Some positive changes for the health care bill, or why Coakely needs to win next week...

[backscatter712]

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/1/11/823813/-Dionne:-Antitrust-amendment-may-be-in-final-bill

E.J. Dionne, the Washington Post columnist has been talking with administration staff, senate staff, congressmen and lobbyists for the various industries.

He comes out of it with news that several different types of compromises are afoot and most of them are pretty good.

The first involves the excise tax, which I believe is needed for the final bill, others may disagree, but labor is willing to compromise on it. The current amount is set for 23,000 and labor estimates that would impact 1 in 4 families. I'm not sure on those estimates. People have stated it was lower, but labor also estimates that if raised to 28,000, it would effect 1 in every 14 families, that number seems a bit high, but that's still substantially better.

...

The second compromise has to do with the medicaid debacle that was started by Sen. Nelson. Right now, he gets his funding entirely paid for in the Senate health bill. Obviously, other states have balked at that. The compromise involves better medicaid funding for ALL states.

...

The final compromise will deal with the insurance industries and the progressive organizations. The thinking is that because the public option was killed the sides will be more willing to compromise but with Nelson and Lieberman taking strong stances throughout the debate (to their detriment in the polling), it's unpredictable. But there's the possibility that the antitrust amendment would be included in the bill along with the national exchange and the healthcare companies would be legally binded to maintain their 1.5-2% savings that they agreed at the WH or 2 trillion dollars in savings.

This is definitely encouraging. Bringing back the repeal of the insurance antitrust exemption would definitely be a good thing, and raising the threshold on the Cadillac Tax may make it more palatable.

[Ian David]

1. Who ever hit UnRec, fuck you. n/t

[backscatter712]

There's always some unrec trolls lurking about.

I've given up worrying about them. If my post's any good, the recs will win out.

[groundloop]

5. OK, I'll rec to cancel out the unrec troll

While I'm still pretty pissed off that we've apparently lost the public option AND medicare expansion, I'm hopeful that what's left can be made a little bit better.

[Ian David]

9. Thanks. n/t

[chelsea0011]

2. Next week? Isn't the election next week?

[backscatter712]

3. OK, I stand corrected.

[Tesha]

4. Tuesday next week (the 19th)

It shouldn't have been code, but it sounds like it is.

The Republicans are certainly going all-out for Brown.
I've heard there's a Democrat in the White House, but
apparently he's decided to stay "above the fray" 'cause
I haven't heard "boo" from him.

Tesha

[Tesha]

12. Just as I thought.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2010/01/obama_has_no_pl

Wow! He sent an E-mail! I hope he didn't strain his thumbs!

Tesha

[debbierlus]

6. This bill is shit

Coakley's going to the 60th vote.

Why do I have no enthusiam whatsoever?

[TheKentuckian]

7. All I read was hope. If they get the anti-trust exemption canned and do national exchanges

I can at least think about supporting it and any pol who votes for it though unless recession is utterly banned, without exception then it probably still won't work and I still am very much against taxing benefits on principle. Eventually, no matter where the bar is the point is to reduce levels of coverage and to shift more costs to the consumer/prisoner.

So, I hope this might be moving toward acceptable but there is NO NEWS, just optimisim without any real merit.

[hfojvt]

8. I like the idea of supporting Coakley

but this does not seem very inspirational for Massachusetts voters. Both of the changes seem to impact deficit neutrality. First, to raise the threshhold of the Caddy Tax is bound to bring in less revenue. Second, better medicaid funding for all states is bound to cost more money.

So decrease revenue and increase spending in a 'compromise' but then where is the extra money coming from?

[groundloop]

10. Tax Joe Lie-berman

We know he made a windfall from insurance companies for being the biggest road block. Tax that P.O.S.

[TheKentuckian]

11. I've got nothing against Coakley and despite being settled in to the fact we aren't going to pass

anything comprehensive or big picture crucial, I reckon we need her to at least extend unemployment or to pass a budget that Snowe or Collins don't 100% approve but its not very heartening at all. Especially, when this bill is so awful that I'm inclined to be so against it that I feel nothing so positive will come from Congress to make it worth the risk.

I can't believe I'm thinking like this much less broadcasting it, what happened to this party that I am actively afraid of what they will do? Oh yeah, they adopted the principles of Reaganomics and profits over people.