Dean To Dems: Give Up On Comprehensive Health Care Reform For Now, Settle For What We Can Get

[Mass]

http://tpmlivewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/01/dean-give-up-on-comprehensive-health-care-reform-settle-for-what-we-can-get.php?ref=fpb

Dean To Dems: Give Up On Comprehensive Health Care Reform For Now, Settle For What We Can Get

Former DNC chair Howard Dean, long a fierce proponent of comprehensive health care reform that includes a public health insurance option, said on MSNBC moments ago that the Democrats can't get comprehensive health care reform now and should just settle for something smaller.

"You can't pass the Senate bill in the House, according to the speaker, and we have to respect her desires," Dean said. "So pass something through reconciliation. It doesn't have to be big and complicated. And it shouldn't be. We're not going to get the comprehensive health care bill that we had hoped we were gonna get."

So what can Democrats get? Expansion of Medicaid, a Medicare add-on and a "good, steady down payment" on a health care system that "everyone understands," Dean said.

"The alternative is to give up on health care reform," Dean said.

Just do "something simple," Dean suggested, and expand programs we already have.

"Come back and do comprehensive reform later," he said.

I agree with him as long as we deal with preexisting conditions, and other basic issues like recissions and minimal requirements for healthcare. Even if it is pared down, it needs to be meaningful.

[Eric J in MN]

1. Does "a Medicare add-on" mean Medicare-at-55? (NT)

NT

[begin_within]

2. Why not just pass 'Medicare for Anyone Who Wants To Buy It'

No mandate, nothing required, private insurance still available, people happy with their plans now could still keep them... just open Medicare to anyone who wants to pay the premium... it would bring more money into Medicare (and with younger subscribers who typically have lower medical costs) would make Medicare more solvent. What is the big deal with allowing anyone to buy Medicare instead of some private insurance?

[Phx_Dem]

3. Might be too late. They're already committing Harry Carry.

Dean needs to pick a position and stick with it for more than one day.

[LeftyAndProud60]

4. House Dems are morons. Will we ever again get a bill where mandates pass the Senate?

If that is important for pre-existing, then they should just pass the senate's bill and change it later.

[Teaser]

5. deanfail

.

[CreekDog]

6. Wow "settle for what you can get"...and that's why we were supposed to kill the bill?

yikes. :thumbsdown:

[ibegurpard]

7. these ideas are a hell of a lot better than mandates with token regulation

and cost controls.
the bill stunk.

[Tippy]

8. We have 283 Days .20.Hours...22...Minutes till Election day....

That is why....