Conrad joins Baucus in delusional land

Conrad praises Baucus bill, defends concessions to GOP

By Michael O'Brien

The healthcare bill released by Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) Wednesday is a good start and takes into account many Republican concerns, Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) said.

Conrad, a member of the centrist "gang of six" seeking to put together a bipartisan health bill in the Finance Committee, said that the bill released by committee chairman Max Baucus would help move health reform forward.

"It's a good product," Conrad said on CNBC. "It is an attempt by the chairman to lay out what he thinks reflects best the discussions over this extended period of time. And I think the chairman has done a good job of capturing where the talks are at this point."

Included in the plan are non-profit healthcare cooperatives, an idea first floated by Conrad in lieu of the public option, along with several other concessions to Republican lawmakers.

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