A Democrat's view from the House: Senate bill isn't health reform

[spiritual_gunfighter]

Editor's note: Rep. Louise M. Slaughter, a Democrat, represents the 28th Congressional District of New York. Slaughter is the first woman to chair the House Rules Committee and the only microbiologist in Congress.

Washington (CNN) -- The Senate health care bill is not worthy of the historic vote that the House took a month ago.

Even though the House version is far from perfect, it at least represents a step toward our goal of giving 36 million Americans decent health coverage.

But under the Senate plan, millions of Americans will be forced into private insurance company plans, which will be subsidized by taxpayers. That alternative will do almost nothing to reform health care but will be a windfall for insurance companies. Is it any surprise that stock prices for some of those insurers are up recently?

I do not want to subsidize the private insurance market; the whole point of creating a government option is to bring prices down. Insisting on a government mandate to have insurance without a better alternative to the status quo is not true reform.

By eliminating the public option, the government program that could spark competition within the health insurance industry, the Senate has ended up with a bill that isn't worthy of its support.

The public option is the part of our reform effort that will lower costs, improve the delivery of health care services and force insurance companies to offer rates and services that are reasonable.

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/OPINION/12/23/slaughter.oppose.senate.bill/

[FLAprogressive]

1. Are house progressives getting a spine maybe?!

[spiritual_gunfighter]

2. I hope so TPM is reporting this

Reps. Woolsey And Lee: Final Bill Must Have A Public Option
moments ago

In a statement released today, Democratic Reps. Lynn Woolsey and Barbara Lee demanded that the final health care bill must emerge from conference committee with several "key provisions" from the House bill, including the public option.

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/live/health-care/#309858?ref=fpblg

[DURHAM D]

3. just the women... nt

[yurbud]

4. if the words are followed by actions, yes. Unfortunately, I doubt that progressives can roll Obama

since he's made it clear through surrogates that the Liebercare was what he wanted all along, so Joe didn't really twist his arm, he just played a part in our kibuki democracy.

They might as well save some time and just say, ''This is the health care 'reform' our corporate masters have chosen to give us. Be grateful.''