Possible compromise emerges in health care debate

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON – A potential compromise emerged Wednesday on one of the most vexing issues of the health care overhaul debate — whether to create a new government-sponsored health plan to compete with private insurers.

The compromise offered by Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., would create health care cooperatives owned by groups of residents and small businesses, similar to how electric or other cooperatives operate. They'd be nonprofit, and without the government involvement that troubles Republicans and business groups about the public plan options.

The chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Sen. Max Baucus of Montana, said Wednesday the idea could be key to a bipartisan health bill. Baucus raised it in a meeting with President Barack Obama, saying later that Obama showed interest. Baucus' Republican counterpart, Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, also said the concept had potential.

<snip>

Conrad's plan attempts to satisfy both sides. Profit-making insurance companies wouldn't run the show, but there also wouldn't be the federal government backing that Republicans fear would eliminate fair competition with private companies. The co-ops could get federal seed money, Conrad said, but that would be the end of federal involvement. The co-ops would negotiate directly with medical providers.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090610/ap_on_go_co/us_health_overhaul

I say that everyone who is insured gets a voting share in the company.

It's still hot air. Kent, I want your coverage, or you lose it. Fair enough?

Hawkeye-X

Single Payer HERE! http://www.johnrussellforcongress.com/page.asp?PageId=35

I think this is double talk for "Republicans fear would eliminate price gouging by private companies"

Notice how the media has already labeled this as a "compromise," thereby assuring that any opposition to it will be seen as "partisan..."
:grr:

These fuckers will do anything to serve their corporate masters while keeping a fig leaf for cover.

Shame.

bill on private insurance companies I wouldn't fight it. If it is a way of getting out of

The logistics of this make it unlikely to succeed. You would have to get a VERY large group, with a mixture of health conditions to be able to provide care for reasonable premiums. Small group plans are enormously expensive because they have to be able to sock away enough money to cover individuals with very large health expenses. Most places that specialize in small group insurance charge very high rates or decline to issue a policy. Getting favorable contracts with providers also requires a large population; without favorable contracts (1/3-1/2 of the costs that would otherwise be charged to uninsured individuals) the cost would be far higher for the coop to provide care than to purchase it from an insurance company.

On top of the economic constraints, it would require creating an administrative organization to negotiate contracts with hospitals, review and pay claims, etc.

messing around with a bunch of jive!

Kennedy's bill was the compromise. I've said all along it was stupid to start bargaining with what the package you're willing to settle for. Conrad's idea is the first example of what kind of crap we can expect in the final bill.

To bring costs down and pay claims. They are doing everything to kill that.

Effective insurance operates on the "law of large numbers." That's one of the major things so inefficient about having so many different private insurers operating where there is 100% risk of every single person dying - with the vast majority needing medical care while doing so. It won't help at all to have a bunch of small cooperatives.

Jeaezus they think we're stupid.

This is pure bull shit.

Without a national plan a public option is no option.

If this is the best these corrupt bastards can come up with dont bother.

We got their attention. Keep the pressure up and don't give in!

I understand it's easy for them to ignore email. However, phones and faxes are noisy and can jam up "business as usual". Snail mail that arrives in envelopes has to be stamped in and looked at before it's shredded. Sometimes you need to do the 3D option. Email is very 2D.

for them to ignore email and snail mail but a little more difficult to ignore a phone call or a fax. I want single payer because it is the best for my country and the best for the patients. I also think that it will not hurt the providers.

You picked a plan easy to fuck and jive with. Thats the way this cookie crumbles for another 50 years.

is there? No matter what they do, the underlying stink comes right up and hits the nostrils immediately.
WTF is it with you Conrad? You and Baucus smoking buffalo turds or something?

After all we wouldn't want anything that actually COMPETED with HEALTHCO's sacred RIGHT to extract RENT from each and every one of us peasants.

these folks don't want government ran because private insurers would tank, and these fuckers know that a large portion of their re-election gravy trains would dry up. quit fucking around!!!

It's us or them.

if we want change, we have to stand up and be heard. http://www.wisecountyissues.com/?p=62 In East Tennessee and southwest Virginia, Profit Care is more important than Patient Care.

then we should not be forced into anything!