First Edition: December 15, 2009

A glance at today's health policy headlines offers a common theme: Senate Democrats are likely to abandon the Medicare buy-in plan, which just last week was heralded as part of a compromise plan in that chamber's health bill.

Senate Health Bill Unlikely To Include Medicare Buy-In Senate Democratic leaders appeared poised Monday night to abandon efforts to create a government-run insurance safety net in their push for health-care reform, as they attempted to close ranks around a bill they hoped would win the backing of all 60 members of their caucus (The Washington Post).

Senate Democrats Likely to Drop Medicare Expansion Senate Democratic leaders said Monday that they were prepared to drop a proposed expansion of Medicare and scrap a new government-run health insurance plan as they tried to rally their caucus in hopes of passing the bill before Christmas (The New York Times).

Democrats Drop Plan To Expand Medicare Senate Democrats on Monday evening dropped a plan to expand Medicare, winning the support of moderates and the reluctant acquiescence of liberals, in another major step toward building enough support to pass a health-care overhaul (The Wall Street Journal).

Senate Democrats Move To Drop Medicare Proposal Senate Democratic leaders, scrambling for the 60 votes they need to pass the healthcare overhaul bill, moved Monday to strike a controversial proposal for expanding Medicare and proceed without a new government insurance program, the so-called public option (Los Angeles Times).

Democrats May Drop Medicare Buy-In Senate Democrats said Monday they are prepared to drop a proposal to let people under 65 buy into the Medicare program if that's what it takes to pass President Obama's health care initiative (USA Today).

Medicare Buy-In Is Latest Hurdle For Health Bill Senate Democratic leaders grappled for a health care deal behind closed doors last night, as a fragile and tentative agreement they announced last week threatened to collapse (The Boston Globe).

Reid Bows To Centrists, Will Drop Medicare Buy-In Provision Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is prepared to give in to demands from centrists in order to pass the healthcare legislation before Christmas, senators say (The Hill).

Dems May Drop Medicare Expansion Senate Democrats on Monday night were prepared to drop from the health reform bill a plan to expand Medicare coverage after Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) said he could not support it — a move that could clear the way for passage before Christmas but would infuriate the party's liberals, who feel as if the moderate Lieberman thwarted them once again (Politico).

Obama To Work To Solidify Support For Health Bill After months of turmoil, President Barack Obama and Senate Democrats are reaching for the unity they need to pass health care legislation by Christmas, but without the government-run insurance program that liberals have long sought (The Associated Press).

Capital Journal: The Choice Facing Democrats The fate of pending U.S. health-care legislation -- and its political impact next year -- likely hangs on one simple question: Will Democrats conclude they are better off passing a highly controversial bill than passing nothing at all? Most likely, the answer to that question is yes (The Wall Street Journal).

Parties Switch Medicare Roles For decades, Republicans scraped and clawed to cut money from Medicare. But these days, they're talking as if they created the popular health care program for seniors. And Democrats — seeking to trim more than $450 billion from the safety net for seniors over the next 10 years to help finance a sweeping health reform bill — are having to swallow their old rants against cutting the program. In the war over health care reform, both parties seem to be surrendering old turf and defending new territory, as fiscal realities and pocketbook politics force reversals in long-standing positions (Politico).

Lieberman Get Ex-Party To Shift On Health Plan Just the thought of Joseph I. Lieberman makes some Democrats want to spit nails these days. But Mr. Lieberman, the Connecticut independent, is not the least troubled by his status as Capitol Hill's master infuriator — and on Monday he showed how powerful that role can be at a time when Democrats cannot spare a single vote (The New York Times).

Joe Lieberman's Line In The Sand Over Senate Healthcare Reform Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I) of Connecticut has emerged as perhaps the key player in the fate of healthcare reform legislation in the Senate - infuriating many Democrats, who accuse him of acting less out of a sense of principle than a desire to protect insurance companies, a key industry in his state (The Christian Science Monitor).

Senate Democrats Split On Prescription Drug Imports When it comes to revamping health care, Senate Democrats are having trouble holding their caucus together. They're split on the public option, on abortion — and now, on prescription drug imports (NPR).

Drugmakers Fight Plan To Allow Imports Drugmakers intensified their lobbying push Monday against a popular proposal to allow Americans to buy cheaper drugs from other countries, one of several heated disputes that have bogged down negotiations over a heath-care reform bill (The Washington Post).

Move Afoot To Reward Consumer Thrift The health-care bills moving through Congress contain little to reward consumers for lowering their health costs, an omission prompting some lawmakers to press for more such incentives (The Wall Street Journal).

Plan For Kidney Drugs Spurs Division A Congressional proposal to help pay for drugs needed by transplant recipients to prevent rejection of donated kidneys has run into opposition from dialysis providers, drug companies and the National Kidney Foundation (The New York Times).

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Kaiser Health NewsThis article was reprinted from khn.org with permission from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent news service, is a program of the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonpartisan health care policy research organization unaffiliated with Kaiser Permanente.

Comments

  1. Cliffy44 Cliffy44 United States says:

    To: Jim W. Gerlach, Bob Casey, Arlen Specter
    From: Cliff Wild

    You were elected to do what "We The People" want you to do.

    Well, "We The People" do NOT want the health care bill to pass.

    I would hope that you'd do and / or stand for what the people that elected you actually want.

    Please do NOT support the policies that will lead America down the road to becoming an Arab state; just as our president is trying to do.

    Do you recall the oath of office that you took, when you were elected?

    Unfortunately today the pharmaceutical and insurance companies, big oil, credit card companies, and other large corporations dominate our political process. These are the special interests that lobby for “tort reform,” which really means taking away your rights.

    When corporate CEO’s abuse their power by denying access to quality health care, pollute our environment and endanger public health, or swindle their employees out of their pensions to pad profits, the last resort for Americans to hold them accountable is in our courts.

    Our civil legal system has been a powerful force for positive change. It encourages corporations to act responsibly and provides an incentive for manufacturers to improve product safety. I urge you to oppose efforts in Congress that hinder people’s access to the courtroom and their ability to hold wrongdoers accountable in a court of law.

    Sincerely

    Cliff Wild;
    P.O. Box 34;
    Norristown, PA 19408
    US

    • Jim Jim United States says:

      Cliff, your comments might carry more weight if readers could be assured that they came from a person of personal moral integrity.  However, from personal experience you have shown yourself to be a *liar*.  How can you call others to the mat for integrity when you have none of your own?  How can you talk about swindling people out of anything when you yourself steal money from others?  That makes you a *thief*.

      Your comments are meaningless.

    • politigator politigator United States says:

      Congressman Jim Gerlach has opposed Obama Care since it's inception and has voted accordingly.  Gerlach has posed commonsense free market solutions that will help all American's get more for their healthcare dollar.  Gerlach has been the only voice for the people of the 3 you mentioned above.  Check the record!!!!

  2. Brion Levitsky Brion Levitsky United States says:

    Well, my first wish is that Joe Lieberman reads this email. Re: Lieberman; this is a sanctimonius, disingenuous, narcissistic, revenge seeking corporate whore who now has blood on his hands.  Joe Lieberman will be single handedly responsible for tens of thousands of early deaths of American citizens, all so he can get revenge on the Democratic party for their rejection in the last Connecticut senatorial election. What a pathetic excuse for a human being. The man needs to be fired from any and all leadership  positions that he holds in the senate.  Joe, you are a prime example of everything that is wrong with this country at this time. As to the meaning of S.O.S.... the first word is sack.  

    • Jennifer Miles Jennifer Miles United States says:

      Please note that Connecticut is home to many health insurance corporations.  Perhaps that and revenge are fueling Lieberman's desire to stop health care reform - at all costs.  Emphasis on the "all costs" part.

  3. Sue Sue United States says:

    It is amazing to me that you seem to be the ONLY person in DC who seems to recognize the plight of America!  Thankyou so much.  I am an "independent" and love my country.  It is also amazing that you are Jewish and love this country and what is right so much!  I would vote for you for ANYTHING!  Please feel yourself blessed.  I would do a lot to perpetuate you in my government.

  4. Jennifer Miles Jennifer Miles   says:

    Why am I wasting my time posting comments on a medical "news" website that gets its information from Kaiser?  Can you say bias?

The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of News Medical.
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