Alan Grayson discusses the House bill on Countdown

[ProSense]

Video: Hundreds and hundreds of people will die if this bill doesn't pass

[ProSense]

1. No comment? n/t

[Cha]

2. I said it once and I'll say it

again..I love Grayson, he's a Lefty and a Team Player.

[HughMoran]

3. We'll do it live!!

I saw it live and posted in GD. It was unrecced and nobody wanted to talk about it there either. Apparently his cult hero status is over and he's to be thrown under the bus for promoting the House bill.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

4. I wonder what GD thinks about that?

[HopeOverFear]

26. they'll make up something I'm sure

[JimWis]

5. K&R

[madfloridian]

6. Throw him under the bus!

:evilgrin:

[SemiCharmedQuark]

7. We should have the buses go against each other in a truck rally kind of thing.

[eridani]

8. They'll still die even if it does pass n/t

[HughMoran]

9. We're all going to die

...someday.

[eridani]

10. There is nothing in this bill that is going to save many lives

There just aren't that many wealthy people with pre-esisting conditions. The mandated insurance is going to slash discretionary income to the point where people won't be able to afford non-catastrophic medical expenses.

[HughMoran]

11. @ $40,000 per year for family coverage, I hope something passes soon

This bill offers the possibility of lower rates and I can stay on Cobra until "exchanges" are set up (I work at a very small company). I see it as a significant improvement from my perspective, never mind some of the other provisions that have been discussed here.

[eridani]

13. They could pass a separte bill amending the origninal COBRA

--which would solve your problem. And bully for you. My company just cut my retiree plan, and I don't even get the rest of my COBRA period with or without the legislation.

Guess you just want to force feed me a poison ivy salad and cheer me up by pointing out that it's dressed with a really nice balsamic vinegar.

[HughMoran]

15. So you can't stay on Cobra until the "exchanges" are set up?

Why?

[eridani]

17. Because the damned plan that COBRA applied to has been eliminated n/t

[HughMoran]

18. Crap

That's the one caveat with Cobra.

[eridani]

20. If the company no longer offers coverage to retirees, they are exempt n/t

[ProSense]

12. "The mandated insurance is going to slash discretionary income" What the hell are you talking about?

People have insurance now, and are paying an arm and a leg for it. Those who are low income and uninsured, will either receive susidized coverage through the exchange or Medicaid.

You talk as if some new payment in addition to what people are paying now is being created. It's going to get better, not worse. The way some people are trying to misrepresent the bill it's impossible to see how they think a robust public option can improve it.

[eridani]

14. I'm not poor enough for Medicaid. There IS no exchange until 2013

Guess what? Forced mandatory insurance really is paying more than what you are paying now. And there is no robust public option--it's a minor frill to distract us from mandated private insurance.

I know I'll be worse off because I've checked on the Kaiser Family Foundation online calculator.

[ProSense]

16. "Forced mandatory insurance really is paying more than what you are paying now." Nonsense.

"And there is no robust public option--it's a minor frill to distract us from mandated private insurance."

If you're going to receive coverage through a public option (assuming a robust option because you brought it up), why are you concerned about a mandate?

[eridani]

19. Because CBO has estimated that the public option will be MORE EXPENSIVE

--because it must pay for itself, and it will be loaded with sicker people. So my only way out of the mandate is to pay MORE MONEY to the public option.

[HughMoran]

21. But the other thread you're posting in says that's not so

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8729288

[eridani]

22. I'm seeing "exchange" but not "public oplion" n/t

[HughMoran]

23. The public option is one of the options offered at the exchange

Here is the "brief" about the public option (from here -> http://edlabor.house.gov/documents/111/pdf/publications/AHCAA-PUBLICOPTION-102909.pdf )

PUBLIC HEALTH INSURANCE OPTION
The goal of health care reform is to provide quality, affordable health care for every American while preserving
what works in today’s system, expanding choice, and containing costs. The Affordable Health Care for America
Act creates a public health insurance option that would compete on a level playing field with private insurers
within the Health Insurance Exchange.

OVERVIEW

 The public health insurance option is available in the new Health Insurance Exchange (Exchange) along with all
of the private health insurance plans (including health co-ops). The public option will add choice to the health
insurance market; participation will be completely voluntary.

INCREASING CHOICE, COMPETITION AND ACCOUNTABILITY

 Today, many areas of the country are dominated by only one or two insurance companies. Establishing a
public health insurance option will create a new choice for individuals and families.
 Competition in consolidated markets, driven by the introduction of a more efficient and transparent plan, will
help lower premiums for all plans as the private market is forced to compete on a level playing field for the
first time.
 By creating an alternative in the market, both public and private plans will be accountable for their actions
because people can leave one for the other during enrollment periods. For example, if the public option fails
to maintain an adequate provider network, people will not enroll. Likewise, if the private plans
inappropriately restrict access to care, people may choose the public option.

LEVEL PLAYING FIELD

 The public health insurance option must meet the same benefit requirements and comply with the same
insurance market reforms as private plans.
 Like private plans, premiums for the public health insurance option will be established for the local market
areas that are designated by the Exchange and will vary by region.
 Individuals in the Exchange can choose freely among the private carriers and the public option. Employers
who participate in the Exchange cannot dictate employees’ participation in a particular plan.
 Affordability credits can be used for any plan in the Exchange — public or private.
 To ensure independence of the Exchange, the public health insurance option will be run by the Department of
Health and Human Services, not the Exchange.

SELF-SUFFICIENCY

 Like private plans, the public health insurance option must be financially self-sustaining and maintain its
operations using premium revenue.
 The public health insurance option will be required to build start-up costs and contingency funds into its rates
and adjust premiums over time to assure its financial viability. The start-up costs are a loan and must be
repaid.

INNOVATION AND COST CONTAINMENT

 The public health insurance option will have lower administrative costs than private plans, and it will be
accountable to its enrollees and taxpayers, not shareholders or highly-paid executives.
 Institutes new payment structures and incentives to promote primary care, encourage coordinated care and
shared accountability, and improve quality.

PROVIDER PAYMENTS AND PARTICIPATION

 Provider participation is voluntary and providers are permitted to opt-out.
 The Secretary of Health and Human Services will negotiate provider payment rates, which can be no higher
than the average private plan rates and no lower than Medicare.
 Allows immediate integration of delivery reforms also contained in the bill.

[eridani]

24. And we want a level playing field because why?

We need to keep in business the fucktards who are behind our current high costs? If the public option competed by using government leverage, that would drive down costs faster than anything.

[HughMoran]

25. Call your Congressman it you don't like it

Look, I posted that to help you out - I didn't write it. You're complaining to the wrong person.

[HopeOverFear]

27. Well that settles it...Grayson has thrown us under the bus

:sarcasm: