Baucus "sets aside" public option for now.

[madfloridian]

Max Baucus Setting Aside Talks on Public Plan To Focus on Other Aspects of Health Overhaul Legislation

Apr 27, 2009

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. He also said, "I think the whole system should be more national, and the benefits have to be more national. You can't have benefits be one level in one state, and another level in other states." However, he said his goal is not to disrupt employer-sponsored plans. According to Baucus, "The system I envision is where self-insured companies, ERISA companies, can keep their own plans and manage health insurance in the way that they have. We're not going to change the ways self-insured companies handle health care for employees." As for workers at smaller firms that do not offer insurance and other people buying insurance on their own, Baucus said they could purchase insurance through the exchange that would be similar to the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. He also said, "We have to reform the health insurance market" by guaranteeing that people are able to purchase insurance (CQ Today, 4/24).

Massachusetts has a plan that mandates everyone buy insurance. Pray tell, how does one buy insurance for health care when one is unemployed?

And tonight Governor Dean is having an open meeting at MoveOn to discuss how to keep a public option like Medicare.

MoveOn call with Howard Dean Monday night

Dear MoveOn member,

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?

[AtomicKitten]

1. Although I'm disappointed Dr. Dean didn't get a spot within this administration,

I can't think of anyone better to get up in their face about public healthcare.

[cali]

2. no way can we allow this. time to get on the phones

and start howling.

[madfloridian]

3. Here is a link to tonight's forum with Dean at Move On.

http://www.moveon.org/drdean/?id=16038-8601100-NPvROsx&t=7

Baucus is trying to beat him to the punch with his new group of doctors who don't want a public option.

[rocktivity]

5. The first step to the million single-payer march.

Be there!

:headbang:
rocktivity

[madfloridian]

6. If we have the public option, people will choose it.....demand for it will grow.

That is the reasoning behind this. It will lead to it being the choice of most.

We have a real fight on our hands to take the first steps toward single payer.

[avaistheone1]

11. I think you are on to something.

That is a really great idea.:kick:

[stevenleser]

4. Thanks for this MadFloridian. This is very important

I cannot attend because I work late, but I will try to followup with what comes out of this.

[ClarkUSA]

7. The fight for mandate-less national healthcare starts and will end in the Senate.

That's why Sen. Franken needs to get in there ASAP. President Obama will do his damndest but conservative Democrats will
obstruct him if they think they can get away with it.

I'll going to be tuning into the townhall.

[DavidDvorkin]

8. "For now" means forever

The current mood in the country means that this is a rare opportunity to get some type of public option through. It would be a terrible mistake to let the opportunity pass.

[madfloridian]

9. I think you may be right.

We won't have a majority like this often.

[avaistheone1]

12. This IS the time to get it done.

No doubt about that. Now we are going to see who the real Democrats are who are the shills for the health insurers.

[avaistheone1]

10. The Massachusett program is a failure.

Baucus is a freaking clown.



http://www.pnhp.org/mass_report/mass_report_Final.pdf

[MarjorieG]

13. A well paid clown by the insurance companies. There needs to be a way to shame and limit him.

[avaistheone1]

14. He richly deserves that.

We need some good ideas how to accomplish that.

[Frank Booth]

15. You think there's a conflict of interest here?

"Health insurers and their employees contributed $2.2 million to the top 10 recipients in the House and Senate since 2005, while drug makers and their employees gave more than $3.3 million to top lawmakers during the same time period, according to an analysis of federal elections data by Consumer Watchdog, a California-based advocacy group.

The biggest beneficiaries in the Senate included John McCain (R-Ariz.), with $546,000; Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), with $425,000; and Max Baucus (D-Mont.), with $413,000, who as head of the Finance Committee will play a leading role in the debate over health-care reform.

http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/patients/articles/?storyId=25471

Call me cynical, but I bet that $413,000 means a lot more to Max Baucus than does the health of needy Americans.

[avaistheone1]

16. Sincerely, I think there should be a large sign that they must wear to any

committee hearing or when they cast a vote that shows how much money $$$ each Senator and Congress critter has received from these special interests, lobbyists and corporations.

Baucas is clearly a sell-out.

[Kaleko]

17. Tell Baucus what you think. Leave a voicemail message at his 800 number:

From
HealthJustice Action Alert
Baucus' Incredible Arrogance Makes Me Angry
5/5/09
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Today Mad Max Baucus showed us what he means when he says 'single payer is off the table.' When single payer advocates politely asked for a seat at the table, where 15 insurance flunkies were waiting to testify to his Senate committee, Sen. Baucus sneered at them and told them they would get more police. That gave all of Baucus' fellow insurance flunkies (and all the other clowns in the hearing room) a big laugh. Then Baucus hypocritically told the audience how much he respected single payer, as the police were arresting eight people who just wanted to present a point of view.

I am angry about this arrogant abuse of power. If you are angry, now is your chance to tell Baucus.

Call 800-578-4171, choose option 1, and connect to his office. If no one answers, it probably is because Baucus is too chicken to even listen to the angry messages. If you can't get through, HealthJustice will forward your voicemail.

Alternatively, call each one of his offices in Montana.

Here are the phone numbers:

Billings(406) 657-6790;
Bozeman [phone];
Butte [phone];
Great Falls [phone], [phone] (TDD);
Helena [phone];
Kalispell [phone];
Missoula [phone];
Washington D.C. [phone](Office),[phone] (Fax)