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Well, we are now ready to see how much further healtchare reform will be stripped in the Senate. Today, a flood of amendments started coming in and Republicans will seek to delay and defeat any discussion or any real reforms. Unfortunately some Democrats may too.
The first amendment in this historic debate was submitted by Barbara Mikulski:
I rise today to introduce a very important amendment that guarantees women access to life saving preventive service and screenings, Ms. Mikulski said. This amendment also eliminates one of the major barriers to accessing care cost by getting rid of high co-pays and high deductibles. This amendment is important because it will save money and save lives by reducing the top diseases killing women today. Ms. Milkulski said the Congressional Budget Office had estimated that the measure would cost the government $1 billion over 10 years.
http://prescriptions.blogs.nytimes.c...
Hey, a good amendment!! I think that is one that needs to stick in the final legislation. Another Democrat had a pretty descent amendment to offer too:
Senator Bob Casey, Democrat of Pennsylvania, announced that he would lay down an amendment to protect and ensure health care coverage for low-income children. Mr. Casey and some other Democrats are worried that children could inadvertently end up with reduced benefits as a result of the legislation. Mr. Casey’s amendment would continue federal financing for the Children’s Health Insurance Program through 2019. Financing for that program is otherwise set to expire in 2013.
I think that we all should support this amendment and demand it is included in the final legislation. I do not have insurance and have Type 1 Diabetes but I think that the first thing we need to do is insure that children in this country are covered with no exceptions and then we can worry about folks like me, and others.
However, their much-maglingned standard-bearer from last year, John McCain rolled out the typical Republican scare tactics upon senior citizens that their Medicare would be cut, and their everlasting attempt to limit Americans redresses in the court system:
Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, has offered his partys first amendment an attempt to remove all of the Democrats’ proposals to slow the growth in Medicare spending. Limiting the growth of Medicare is the main way that Democrats propose to save money to help pay for expanding coverage to the uninsured, and eliminating the Medicare provisions would essentially gut the legislation. Mr. McCain, in a floor speech, quickly moved from criticizing the proposed Medicare changes to complaining about a lack of tough provisions on medical malpractice lawsuits. ;Where is any meaningful medical malpractice reform anywhere in this 2,000-page bill? he asked.
While I will admit that we could take some measures to curtail some frivilous lawsuits I feel it is very dangerous to limit redresses in the courts for anyone. The Medicare scare ignores the fact that benefits would not be cut:
AARP: We Can Say With Confidence That House Democratic Legislation Will Make Coverage Affordable To Our Younger Members And [Protect] Medicare For Seniors. [Politico Live Pulse, 11/5/09]
AARP Warned Seniors Against Myths and Scare Tactics In Health Reform Debate, Said None Of The Health Care Reform Proposals Being Considered By Congress Would Cut Medicare Benefits. AARP wrote in a myth-vs.-fact health reform website that, There are special interest groups trying to block progress on health care reform by using myths and scare tactics. Like the notion that health care reform would ration your care, hurt Medicare or be a government takeover. Actually, these are false statements. AARP concluded about the Medicare claim that, one of the health care reform proposals being considered by Congress would cut Medicare benefits or increase your out-of-pocket costs for Medicare services. [AARP, Myths Vs. Facts]
AARP Clarified That "Medicare Cuts That Have Been Proposed So Far Would Not Affect Benefits.
http:
//www.democrats.org/a/2009/11/call_em_out_mit.php
As much as the Republicans whine and moan and make up lies about these watered-down reforms, I would love to see them react to real Progressive reform!!
In related news, it appears as if Corporate Democrat Evan Bayh may have had his concerns alleviated on whether it would cost covered folks more to give coverage to those who do not have it:
My primary focus has been making health insurance better and more affordable for average Americans, Mr. Bayh said in a statement. This report alleviates a major concern that has been raised that insurance costs will go up across the board as a result of this legislation. This study indicates that for most Americans, the bill will have a modestly positive impact on their premium costs. For the remainder, more will see their costs go down than up. Hopefully, we can continue to focus the Senate debate on additional ways to make health insurance even more affordable for all Americans.
http://prescriptions.blogs.nytimes.c...
That is really great news for the 29% of the people in Indiana that went without coverage in 2007-2008:
http://www.familiesusa.org/...
Does this mean that Mr. Bayh will now fight for the rest of us with pre-existing conditions in demanding a robust public option we can depend on to get fair coverage?? Lets hope so.
Ah, and so the circus begins. Having started from a point of disappointment lets hope things can only look up!!