Saturday, May 30, 2009
Health care in Congress
The great debate in the Senate appears to be between Ted Kennedy, who wants real reform and an honest public option based on Medicare and Max Baucus, who is trying to earn his keep from the insurance companies.
One of the senators, Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, reasserting himself after months of treatment for brain cancer, made clear this week that he favored a robust public health care plan, a government-sponsored entity that would compete with private insurers.So give Ted a message of support, wish him the health and strength to beat Max Baucus like a rented mule.
As a starting point for his bill, Mr. Kennedy favors a public plan that looks like Medicare, the government-run program for older Americans created in 1965, when he was a young senator.
By contrast, Senator Max Baucus, the Montana Democrat who is chairman of the Finance Committee, has been working for months with the panel’s senior Republican, Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, in the hope of forging a bipartisan bill, which would probably play down the option of a public plan.
Mr. Grassley opposes creation of a new government insurance program and says “we cannot afford the public health plan we have already,” referring to Medicare.
President Obama has championed a public plan, saying it would help “keep the private sector honest,” though he has indicated he will be flexible on the details.
House Democratic leaders, including three committee chairmen drafting the House bill, are close to Senator Kennedy’s position.
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