Contrary to the White House’s video, member of Congress in the House Ways and Means Committee already have exempted themselves from a government-run health plan with the defeat of an amendment by Rep. Dean Heller (R-NV). The amendment, which would have required members of Congress to enroll in the newly created public health insurance plan, failed with 21 Democrats voting no. Here’s the truth behind the entirely private coverage options offered to Congress and government employees through the successful Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVr3HsBFKeU[/youtube]
As Congress tries to push through health care reform at a rapid speed and publicize so-called deals with several health industry groups (most recently with hospitals), other members associated with the medical community also have been stepping up their efforts to warn doctors of the potential ramifications with the current health reform. Roughly seven congressmen (who also happened to be physicians) this week warned health care providers at George Washington University Hospital that components being considered — such as a public health insurance plan, health insurance czar and federal health …
The Washington Post’s Alec MacGillis opens his article on health reform today: The question came from a Colorado neurologist. “Mr. President,” he said at a recent forum, “what can you do to convince the American public that there actually are limits to what we can pay for with our American health-care system? And if there are going to be limits, who . . . is going to enforce the rules for a system like that?” President Obama called it the “right question” — then failed to answer it. This was …
Senate Finance Committee chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) is hosting a Roundtable Discussion on “Expanding Health Care Coverage” today and Heritage fellow Stuart Butler is testifying. While Butler sees “broad consensus for action on coverage” he also identifies “nuclear landmines on the road to broad agreement.” They are a public plan and a federal health board: Some say that within an exchange there must be a default plan that will be a “safe harbor,” and that plan should be a public plan – perhaps one modeled on Medicare. But it is …
Previewing the Senate’s confirmation hearing for President-elect Barack Obama secretary of Health and Human Services appointee Tom Daschle, the New York Times predicts: “Daschle to Face Tough Questions on Competition in Health Insurance.” And we certainly do hope that Senators press Daschle hard on his vision for a government run health plan that will ‘compete’ with private health care options. As we have argued before, just as the Boston Red Sox would not trust George Steinbrenner to write the rules and hire the umpires for Major League baseball, Americans should …
