Republicans Compare Health Care To Stimulus, Say August Timeline Is Too Hasty
EmailABC News' Z. Byron Wolf reports: Democrats are starting to run up on timelines for health care reform and the nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court. Republicans say they are being too hasty and warn that a health care bill will lead to unintended consequences. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., told reporters again today that Senators will do their “best” to confirm Sotomayor, pass a Senate version of health care reform and finish up the Pentagon policy bill they’re currently considering before they’re scheduled to leave for a month-long August recess. He dodged the question of whether this will require more work time in August. Republicans, meanwhile, have taken to comparing the health care reform effort with the unpopular $775 billion stimulus bill that was passed hastily a month after President Obama took office, but has not stemmed the rise in unemployment. “Here we are a few weeks before the recess, and you get the impression they're willing — they want to pass just anything they can as rapidly as they can. And the reason I was comparing that to the stimulus, we know that that at least so far is a failure. It, once again, was sold to us on the basis that we had to do it tomorrow in order to prevent catastrophe,” said Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. “I think that's a flawed strategy,” he said. “I think we ought to take our time and do it right,” McConnell told reporters on Capitol Hill Tuesday. It’s possible — but not yet guaranteed – that the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee will pass its version of health care reform. This would be the first fully baked stab presented by Democrats and modified by votes in a public process at the committee over the past several weeks. It has a controversial public health insurance option and a mandate for employers to either provide health care coverage or pay, and it will ultimately be melded with whatever is produced by the Senate Finance Committee to expand Medicaid and pay for health care. The Finance Committee is nowhere near done with its version of health care reform. Another bipartisan meeting began behind closed doors late this afternoon. McConnell also questioned the central sales pitch the Obama administration has used to pitch health care reform as a necessity – that reforming health care will ultimately save money. “We're told on this that in part the reason for doing health care is that it will actually save money over the long term. Most of us are scratching our heads wondering how you can design a plan in order to try to cover the uninsured, bring more people into the coverage, and still save money. In fact, that won't happen,” he said.
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Whats the rush, take the time to get it right and make sure that it is self sustaining over time unlike what has happened to Medicare. When Medicare was created in 1965, benefits were relatively limited and retirees paid a substantial percentage of the costs of their own care. In 1965, Congressional actuaries expected Medicare to cost $3.1 billion by 1970. In 1969, that estimate was revised to $5 billion, and it actually came in at $6.8 billion. Things have gotten worse since, and Medicare today costs $455 billion and rising. Medicaid was intended as a last resort for the poor but now covers one-third of all long-term care expenses in the U.S. — that is, it has become a middle-class subsidy for aging parents of the Baby Boomers. Its annual bill is $227 billion, and so far this fiscal year is rising by 17%. Schip was pitched a decade ago as a safety net for poor kids, Schip is now open to families that earn up to 300% of the poverty level, or $63,081 for a family of four.
Don’t rush something this important through take the time and let everyone read, understand and debate the bill. If that would have been done with the stimulus bill we might have gotten something which actually did something other than creating more government jobs which are not self sustaining.
Posted by: Sandcrab1612 | July 14, 2009, 5:14 pm 5:14 pm
They’re rushing the bill because they don’t want the American public to have time to digest what’s in it. That’s the way the President of “transparency” works.
Posted by: Jane-Marie | July 14, 2009, 6:22 pm 6:22 pm
Of course the GOP wants to delay passage of health care. They are not in charge while it is being passed.
They are going to vote NO if we vote today or a year from today so why delay. Get the uninsured some coverage.
Posted by: Chuck | July 14, 2009, 9:22 pm 9:22 pm
What hasn’t been reported is that the Dems plan on moving a large number of people into Medicade. The problem is that Medicade is a program where the majority of the funding comes from the states not the federal government. The result is that the federal plan will look like it is not that expensive and they will have to increase some taxes but not all while the states (many of which are already cash strapped) will have to come up with the money so your state taxes will be the one with the big increase.
Posted by: Sandcrab1612 | July 15, 2009, 12:05 am 12:05 am
Can someone help me understand why the healthcare reform bill must be pushed through by August. If healthcare reform is a worthy endeavor won’t it still be a worthy endeavor in August of 2010 or in August of 2011? This is a major undertaking that should be given careful consideration. Immediate costs, long term costs, funding, long term and short term effects should all be analyzed and debated before any legislation is put in place. What’s the rush? Wouldn’t it make more sense to take the time to get it right the first time?
Posted by: mmonroeliveson | July 15, 2009, 12:45 pm 12:45 pm
I agree that nothing is to be gained from rushing this thing. Yes, healthcare reform is important, but lawmakers need to take the time and make sure there are no unintended consequences in this thing – people’s jobs are on the line.
It also seems that the insurance companies are a big part of the problem with healthcare in this country — seems they should be removed from the equation if we really want to address the problems.
Posted by: me | July 15, 2009, 5:18 pm 5:18 pm
Having my employer make my health insurance decisions is bad enough, but having those decision made by the government would be worse.
What ever happened to John McCain’s plan that would have given tax rebates or vouchers to people so they could buy their own insurance? That way, the individual – not the government or an employer – can buy their own health insurance policy that best meets their individual needs. That plan was a lot cheaper then this one.
I hate this plan that forces a one-size-fits all plan on everyone – whether they want it or not.
Posted by: working bee | July 15, 2009, 5:43 pm 5:43 pm
Well a voucher doesnt control the margin of profit of insurance companies…..do you think with so much demand they will limit their profit or maximize it…..you dont need three college degrees to figure that one out
Posted by: George D | July 15, 2009, 11:57 pm 11:57 pm
This is what everyone gets when they voted for Obama!!! United we stand, divided we Fall!!
Looks like we are all losing our balance!
Posted by: Laurie | August 20, 2009, 10:09 am 10:09 am