'Doctors for America' launches

[Adelante]

This may not wind up being decisive in the health care fight, but the organizing gap between the two sides continues to widen.

Sen. Max Bauscus and the Center for American Progress Action Fund are announcing a new group on a conference call later this morning: Doctors for America, which is a reincarnation of Doctors for Obama, an arm of the Obama campaign that boasted more than 10,000 members.

The question of patients' relationships with their doctors is always a flashpoint in debating changes to the health care system, so doctors are often particularly credible messengers.

Today they'll "release new reports detailing the depth and breadth of America's health care crisis and announce a new effort to amplify physicians' voices in support of health care reform," according to the advisory.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0509/Doctors_for_America_launches.html?showall

[madfloridian]

1. Trying to beat Howard Dean on his conference call tonight?

At MoveOn?

Very interesting move on their part.

I do not trust this bunch on health care.

From the DFA and MoveOn email:

"Urgent update on health care: Next week, Congress will begin making the actual decisions about what'll be in a health care reform bill.

Meanwhile, conservative groups have launched a new assault on the president's proposal, including a million-dollar ad campaign claiming that health care will be rationed and "bureaucrats" will "decide the treatments you receive."1

If real people like us don't get involved in this health care fight now, it could all fall apart. So we're holding an emergency online briefing on Monday night at 9 p.m. ET with Dr. Howard Dean to make sure we're all ready for the fight ahead, called "What we all need to know to win on health care this year."

If fixing our health care system is important to you, this is an event you shouldn't miss. All you need to join in is a computer with an internet connection. Can you join us?

Here are the details:

What: Emergency Online Briefing with Dr. Howard Dean (Organized by MoveOn and Democracy for America)

When: Monday, May 4, 9 p.m. ET/ 8 CT/ 7 MT/ 6 PT"

[madfloridian]

2. Here's the latest on what Baucus wants...set aside public option, go with mandate like MA

http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=58217

"Capitol Hill Watch | Baucus Setting Aside Talks on Public Plan To Focus on Other Aspects of Health Overhaul Legislation


At a meeting with reporters on Friday, Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus (D-Mont.) said he will temporarily set aside talks on a new public insurance option to focus on maintaining employer self-insurance plans, CQ Today reports. Self-insured companies qualify for tax exemptions through the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. The federal law allows firms to create their own tax-exempt insurance plan -- a means of cutting costs by taking on the risks themselves -- as long as the plans meet federal standards laid out by ERISA. Firms contract with private insurers to administer the plans. Baucus said he would aim to preserve this self-insurance system while expanding private coverage and public programs such as Medicaid. He said, "We'll end up with more private insurance and more public insurance" (Armstrong, CQ Today, 4/24).

As for the creation of a new public insurance option, Baucus said that it is "on the table," adding that it "might be to the side a little bit, ... but it's still on the table." He added, "We're trying to get momentum going. We'll get to the public option a little later. Let's not forget: There's an awful lot more here than the public option" (Young, The Hill, 4/24).

Baucus said he would support a "system similar to Massachusetts," which allows residents to buy coverage through a "connector" offering plans that meet government-established benefit minimums."