets. Many Americans have no or little real choice of health insurance provider. Far too often, it’s “take it or leave it” for families and small businesses. This lack of competition drives up costs and leaves private health insurance companies with little incentive to provide quality customer service.
A recent Health Care for America Now report on private insurance companies found that the largest five for-profit health insurance providers made $12 billion in profits last year, yet they actually dropped 2.7 million people from coverage. Private insurance – by gouging the public even during a severe economic recession – has shown it cannot function in the public’s interest without a public alternative. Americans have nowhere to turn. That is not healthy market competition, and it is not good for the public.
If families or individuals like their current coverage through a private insurance company, then they can keep that coverage. And in some markets where consumers have many alternatives, a public option may be less necessary. But many local markets have broken down, with only one or two insurance providers available to consumers. Each and every health insurance market should have real choices for consumers.
There is a history of using reconciliation for significant pieces of health care legislation.
There is substantial Senate precedent for using reconciliation to enact important health care policies. The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Medicare Advantage, and the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA), which actually contains the term ‘reconciliation’ in its title, were all enacted under reconciliation.
The American Enterprise Institute’s Norman Ornstein and Brookings’ Thomas Mann and Molly Reynolds jointly wrote, “Are Democrats making an egregious power grab by sidestepping the filibuster? Hardly.” They continued that the precedent for using reconciliation to enact major policy changes is “much more extensive . . . than Senate Republicans are willing to admit these days.”
There is strong public support for a public option, across party lines.
The overwhelming majority of Americans want a public option. The latest New York Times poll on this issue, in December, shows that despite the attacks of recent months Americans support the public option 59% to 29%. Support includes 80% of Democrats, 59% of Independents, and even 33% of Republicans.
Much of the public identifies a public option as the key component of health care reform -- and as the best thing we can do to stand up for regular people against big insurance companies. In fact, overall support for health care reform declined steadily as the public option was removed from reform legislation.
Although we strongly support the important reforms made by the Senate-passed health reform package, including a strong public option would improve both its substance and the public’s perception of it. The Senate has an obligation to reform our unworkable health insurance market -- both to reduce costs and to give consumers more choices. A strong public option is the best way to deliver on both of these goals, and we urge its consideration under reconciliation rules.
Respectfully,
Michael Bennet (D-CO), U.S. Senator
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), U.S. Senator
Jeff Merkley (D-OR), U.S. Senator
Sherrod Brown (D-OH), U.S. Senator
MSNBC and Rachael Maddow video below.
LETTER FROM SENATE DEMOCRATS TO LEADER REID
Dear Leader Reid:
We respectfully ask that you bring for a vote before the full Senate a public health insurance option under budget reconciliation rules.
There are four fundamental reasons why we support this approach – its potential for billions of dollars in cost savings; the growing need to increase competition and lower costs for the consumer; the history of using reconciliation for significant pieces of health care legislation; and the continued public support for a public option.
FULL TEXT CONTINUED BELOW
Senator Michael Bennet (CO), Kirsten Gillibrand (NY), Jeff Merkley (OR), and Sherrod Brown (OH) are the orginal Healthcare Heroes who co-sponsored the Senate letter.
Now you can join them and add your name to the growing list of co-signers which already includes 119 House Democrats with more Senators signing on every day.
The current list of Senate signers includes:
Michael Bennet (CO)
Kirsten Gillibrand (NY)
Jeff Merkley (OR)
Sherrod Brown (OH)
Patrick Leahy (VT)
John Kerry (MA)
Sheldon Whitehouse (RI)
Al Franken (MN)
Roland Burris (IL)
Bernie Sanders (VT)
Dianne Feinstein (CA)
Frank Lautenberg (NJ)
Barbara Mikulski (MD)
Tom Udall (NM)
Jack Reed (RI)
Barbara Boxer (CA)
Chuck Schumer (NY)
Jeanne Shaheen (NH)
Show these Healthcare Heroes you have their backs -- join them as a citizen signer today.
The full text of Senator Bennet's Public Option Letter:
LETTER FROM SENATE DEMOCRATS TO LEADER REID
Dear Leader Reid:
We respectfully ask that you bring for a vote before the full Senate a public health insurance option under budget reconciliation rules.
There are four fundamental reasons why we support this approach – its potential for billions of dollars in cost savings; the growing need to increase competition and lower costs for the consumer; the history of using reconciliation for significant pieces of health care legislation; and the continued public support for a public option.
A Public Option Is an Important Tool for Restoring Fiscal Discipline.
As Democrats, we pledged that the Senate health care reform package would address skyrocketing health care costs and relieve overburdened American families and small businesses from annual double-digit health care cost increases. And that it would do so without adding a dime to the national debt.
The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) determined that the Senate health reform bill is actually better than deficit neutral. It would reduce the deficit by over $130 billion in the first ten years and up to $1 trillion in the first 20 years.
These cost savings are an important start. But a strong public option can be the centerpiece of an even better package of cost saving measures. CBO estimated that various public option proposals in the House save at least $25 billion. Even $1 billion in savings would qualify it for consideration under reconciliation.
Put simply, including a strong public option is one of the best, most fiscally responsible ways to reform our health insurance system.
A Public Option Would Provide Americans with a Low-Cost Alternative and Improve Market Competitiveness.
A strong public option would create better competition in our health insurance markets. Many Americans have no or little real choice of health insurance provider. Far too often, it’s “take it or leave it” for families and small businesses. This lack of competition drives up costs and leaves private health insurance companies with little incentive to provide quality customer service.
A recent Health Care for America Now report on private insurance companies found that the largest five for-profit health insurance providers made $12 billion in profits last year, yet they actually dropped 2.7 million people from coverage. Private insurance – by gouging the public even during a severe economic recession – has shown it cannot function in the public’s interest without a public alternative. Americans have nowhere to turn. That is not healthy market competition, and it is not good for the public.
If families or individuals like their current coverage through a private insurance company, then they can keep that coverage. And in some markets where consumers have many alternatives, a public option may be less necessary. But many local markets have broken down, with only one or two insurance providers available to consumers. Each and every health insurance market should have real choices for consumers.
There is a history of using reconciliation for significant pieces of health care legislation.
There is substantial Senate precedent for using reconciliation to enact important health care policies. The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Medicare Advantage, and the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA), which actually contains the term ‘reconciliation’ in its title, were all enacted under reconciliation.
The American Enterprise Institute’s Norman Ornstein and Brookings’ Thomas Mann and Molly Reynolds jointly wrote, “Are Democrats making an egregious power grab by sidestepping the filibuster? Hardly.” They continued that the precedent for using reconciliation to enact major policy changes is “much more extensive . . . than Senate Republicans are willing to admit these days.”
There is strong public support for a public option, across party lines.
The overwhelming majority of Americans want a public option. The latest New York Times poll on this issue, in December, shows that despite the attacks of recent months Americans support the public option 59% to 29%. Support includes 80% of Democrats, 59% of Independents, and even 33% of Republicans.
Much of the public identifies a public option as the key component of health care reform -- and as the best thing we can do to stand up for regular people against big insurance companies. In fact, overall support for health care reform declined steadily as the public option was removed from reform legislation.
Although we strongly support the important reforms made by the Senate-passed health reform package, including a strong public option would improve both its substance and the public’s perception of it. The Senate has an obligation to reform our unworkable health insurance market -- both to reduce costs and to give consumers more choices. A strong public option is the best way to deliver on both of these goals, and we urge its consideration under reconciliation rules.
Respectfully,
Michael Bennet (D-CO), U.S. Senator
Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), U.S. Senator
Jeff Merkley (D-OR), U.S. Senator
Sherrod Brown (D-OH), U.S. Senator
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