House Dems Formulate Draft of Pared-Down Bill - Without Individual Mandate

[liskddksil]

A group of 25 House Democrats have begun circulating draft proposals for smaller bills that would not include an individual or employer mandate, any new entitlement programs, or a public option to compete with private insurers, said New Jersey Representative William Pascrell, who is leading the effort.

An initial bill would deal with controlling costs and revising the way doctors and hospitals administer and charge for health care. A second would address the antitrust exemption for insurers and a third would address physician concerns about liability, Pascrell said.

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-01-21/pelosi-says-house-lacks-votes-for-senate-health-plan-update3-.html

This would be a lot more palatable to me, although hopefully the public option can be resurected in another bill.

[WI_DEM]

1. At this point this is probably the best we can expect.

[liskddksil]

2. Better than nothing

[Teaser]

6. except that it wont' be passed

.

[Mass]

3. Without getting rid of preexisting conditions, rescission, and lifetime caps, it is useless.

as well as minimum expectations, there is no point having a reform. But count of the Democrats to stop breathing before being dead.

I have no problem with getting rid of individual mandate, though.

If they do that rather than fight on a real bill that helps, they can forget my support in 2010.

[karynnj]

7. I agree that your list includes the most important things

In addition, they need to have a bill that either has subsidies or that expands Medicaid (maybe with tapered payments starting at some level above the current threshold.

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

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[Teaser]

5. This will go nowhere.

this will never clear the Senate. Ever.

Superfail.

[NavyMom]

8. Supposedly some members would agree to the Senate bill but include it must be ratified

and use reconciliation in the Senate. This seems to be a better option if the Senate bill is passed with the inclusion of the ratification along with reconciliation which will cut the legs from under the No party.