They're Going To Make A Mockery Of The Public Option!

[shraby]

I'm bringing this in from DailyKos because it warrants a look and action by the du'ers. It looks to me like Schumer is ready to give away the store on health care in favor of private companies:

The chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Max Baucus, Democrat of Montana, asked Mr. Schumer to seek a solution. In his response, Mr. Schumer set forth these principles:

The public plan must be self-sustaining. It should pay claims with money raised from premiums and co-payments. It should not receive tax revenue or appropriations from the government.

The public plan should pay doctors and hospitals more than what Medicare pays. Medicare rates, set by law and regulation, are often lower than what private insurers pay.

The government should not compel doctors and hospitals to participate in a public plan just because they participate in Medicare.

To prevent the government from serving as both "player and umpire," the officials who manage a public plan should be different from those who regulate the insurance market.
In addition, Mr. Schumer said, the public plan should be required to establish a reserve fund, just as private insurers must maintain reserves for the payment of anticipated claims. And he said the public plan should be required to provide the same minimum benefits as private insurers.

<http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/5/5/727968/-Theyre-Going-To-Make-A-Mockery-Of-The-Public-Option!>

[PassingFair]

1. Wrong, Mr. Schumer. The plan should BE Medicare.

I agree it should be self-sustaining, and it would.

Reasonable co-pays will see to that.

Other than that, Schumer can shove it.

[Triana]

19. Exactly. n/t

[TahitiNut]

22. Medicare premiums are approximately four times what retirees are charged, you know.

Combined Part A & B premiums are $96.40 for most Medicare recipients. That represents 25% of the cost, where the other 75% is paid by 'HI' payroll taxes.

Now, the fact of the matter is that the beneficiaries of Medicare are over 65 ... when health care costs accelerate. One might suppose that people under 65 would incur lower costs.

Nonetheless, we can expect a 'public option' premium on the order of $380/month for an individual. How such a premium is subsidized for the poor would, no doubt, result in a shift that raises the premium for others.

Don't get me wrong. There's no question in my feeble mind that a Single-Payer health care system would result in both an increase in coverage to all Americans and a reduction in the total costs of health care to all Americans on the order of 25% or more.

It's a "wet dream" ... but we all know that Congress has an extensive track record of fucking up wet dreams.

[PassingFair]

24. Take the 40% profit from the insurance companies...

add a co-pay, and subsidize the rest.

If my family could be completely covered
for $400.00/month, I would be very happy.

Also, raise the FICA contribution level.

[Sgent]

30. Not quite right

the premiums only represent Part B premiums. Part A is free for the recipient. The 25% comes in because the premiums for Part B make up 25% of the Part B budget -- the other 75% comes from the general fund.

[rocktivity]

2. In other words, Schumer's public plan is not a public plan at all.

But instead of privatizing Medicare for all, why not nationalize the insurance companies?

:headbang:
rocktivity

[nxylas]

3. Thou shalt not threaten corporate interests

That seems to be the overriding, ahem, principle here.

[angstlessk]

5. thank gawd the auto is not being invented now, as the monied interests

in DC, the buggy makers, pooper scoopers, and buggy whip bidness would prevent it from ever comming to fruition!!! :grr:

[angstlessk]

4. just what the doctor ordered...a NEW FUCKING INSURANCE COMPANY!!!

I bet their CEO will be paid millions and millions also like Fannie Mae and Freedie Mac?

[dixiegrrrrl]

6. Reccing this so more see it...

Quell surprise....

Damn, and Schumer looked so convincing during the Attorneygate firings.
Little did I know then that Congress was longest running soap opera in America.

[RDANGELO]

7. I don't know.

As long as the public entity is not for profit, it should be able to offer it's services at a lower cost putting pressure on the private insurers. If this is what it takes to get the foot in the door, it might be worth it. As long as there is a public option, you can eventually get to single payer.

[Oregone]

10. Well if you look at the specifics mentioned,

It looks like the door is going to slam closed on the foot. And as for cost-cutting due to non-profit (which isn't mentioned), its self-sustaining nature might cancel that out. If poor people have their payments subsidized, then they need to raise that money somewhere (increasing premiums for everyone). To top it off, they wont be setting caps on payouts and doctors/hospital can choose not to accept it. Sounds like a worthless insurance program.

[drm604]

11. Yes, but not what Schumer is proposing.

What he wants is simply a non-profit corporation that isn't supported by tax dollars. I don't see how it could even be called a "public option" when it's really just another corporation.

And if doctors and hospitals aren't compelled to participate, then you'll probably have very few choices as to where you get treatment.

[PHIMG]

20. That is total BS

The public option is about stopping Single Payer in its tracks. You only get a shot at healthcare reform every 20 years. The public option is to distract progressives (people who naively say "it will lead to single payer!") while they pass the onerous "mandate and subsidize" provisions borrowed from MassCare.

Remember people Medicare was a "compromise" that was supposed to lead to everyone having government healthcare. It didn't work.

Well need to ask for the whole enchilada. No more appeasment of corporate interests.

Its time to put people before profits and power.

Single Payer or Bust!

[Oregone]

8. Wow. So this is how they are going to get by without solving anything

Interesting. And maybe people wont beg again for another 50 years.

Self-sustaining my ass. How the hell are you going to subsidize poverty level premiums with a self-sustaining system? Double charge the middle class? Doesn't make sense.

[harun]

9. So Schumer wants to make the gov't option sh*ttier than profit-care

companies services so profit-care can continue to get rich off sh*tty coverage. Nice goal Schumer, what else you got for us?

[Freddie Stubbs]

14. How is Schumer's plan sh*ttier than 'profit-care?'

:shrug:

[harun]

16. They are going to make it more expensive and not press care givers

to take it. They can all simply say no.

So they want to make it a relatively un-attractive option to placate the for-profit lobby.

I am NOT saying that having an option is sh*ttier than having one. I am just saying they are trying to make the option not-so-good because the for-profits are freaking out that they would lose everyone (and their profits).

[enlightenment]

12. My, my.

Wish I could say I was surprised. Shocked. Something.

Unfortunately, it's not any more a surprise than discovering water is wet.

Very, very few of our elected leadership want single-payer - and since most of them simply ignore the 'represent' part of representative democracy, they are going to do what they want, not what the public wants.

I suspect some of Mr. Schumer's buddies are going to be a bit provoked with him for making it so very clear that a public option won't be seriously entertained; my sense of this has been that they would tiptoe around it until they got their version of corporate welfare for the insurance companies rammed through. Now they're going to have to put up with the buzzing whine of their constituencies in their ears . . . ever so annoying, that.

[OHdem10]

13. I fear that in the end, Obama would have been better off to have

simply given the Middle Class a real substantial taxcut and forgot
about Health Care.

If this ends up like Cobra--God Help the Democratic Party.

When the Cobra bill passed there were bells and whistles and oh
what a great thing had been done. The Middle Class got shafted
as usual. Who could afford Cobra.

Leaving Insurance Companies and Pharmaceutical houses in charge,
tells us the prices will only go up and up while we get less and
less care. The Middle Class will turn on the Party and do not
ever forget it.

[SammyWinstonJack]

15. K&R

x(

[tridim]

17. Does anyone really believe that the private insurance companies will just roll over?

Changing health care to benefit patients will probably be the biggest fight we've ever fought, the people vs. the corporation. Get ready, because it's going to get ugly.

[PHIMG]

21. We need to nationalize them

It is the only fair punishment for thier crimes and it would also eliminate their waste.

We need to take the government back from the corporate crime syndicates that run it.

[PassingFair]

27. It's already VERY ugly for those with pre-existing conditions...

and for those that are unemployed or under-employed.

[Triana]

18. Baucus and Schumer were (I believe) two that Dr. Dean said we need to WORK

on....Baucus definitely. That was the first name he mentioned.

[madfloridian]

23. Here is the lnk ot the MoveOn briefing with Dean.

http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51386&id=16049-1340845-S_KcZHx&t=2

It was mentioned here and mostly ignored. As of last night not a single Democratic forum or blog was mentioning it.

I have not checked today.

[Triana]

25. It was posted about here both before and after the briefing...

...with links to join in - and afterwards, links to give feedback that Senator Kerry was to take directly to the Senate today to be entered into the record.

But links to the briefing itself have not been posted here that I know of, so that's most appreciated.

Dunno about anywhere else though.

[madfloridian]

26. Agreed...the links were posted here.

They just did not get much attention.

The level of interest at Democratic forums in taking part in such is surprising.

[PassingFair]

28. Well, they didn't give us much warning, Mad....

I just read the e-mail this morning.
I had a headache last night and didn't
read the e-mail....

[alberg]

29. I just called Schumer's office - we should all call now: 202-224-6542

I just called Schumer's office and told him how off base he is and how he is betraying the trust of Democrats who worked to get him elected as well as the American people. The person taking the call said they are getting a'lot of calls and that people are upset - so keep calling - keep the heat on.

[backscatter712]

33. Just made my call!

Had to deal with a few busy signals and a few minutes waiting on hold, but I got to tell the aide I was disappointed with Schumer's nerfing of the public option and that I was tired of being screwed by the insurance companies.

[backscatter712]

34. K&R... MAKE THOSE CALLS!!!

Don't let Schumer's aides have a moment's peace!

[imdjh]

38. I'm getting a busy signal

[backscatter712]

39. It took me a few tries...

Just to get through, and then I had to wait on hold.

Yeah, they're getting slammed. B-)

[slipslidingaway]

31. knr nt

[leftstreet]

32. FINE! Then let the Military Industrial Complex hold BAKE SALES!

It should pay claims with money raised from premiums and co-payments. It should not receive tax revenue or appropriations from the government.

[jsamuel]

35. kick

[madfloridian]

36. Kick

.

[annabanana]

37. I am really pissed at Schumer.. His people assured me, over and over

on the phone, that he supported a genuine public option... and now I see THIS crap.

His phone has been turned off... it rings & rings with no answer..

[librechik]

40. Gee, what took him so long to roll over on his back?

The hearings haven't even started!

SINGLE PAYER OR (lots of folks will) DIE!

[Autumn]

41. Of course he is ready to give away the store

on health care and he certainly won't be alone in doing it. Our elected officials are not ever going to go against their true constituents.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

42. I called Schumer's office today

I was on hold with music for about five minutes.The person who answered sounded like she was fifteen. I told her I was deeply, deeply, disappointed in the Schumer's public option as described by the New York Times and that I personally was for single payer, but what Schumer outlined was a farce. She said "Is there anything else I can relay to Senator Schumer?" I said no, and that was it.

They probably have caller ID and could see that I was calling from outside his state and couldn't care less about my opinion.That is a problem. He is screwing my life and countless millions of others, but since we can't directly vote him in or out, he could give a shit. I'm still glad I called. I hope others did as well.

(Schumer comes up in DU spellcheck as "schemer")

[pleah]

43. K&R

:mad: