Reid Threatens 'Nuclear Option' to Pass Health Care Reform as Panel Starts Work
The Nevada senator threatened to use a budgetary tool called reconciliation -- also known as the "nuclear option" -- which would allow Democrats to pass key parts of health care legislation with a simple majority, as opposed to the 60 votes usually needed to avoid a filibuster.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid threatened on Tuesday to use a procedural maneuver to steamroll opponents of health care reform, even as a Senate panel began delicate negotiations over a package that could have the best chance at passing.
The Nevada Democrat, who has issued similar threats before, spoke as the Senate Finance Committee began debate over Chairman Max Baucus' reform plan. Reid threatened to use a budgetary tool called reconciliation -- also known as the "nuclear option" -- that would allow Democrats to pass key parts of the legislation with a simple majority, as opposed to the 60 votes needed to avoid a Republican filibuster.
"If we can't work this out to do something within the committee structure, then we'll be forced to do the reconciliation," Reid said, adding that he views that as a "last resort."
"It remains to be seen as to whether we will have to do reconciliation. I am confident and hopeful we won't have to do that, but time will only tell," Reid said.
Republican Sen. Richard Burr, N.C., said reconciliation would be a "grave mistake," and that Reid underestimates the public concerns over the bill.
"I don't think it's a threat. I think that's what Harry Reid intends to do," Burr told FOX News.
But the Senate Finance Committee pushed through tense and intensive talks Tuesday to reach common ground on the Baucus plan. Senators have filed 564 amendments, and on Tuesday afternoon Baucus released a slew of changes.
Among them, Baucus agreed to cut in half the penalty attached to a government-mandated requirement to buy health insurance. Under the changes, families could be charged a maximum of $1,900 for failing to meet the requirement -- as opposed to $3,800.
Baucus also agreed to raise the threshold for insurance plans that would be subject to an excise tax. Under the revisions, plans worth $8,750 for individuals and $23,000 for families would be subject to the tax -- the thresholds were previously $8,000 for individual plans and $21,000 for family plans.
And he agreed to increase the value of tax credits low- and middle-income people would receive toward insurance. Officials said Baucus decided to commit an additional $50 billion over a decade toward making insurance more affordable for working class families.
The Finance Committee is the last of five panels to have a say before the full Senate debates legislation.
Baucus' legislation is designed to make coverage more available and affordable, while restraining the growth in the cost of medical care generally. Its 10-year price tag is below $900 billion, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
Baucus made numerous concessions to Republicans in his unsuccessful stab at bipartisan compromise, jettisoning calls for the government to sell insurance in competition with private industry, as well as a proposed requirement for large companies to offer insurance to their workers.
In his opening remarks, Baucus sought to preempt Republican criticism.
"Despite what some may say, this is no 'government takeover' of health care," Baucus said. "Our plan does not include a public option. We did not include an employer mandate. And we have paid for every cent."
But Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, the panel's ranking Republican, said the White House and Democratic leaders short-circuited the bipartisan talks by imposing a mid-September deadline. "I find it utterly and completely appalling," he said.
Grassley criticized many of the plan's key components, from a requirement that all Americans get insurance, to the taxes that would pay for subsidies to make the coverage affordable. He also said the bill falls short in guaranteeing that illegal immigrants won't get government help to buy insurance, as well as in preventing funding for abortion.
The concerns are bipartisan.
A number of committee Democrats had raised concerns about whether subsidies in Baucus' bill are generous enough to make insurance truly affordable for low-income people. There also are worries about the new tax on high-cost insurance plans, which critics fear would hit some middle-class workers, including many union members in risky occupations such as mining and police work.
Those concerns were shared by Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, whose support could become even more critical if legislation makes it to the Senate floor.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Senator Hatch Says if You Believe What You Are Being Told About ObamCare… His Has a Bride to Sell You!
As the Senate Finance Committee began debate Tuesday on its version of health-care reform, Sen. Orrin Hatch blasted it as an expensive Washington takeover of health care and urged Democrats to "press reset" to seek bipartisan compromise.
As a lighthearted protest of some provisions that would benefit mostly northeastern states, Hatch, R-Utah, pushed an amendment that would give insurance relief to any state that begins with "U." Of course, Utah is the only one.
"Republicans want to work towards a responsible solution, but we will not let this moment of crisis justify a solution that we cannot afford and starts us down a path of Washington takeover for our health-care system," Hatch told the committee.
"We are now considering a bill that once again proposes more spending, more government and more taxes as a solution to reforming one-sixth of our economy," he said.
"There is still time to press reset and push for a solution that can bring us all together," Hatch said. "By focusing on areas of compromise rather than strife, we can reach consensus on a financially responsible and targeted bill."
Story continues below
Hatch was once one of the "gang of seven" members of the committee seeking bipartisan compromise. He left the group in July, saying Democratic leadership did not give Democrats enough flexibility to seek true compromise. The panel hopes to finish the bill this week, leading to full Senate debate as early as next week.
The committee had more than 560 amendments proposed for consideration as it began marking up the bill on Tuesday, and Hatch had proposed many himself.
The amendments he sought ranged from exempting middle-class families from any tax increases in the bill to banning any funding from going to groups such as ACORN. One of his amendments would reign in trial-lawyer awards in health-care lawsuits.
The Hatch amendment that perhaps gained the most attention was the one that would give relief to any state whose name starts with "U."
That stemmed from his concerns over a proposal in the bill that would give a break for the 17 states with the least-affordable insurance, which are centered mostly in the Northeast. The bill delays the phase in of an excise tax on high-cost health-insurance plans there. That tax is a main funding source for the Senate bill.
Hatch has charged that the provision may not be constitutional because he says the Constitution instructs that excises "shall be uniform throughout the United States" and should not give just some states relief.
Hatch complained Tuesday that the bill "contains almost $350 billion in new taxes on American families and businesses. This at a time when we are facing some of the toughest economic conditions our nation has ever seen."
He said, "If anyone believes that Washington … can run a national health-care plan that will cost close to $1 trillion, cover all Americans, not raise taxes on anyone, not increase the deficit and not reduce benefits or choices for our families and seniors, then I have a bridge to sell you."
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Solution to the Healthcare Reform…
- Address and Clean Up Fraud in All Areas of Medical Care! – Billions are lost and wasted in fraud each year. Read: Stop Paying the Crooks
- Serious Tort Reform – The lawyers are the winner in Obamacare! Tort Reform is not even being addressed
- Change Intra-State Insurance Laws; allow true competition to sell and purchase insurance across state lines.
- Make Health Insurance Portable.
- Reward Doctors for Results Not Numbers of Procedures.
- Allow the self-employed and small business owners to form private co-ops to purchase health insurance to cut down costs.
7. These changes alone would improve healthcare and save money to cover the uninsured that could be put on a plan that is a subsidiary of Medicare and Medicaid. Government should act as a neutral regulator only… of insurance companies, Big Pharma and the AMA; not be in competition with them. Exclusions due to previous conditions should not be allowed and honest over-sight (which does not happen now) should be maintained and enforced as far as safety, costs and fraud.
8. Natural supplements and alternative or holistic treatments and preventative measures should also be covered and encouraged instead of forced out by Big Pharma and the AMA.
9. “No” centralization of Medical Records! The opportunity for mis-use of that information is too high. The government could incentivize medical groups and doctors to update their records to more modern systems (in-house/in system). Then those records could more easily be sent or hand carried with the patients consent to be shared.
The Obama administration keeps talking about saving money by reforming Medicare and Medicaid. Let them start there and see what the savings really are without cutting funding or pushing costs over to the states.
ObamaCare is or will eventually be socialized medicine, so we need to fight and stop it now. There will be no going back later.
A Govt-Run Co-Op is the same as a Public Option and a Trigger will end up being a Public Option… the Answer has to be No to all!
Also “NO” on covering illegal aliens or abortions with public funds. (Beware: Obama’s newest ploy is promoting amnesty and citizenship to illegals to cover them, with money we don’t have…)Obama: Legalize Illegals to Get Them Health Care
Call, email, fax and write your Congressman, Senator and all the fence sitter and radical today and everyday!
Call the United States Capitolswitchboard today... everyday at (202) 224-3121 or (202) 225-3121
Call the White House at 202-456-1111 and tell President Obama you have had enough!
ObamaCare heads to (in) committee>>>>
Next week, the Senate Finance Committee will consider the latest version of ObamaCare. Click here for 11 reasons to oppose it.
Please contact the Senators who sit on the committee and urge them to oppose this bill.
DEMOCRATS
Baucus (MT)
Rockefeller (WV)
Conrad (ND)
Bingaman (NM)
Kerry (MA)
Lincoln (AR)
Wyden (OR)
Schumer (NY)
Stabenow (MI)
Cantwell (WA)
Nelson (FL)
Menendez (NJ)
Carper (DE)
REPUBLICANS
Grassley (IA)
Hatch (UT)
Snowe (ME)
Kyl (AZ)
Bunning (KY)
Crapo (ID)
Roberts (KS)
Ensign (NV)
Enzi (WY)
Cornyn (TX)
RINObamaCare petition tops 20,000
Our national petition calling on Republicans to hold firm against ObamaCare topped 20,000 signatures this week.
President Obama has been inviting select Republicans to the White House as part of his ongoing campaign to get them to cave. We must keep up the pressure.
Help SCF continue to this campaign.
Source: Knowledge Creates Power & the Daily Thought Pad
Posted: True Health is True Wealth – Cross-Posted: Marion’s Place
Related Resources:
This morning, 09/22/09, the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee held a forum to highlight the urgent need for comprehensive health insurance reform. Wendell Potter, Former Communications VP/Spokes... Wendell Potter
CBO Adjusts Their Numbers On Cost of ObamaCare After White House Meeting
Here is a video commentary - the case against ObamaCare with explanation on how to beat it buy Dick Morris
To access the video - Go here!
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