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Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Howard Dean: Kill the Senate Health Care Reform Bill
According to :
In a blow to the bill grinding through the Senate, Howard Dean bluntly called for the bill to be killed in a pre-recorded interview set to air later this afternoon, denouncing it as “the collapse of health care reform in the United States Senate,” the reporter who conducted the interview tells me.
Dean reportedly said this in the interview:
“This is essentially the collapse of health care reform in the United States Senate. Honestly the best thing to do right now is kill the Senate bill, go back to the House, start the reconciliation process, where you only need 51 votes and it would be a much simpler bill.”
I don't know about you, but I trust Howard Dean more than I trust almost anyone else in politics. Health care reform has long been his signature issue. If The Doctor says this ain't real reform, I believe him. Dean was generally supportive of the compromise that would have replaced the public option with a Medicare buy in provision. Now he's drawn the line.
December 15, 2009 at 01:48 PM in Healthcare, Obama Health Care Reform | Permalink
Comments
Well let's see.
No real competition for out of control health insurance industry via public option. No extended Medicare either.
Loop holes in the bill allow for annual caps for insurance payouts for the sick and injured and medical cost caps for patients do not include co-pays and deductibles so medical bankruptcy rates will continue unabated.
Taxpayer subsidized mandates to buy from health insurance monopolies add up to a huge windfall for profiteers.
There are loopholes in the bill that still allow for rescinding coverage using pre-existing conditions as an excuse to deny coverage.
Coverage does not mean care. We will be paying even more for coverage with no guarantee of actual health care.
Health care delivery and incentives are not adequately addressed to make the system more efficient or effective. There are no savings for providers dealing with complex billing rules and paperwork. Tort reform was not addressed so providers still must pay unsustainable premiums for malpractice insurance.
No costs are curbed as the for profit health insurance industry must skim their un-capped cut. The rule making 90 percent of premiums go to actual health care did not make the bill.
I heard the Dorgan-Snow amendment arguments again today but I think they passed a largely watered down version that will do nothing to rein in obscene exploitation of Americans by the pharmaceutical companies.
The process of dealing with our health needs is still intolerably Byzantine, intrusive, cryptic and incredibly stressful.
This bill is crap in a bag left on the doorstep of Obama's base.
Posted by: qofdisks | Dec 15, 2009 9:09:38 PM
I stand with Dr. Dean! No give-aways to the runaway insurance hucksters! Kill the Senate bill! Demand progressive Congressional Democrats keep their promises!
Posted by: Stephen Jones | Dec 15, 2009 10:25:57 PM
Sadly I agree with qofdisks -
Unfortunately this is the bill Obama wanted all along. I'm sorry but its time we lay this mess at the feat of the one who helped created it. We all need to get over the fact that we have elected a President who doesn't want to lead and who's chief concern is Corporate interests. Its time to admit that the Big O was a mistake. Personally I'm much further than that. I think the guy is an out and out coward and liar but I know I'm just ahead of the curve on that view.
Posted by: mwfolsom | Dec 15, 2009 10:33:10 PM
Corporatocracy. that is waht we are living in right now. People better wake up . We need a revolt of some kind
Posted by: Tim Powers | Dec 28, 2009 6:57:44 AM
