Sebelius Indicates Willingness To Compromise On Public Plan, Offers Support For Co-Op Proposal
Sebelius Indicates Willingness To Compromise On Public Plan, Offers Support For Co-Op Proposal
In an emailed statement to Bloomberg News, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said she’s open to the idea of dropping a public health insurance option in favor of a medical-insurance cooperative. “You could theoretically design a co-op plan that had the same attributes as a public plan,” Sebelius said.
The leading co-op proposal in the Senate, offered by Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND), does not share the attributes of a public plan. Instead, Conrad’s proposal would create multiple state or regional non-profits as a competitor to the private insurance market. As Howard Dean has said of this plan: “The co-ops are too small to compete with the big, private insurance companies. They will kill the co-ops completely by undercutting them, using their financial clout to do it.”
Bloomberg’s Al Hunt asked Sebelius, “[If] you’re willing to compromise on your notion of a public plan…what’s non-negotiable?” Sebelius responded that the final bill has to “have a comprehensive approach that lowers costs. That’s non-negotiable.” She added reform also “needs to provide coverage for everyone.” Watch it:
This isn’t the time to compromise on core health care reform principles. As CAP fellow Ruy Teixeira notes, “Right now support is running high for the public option.”
Matt Yglesias adds that the public option is uniquely important because, if implement, it is likely “become an enduring feature of the landscape that’s unlikely to vanish.” While other progressive health insurance reforms can be enacted in the future, Yglesias argues, “for the public option, it’s probably now or never.”
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How can it be politically expedient to NOT enact what 72% of Americans want?
June 29th, 2009 at 2:13 pmSebelius responded that the final bill has to “have a comprehensive approach that lowers costs. As long as the health insurers promise to play nice and reduce costs over some unspecified time period, we’re just fine with accepting their donations into our re-election coffers…”
June 29th, 2009 at 2:14 pmI wonder how many FOX network watchers are on Social Security and or Medicare/Medicaid? Considering most of ‘em are elderly, I’d say “a lot”. But they’re horrified at the idea of anyone else getting Gov’t (public tax-payer funded) assistance.
It’s classic conservative/Repug “I got mine, FU” thinking.
June 29th, 2009 at 2:15 pmTurkish porn opportunity on post #1, Drew?
June 29th, 2009 at 2:16 pmQ: How do I know a co-op plan would suck?
A: There’s a chance the republics would be in favor of it.
June 29th, 2009 at 2:17 pmSebelius — we’re not as stupid as you think. Neither are you as stupid as you hope WE think.
You know the two options are not equals.
So Sebelius supports a plan that works contrary to the will of the expressed will of the American People.
Her constituents had better call her out on this.
June 29th, 2009 at 2:21 pm*
“There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance – that principle is contempt prior to investigation”
Herbert Spencer
Republicans and their obstructionism and inability to think for themselves will be the end of the party. I predict two more general elections and we will be done with these troglodytes.
June 29th, 2009 at 2:21 pmPhuck the co-op proposal.
June 29th, 2009 at 2:21 pmJust friggin pass it with the friggin public option already! WTF? What’s the friggin problem? The American people want it. So friggin DO IT!
June 29th, 2009 at 2:21 pmThis is a sell-out. The repugs are directly going against the wishes of the vast majority of Americans.
They should just ram it down their throats, shame those that care about re-election into supporting it, and force the other repugs to face the voters and be held accountable.
Like FISA and any number of other issues – the dems are capitulating and selling out their base.
All for nothing – we need to hold politicians on BOTH side of the aisle accountable.
June 29th, 2009 at 2:31 pmfirst reaction, reading that headline… …
… on second thought, i probably COULD get more disgusted…
jeeezuz… …
June 29th, 2009 at 2:33 pmWhy don’t I just go to Europe? This is insane. My insurance is over $700 a month and it doesn’t cover sh*t.
June 29th, 2009 at 2:33 pmIf these gutless pols (i.e., Democrats) can’t give the American citizenry at the very least a public option, please do nothing.
It can be done – ot requires courage (and I know that’s asking a lot), but it can be done.
So quit d**king us around and treating us like fools.
June 29th, 2009 at 2:36 pm“You could theoretically design a co-op plan that had the same attributes as a public plan,” Sebelius said.
then just design the public plan…
a co-op would have middle-men also…
or, just fck it.
June 29th, 2009 at 2:36 pmThis is just too frustrating — the vast majority of people want public health.
June 29th, 2009 at 2:37 pmIt’s been proven successful in numerous countries already.
Our present system is bankrupting us along with reducing the level of care.
Democrats are compromising left and right – while the public watches the exhibition in gaping astonishment.
What is so g-damn frigging difficult to understand? You want to get re-elected? Give the people what they want!!! You won’t need campaign donations from insurance lobbyists — we’ll vote for you!
Co-ops don’t work. I would have expected a person with substantial leadership history on healthcare issues to understand that.
This is the defining legislative achievement in this administration. If it fails, I will lose all confidence in the congress and my approval of this administration will be uncertain. Forget about covering your bases against critics’ gaging as to whether you’re working to appeal to republicans; the bi-partisans don’t understand the history of abuse and non-ideas of these the past-timers.
June 29th, 2009 at 2:39 pmWar, oil, insurance
June 29th, 2009 at 2:43 pmHave I got something for you
Happy profit time
Grrrrrrr…. The public option WAS the compromise. They better not water it down further.
June 29th, 2009 at 2:45 pmThe New York Times reports that there’s little hope for Obama in gaining Republican support. Asked how many Senate Republicans could sign on to developing Democratic plans, Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), author of a Republican alternative, said: “I think right now, none. Zero.”
As a backwoods fringe minority senator, what good is your odds making? What is your proposal? As a North Carolina resident, why shouldn’t there be every reason to come after you with my vote and money in 2010?
Reports have it that fellow Senator Kay Hagan (D) also opposes the public option.
How did a place like NC ever get around to elect John Edwards?
June 29th, 2009 at 2:45 pmI’m for dropping all of these asshats in the white house if they don’t start doing what WE elected them for.
June 29th, 2009 at 2:46 pmHuman Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said she’s open to the idea of dropping a public health insurance option in favor of a medical-insurance cooperative.
Is Sebelius speaking for Barack Obama?
Is this what President Obama wants for the people who voted for him and health care reform and CHANGE? If so, is it to late to change my 2008 vote?
June 29th, 2009 at 2:46 pmAs CAP fellow Ruy Teixeira notes, “Right now support is running high for the public option.”
i’d bet she’s changed more minds with this stupid admitition of a compromise…
‘well, if da secratary sez its ok, it must be ok, henry…’
jeez…
…
well, according to that last update, she sounded good on fox…
now i’m dizzy… more than ever…
June 29th, 2009 at 2:48 pm.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield are “non-profits”. If the co-ops are molded after them, they will be nothing close to a public option.
Medicare Advantage, that private insurance boondoggle that Obama said he would eliminate because it costs We the People over $15 billion in unnecessary expense, is a publicly-funded program the pays private insurers to do exactly what federally-funded Medicare does.
Nothing but a true public option will suffice. Listen up, Obama administration! This is a non-negotiable position to 72% of us, including nearly all of the people who voted for you!
PEACE
June 29th, 2009 at 2:52 pmoh yea!!!
great point from ed schultz – keep this in mind:
remind lindsthy graham when he says ‘no way’ on a public health plan,
that he was all for nationalizing the banks…
hmmmmm… what’s that about, lindsthy?
June 29th, 2009 at 2:52 pmOn Fox News, Sebelius defended the public plan, arguing there’s nothing about it that would “ration care.” “Unfortunately, care is being rationed each and everyday right now. Often private insurance companies stand between a patient and a doctor deciding what treatment can be provided,” she said.
This is right on, but please decide whether to stay at base 1 or slink over to 2. Don’t be yet another politician whose instinct is to get the people’s hopes down.
June 29th, 2009 at 2:53 pmWhat is the benefit to the American people of having a plan that is bipartisan if it must be so watered down as to do nothing for us?
If Democrats negotiate with themselves so as to leave the American people out in the cold, then they deserve to lose political support.
June 29th, 2009 at 2:55 pmTrittydi at 2:21 pm
“So Sebelius supports a plan that works contrary to the will of the expressed will of the American People.
Her constituents had better call her out on this.”
Just who are the constituents of a Cabinet member?
June 29th, 2009 at 2:59 pmNewt Gingrich is coming to Milwaukee today to campaign for the 2010 Republican candidate for Governor of Wisconsin. I was thinking about going to their meeting place with a protest sign but now, what’s the point? The Democrats we elected in 2008 are the same as the Republicans we tossed out. There is no change.
It feels as though George W. Bush and Dick Cheney are still in the White House. CHANGE? WHAT A SICK JOKE.
June 29th, 2009 at 3:02 pmCrap on a crutch..Damn I am tired of all this and many other thing’s promised and shoved under the oval office carpet…
Dr. Dean would of been my choice in this position…What President Obama has done so far is placate the right and center right, screw the rest of us….I’m mad as hell and no longer affiliate my self with the so called right leaning centerest democrap’s…..
Going back to walking my dog, tending my garden and keeping myself safe, damn sure this administration won’t do their job…Will watch from afar as the move all their deck chair’s on the huge shi[s of war’s here and all over the world…P. B. & J
June 29th, 2009 at 3:02 pmAs long as for profit corporations are able to give money to legislators, they will entice a number who fear they can’t continue to be elected without those funds and/or support. Whenever a legislator is speaking in mumble jumbo it means they are looking out for themselves first; their benefactors second, and no one else.
June 29th, 2009 at 3:04 pmI must say, this is exactly what I was afraid Obama might do during the primary. That is, to cave in to right wing demands in order to satisfy the Villagers.
The left needs to get organized and militant.
June 29th, 2009 at 3:04 pmPresident Obama, in his attempt to govern from the center, appears to be governing from the quicksand of one sided uni-partisanship. Extend the olive branch, come back with a bloody stump where your hand used to be.
June 29th, 2009 at 3:05 pmAlphaLiberal says, “The left needs to get organized and militant.”
Every time the left gets pissed off, the Democratic Party marches Russ Feingold out to the microphone to deliver a “feel good speech”. That keeps “left wing sheep” like you and me happy for at least two or three weeks.
June 29th, 2009 at 3:14 pmR’s & D’s cannot take money from insurers if they’re not re-elected.
Insurers have diligently paid off both sides of the aisle. They think they have all the bases covered.
Trouble is, those pesky House Critters are up for election every 2 years.
Tell your Congresscritter, regardless of Party, you will fight, scream, buy and work overtime to see they’re not re-elected.
Tell them daily. Write to newspapers. Blogs. Neighbors.
We need to make a lot of noise, due to ’selective hearing’ by admin & elected officials.
Put up a yard sign. Put up a bake sale. Put up your dukes.
Do something. Anything. This IS the tipping point…
June 29th, 2009 at 3:21 pmWe need a Progressive party, until then we need to ferret out the Progressive candidates that would support a public option, and hound all the Democratic senators to draft and pass a public option, with the caveat that that is a compromise, and single-payer is the ultimate goal. Let them know we’re looking for their replacements if they won’t do this. I’m willing to spend a little money on campaigns for alternatives—every month—I’m putting it in my budget, and I’ll start paying more attention to State politics.
June 29th, 2009 at 3:27 pmGuaranteed, Obama is going to f**k us on healthcare…and the Obama fan club won’t even blink.
June 29th, 2009 at 3:33 pmZimzone #35 done all that already except the yard signs, I have a lovely yard and don’t want to pollute it with any of their name’s…
BTW I knew full well this was going to happen, just didn’t think it would happen so soon and with no reward’s for the voter’s..I knew when he did his FISA vote and backed Israel and their war’s against their neighbor’s..Had nightmares about what was to happen…Well here we are…
Maybe if he installs more reich winger’s atleast one group will be happy….I don’t understand why the reich is so mad he is after all doing pretty much what they and the leader’s of Israel want…Not to mention blocking any attemps for the previous administration to be held accountable…Next trick, tax everyone’s insurance benefit’s….Happy posting…P.B. & J
June 29th, 2009 at 3:35 pmthe companies pour their collective resources into electing candidates so you dont have to! it’s a time saver! who wants to be bothered with writing checks to candidates when we can go to the store, buy a cool product and pay for our candidates that way! the lottery is cool, isn’t it? well? so is private health insurance!
June 29th, 2009 at 3:41 pmi love my private insurance plan. the envelope it comes has a really colorful logo on it.
June 29th, 2009 at 3:42 pmi recommend free market solutions, like GAP health insurance.
June 29th, 2009 at 3:43 pmThis is literally sickening. If the HHS Secretary can’t fight forcefully for the public option, she should turn in her letter of resignation. Do these people have ANY scruples? Is matricide “negotiable”?
And just when is Sebelius going to give up her public healthcare insurance?
The Constant Weader at http://www.RealityChex.com
June 29th, 2009 at 3:46 pmDoes President Obama realize that the largest, most generous “lobbyists” who donated to his campaign are We the People?
Obama raised over $600 million dollars based on the platform he laid out which included healthcare coverage for all.
If he believes he can go back to that same well in 2012 after failing to deliver on so many campaign promises, our “lobbying” money won’t be forthcoming.
At least mine won’t.
PEACE
June 29th, 2009 at 3:46 pmWhy isn’t Governor Dean the Secretary of HHS?
He wouldn’t have capitulated on the public option. I’d like to kick Rahm’s butt.
PEACE
June 29th, 2009 at 3:47 pmThank you Spencers mom, Rahm’s butt isn’t the only one I would like to kick, add Geitner and several others to the list……Blessings
June 29th, 2009 at 3:54 pmspencers mom Says:
Why isn’t Governor Dean the Secretary of HHS?
He wouldn’t have capitulated on the public option. I’d like to kick Rahm’s butt.
Good question, Mom.
He was on the Ed Schultz show recently, supporting the public option. The reason we don’t see much of him, is Rahm knows damn well Dr. Dean will tell the truth, not wallow in political dung.
So far, Sebelius has been all talk & no action.
The ‘enemy’ here isn’t based on fact, it’s based on politics, big business and campaign donations.
June 29th, 2009 at 3:55 pmSo much for change. You do all realize we are going to get nothing, right? Well, except for being even more screwed.
June 29th, 2009 at 3:59 pmIf indeed nothing is going to change one change for sure will be President Obama will be a one term only…..Blessings
June 29th, 2009 at 4:02 pmIf this is true, it needs to be forwarded to every congressperson:
June 29th, 2009 at 4:03 pm
hanshiro the antlion Says: 48,
Post of day.
Incredible. Thank you for sharing this story.
Wake up, America! We’ve been lulled to sleep by warm words and pretty promises.
What’s your life worth today?
June 29th, 2009 at 4:07 pmDon’t bother calculating; others will do that for you…for a fee, of course.
But…but…but…
Tim Vaculik swore in the thread below that Obama would give us a single payer system. He swore that Obama said that during the campaign, in no uncertain terms. He swore that single payer was Obama’s ultimate secret plan, undocumented by the alphabet news organizations.
Turns out Tim Vaculik is a g*dd*mn*d f**king liar. Turns out Tim Vaculik is a troll WorldNet Daily nutjob who is convinced that Canadians have to wait 9 months for lifesaving procedures. Turns out I was p*wned by a neocon compassionate conservative who told ME to run and get the evidence to support HIS lies.
F**k you raw, Tim Vaculik. I never should have given you the benefit of the doubt, and I hereby retract my apology and kind words to you.
June 29th, 2009 at 4:09 pmThis isn’t over, and it won’t be over if a public option isn’t passed this year. What will be over, if this a public option is not passed, is the free ride our Senators have been given, and corporate media’s domination of our collective monkey-sphere.
Users of the internet, it’s time to move to the next level. We are not weak. We are not uninformed. 72%
June 29th, 2009 at 4:15 pm72%
Whatsoever “plan” ultimately emerges, it will inevitably be shit for citizens.
But whatsoever it is, Obama will sign it, and it will be universally greeted as the next best thing to the return of the baby Jeezus!
Not if the Titanic sailed into NYC harbor will or would there be such an exaltation of miraculous, triumphal rhetoric….
and it won’t mean shit of it doesnt redress the inequities of Medicare part 5 and/or rescind the Bushevik’s deal with the pharmaceuticals that prohibits the government from negotiating the best deal.
Those seem to me to be benchmarks. The ‘public option’ was only on the table as a cynical negotiating chip. That phukker Obama only mentions it so it looks like he’s giving something away to the right that was never an oprion in the first place.
Anybody who continues to voluntarily participate in this charade, this extravagant and deadly kabuki, needs theire head examined.
I’m gonna shriek and shout and make a goddam fool of myself in public, but I am through with the “process.”
Scroom awl…
June 29th, 2009 at 4:27 pmwhat good is capitalism if we cannot make money off the sick and needy?
capitalism creates a very selfish and materialistic society that will self destruct
we are seeing that self destruction now in many aspects of american lives.
karma will do its thing it wont be pretty but it cannot be stopped
profits over people that is the capitalism way
christianity died on the cross
the most christian nation and the only industrialized nation without universal health care.
again christianity died on the cross
the demos will let the repubs define them
all demos and repubs will line up for money next year from the insurance and drug corps.
drain the swamp only way out of this crisis.
June 29th, 2009 at 4:30 pmSetting aside the issue of greed which is the real reason
health reform is not getting past, basically, what the
president and the democrats are telling us is that the
politicians of this country are much stupider than the
politicians of all the other industrialized countries.
Maybe, that needs to be pointed out to them.
June 29th, 2009 at 5:25 pmSebellius takes her marching orders from Obama, but she is another person who needs to be targeted for pressure.
A strong public option must be included in the final bill.
June 29th, 2009 at 6:02 pmTried calling my 2 senators and 1 Representative, to ask if they are on board with a public health option today…. got nowhere.
callcongress.org
which has these phone #:
1 (800) 828 – 0498
1 (800) 614 – 2803
1 (866) 340 – 9281
1 (866) 338 – 1015
1 (877) 851 – 6437
then went here:
elected Official site
No one with the exception of the switchboard operators are answering the phone. Wyden’s office asked me to leave a message and someone will get back to me. No live voice to talk to. May I suggest WE ALL begin writing letters, as I have heard one written letter is worth 10 people calling in. The above site has addresses.
June 29th, 2009 at 6:17 pmWhat about having messages delivered by hand? Anyone have the skinny on that? It’s worth a shot. I’ll make sure that the secondary message expresses how important it to them that they respond. Am madly busy on a long-term project right now, but I’ll dedicate tomorrow afternoon to health care and representatives.
June 29th, 2009 at 6:58 pmUntil the public option gets done—however long that takes, it might not be a bad idea to have the co-ops for dental treatment.
June 29th, 2009 at 7:18 pmhow are we supposed to pay the tab for all this free health care? Our current national debt now stands at over 13 trillion dollars. Will we just keep printing money until its worthless? How much more taxes can the public bear?
June 30th, 2009 at 10:13 amjrzguy,
June 30th, 2009 at 1:45 pm1. It isn’t free. No one says it is going to be free.
2. All the money going for private health insurance being paid by employers, employees, and private individuals will pay for it.
3. Take out the profit and the absurd bonuses that the insurance execs get and it will get paid for.
4. The othe advanced countries are able to do it. If the US can’t do it, it proves that the US is far stupider than other nations.
seslichat
June 30th, 2009 at 7:02 pmseslichat paneli
Thank you muy rosada for expressing a view free of the juvenile name calling that seems to be “matter of fact” accepted here on this site against those that have a different opinion. I have family that live in Canada and I can tell you first hand the system doesn’t work. My Aunt had to wait a year for a procedure and her friend’s story is even scarier. She started having headaches and went to get tested. She was seen by a nurse who said it would be six month before the could any tests. That didn’t sit right so she came to the US to have the tests done. They ran tests which she ended up paying for and found out she had a tumor. The doctors gave her the information to take back, figuring they had the results so they could schedule her for treatments, right? Wrong. Back in Canada they said no treatment could be started until at the earliest four to five months. So what did she do? She went back to the US where our doctor’s began treatment. She said our doctors told her she might not survive the wait in Canada.
I urge all of you proponent of universal health care to actively look at the problems of those that currently have it. Don’t go blindly to where many countries are re-thinking, and many citizens want out.
http://www.heartland.org/suites/health%20care/.
As to republicans hate facts…
We ALREADY *ARE* paying for it d*ckhead! How do you think those emergency room bills get paid for people with no PREVENTATIVE (LESS EXPENSIVE) insurance
Your right we are. Every time someone goes into an emergency room to be treated for a cold. In my state since 1992, 25 hospitals have closed. Why? Well a big part of the problem is the $275 to $300 million annually (in my state alone) caring for undocumented immigrants that hospitals don’t get reimbursed. How about we start by enforcing immigration policy instead of draining our economic resources?
And over 90% of that came from *REPUBLICAN* PRIORITIES like a NEEDLESS WAR of OIL and EGO in Iraq.
Oh I always love this one….Needless war of oil. Well needless war is a debate in itself… as for a war for oil. You really need to get a new war chant that’s getting old. But hey lets talk of oil a second…I know that has become the poster child of your cause. Where do you think, in this day and age, we would be with no oil. No cars to go to work, no trains or trucks to move goods and food. no Planes flying, no plastics being made. Our Country would come to a complete standstill. You are so childlike in your beliefs that if we just do away with oil we’d all be OK. Without oil, right now anyway, our society would break down in a matter of days you dope.
Will we just keep printing money until its worthless? How much more taxes can the public bear?
It WORKED for BUSH, BUSH, RAYGUN, FORD, NIXON – why do you care *NOW* – you HYPOCRITICAL J*CK*SS.
Wow, great argument for someone who’s supposed to be so intelligent. Its only hypocritical if I supported the others. when it came to our debt I didn’t support what they did either. And you forgot Johnson, Carter, Clinton and Obama. I guess that was just an oversight.
July 1st, 2009 at 10:53 am