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Sen. Rockefeller on Baucus Health Plan: "No Way"
5192102Updated at 6:10 p.m. ET
Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.V.), one of the key drivers of health care reform in the Senate, said Tuesday that he would not be able to vote for the proposal put forward by Senate Finance Chair Max Baucus (D-Mont.) if it remains in its current form or anything like it.
"The way it is now, there's no way I can vote for the Senate [Finance] package for a lot of reasons," Rockefeller said on a conference call with reporters. "Obviously, the lack of a public option is one of them."
Furthermore, he said, he doubts the Baucus plan will win the support of the three Republicans Baucus has courted all year.
"I don't think he will" get their votes, he said, "but, that's not important for this discussion."
Instead, the senator focused on a host of issues he has with the Baucus proposal, starting with the absence of a government-run health care plan, or "public option." He said that he will introduce an amendment in the Finance Committee to attach a public option to the plan.
The senator called Baucus' proposal to set up nonprofit cooperatives -- which have been touted as an alternative to the public plan -- "an absolutely ridiculous idea." He plans to release a report today on why co-ops are a bad alternative.
"I'm very skeptical about setting up a system that doesn't work," he said.
Rockefeller also said "Medicaid is a huge factor," in part because the state children's health insurance program that is currently a part of Medicaid would be "relegated" to the proposed health insurance exchange. He also said the proposed taxes on insurers for offering plans worth more than $8,000 would have a "massively" negative impact on his state. Similarly, he excoriated the Baucus plan for not subjecting large insurance plans to consumer protections.
Rockefeller is the chair of the health care subcommittee in the Senate Finance Committee, the group led by Baucus. He noted that he has served on the committee with Baucus for 22 years and is one of Baucus' best friends among the Democrats in the committee.
Still, Rockefeller has been shut out of the secretive "gang of six" negotiations, in which Baucus has worked with two other Democrats and three Republicans to create a bipartisan bill. Baucus released a framework for reform based on those negotiations that he plans to introduce as legislation as early as Wednesday, regardless of whether he wins Republican support or not.
Both Democrats and Republicans in the Finance Comittee plan to request a number of amendments to the proposal.
Some congressmen have said it would be nearly impossible for Congress to pass a bill with a public option, but Rockefeller on Tuesday suggested some Democrats who have wavered on the issue may ultimately support the provision.
"It's amazing what happens when it comes down to crunch time, when people really have to go on record," he said. "During the summer you talk, you kind of dig your heels in... but when it comes down to the point where you actually start voting and amendments come up and it's for the record, then things can shift."
He said there are now probably about five or six Democrats in the Finance Committee who support a public option.
Rockefeller said Baucus' proposal to tax health insurers for plans they offer that are worth more than $8,000 would "massively" impact the coal mining industry and other sectors in his state of West Virginia.
Baucus "should understand that virtually every single coal miner will have a big, big tax put on them," Rockefeller said, adding that the tax "raises $200 billion, so I understand the temptation."
The senator also took issue with the fact that Baucus' framework only create market regulations for "small group" and individual health insurance markets until 2017, when they would be phased in for "large groups." That means health care plans offered to companies with 100 or more people would not have to follow rules, such as the rule prohibiting the denial of coverage to people with pre-existing conditions, until as late as 2022.
"Almost half of workers in West Virginia are not going to have any insurance protection" under that plan, Rockefeller said.
CBSNews.com Special Report: Health Care
© 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.V.), one of the key drivers of health care reform in the Senate, said Tuesday that he would not be able to vote for the proposal put forward by Senate Finance Chair Max Baucus (D-Mont.) if it remains in its current form or anything like it.
"The way it is now, there's no way I can vote for the Senate [Finance] package for a lot of reasons," Rockefeller said on a conference call with reporters. "Obviously, the lack of a public option is one of them."
Furthermore, he said, he doubts the Baucus plan will win the support of the three Republicans Baucus has courted all year.
"I don't think he will" get their votes, he said, "but, that's not important for this discussion."
Instead, the senator focused on a host of issues he has with the Baucus proposal, starting with the absence of a government-run health care plan, or "public option." He said that he will introduce an amendment in the Finance Committee to attach a public option to the plan.
The senator called Baucus' proposal to set up nonprofit cooperatives -- which have been touted as an alternative to the public plan -- "an absolutely ridiculous idea." He plans to release a report today on why co-ops are a bad alternative.
"I'm very skeptical about setting up a system that doesn't work," he said.
Rockefeller also said "Medicaid is a huge factor," in part because the state children's health insurance program that is currently a part of Medicaid would be "relegated" to the proposed health insurance exchange. He also said the proposed taxes on insurers for offering plans worth more than $8,000 would have a "massively" negative impact on his state. Similarly, he excoriated the Baucus plan for not subjecting large insurance plans to consumer protections.
Rockefeller is the chair of the health care subcommittee in the Senate Finance Committee, the group led by Baucus. He noted that he has served on the committee with Baucus for 22 years and is one of Baucus' best friends among the Democrats in the committee.
Still, Rockefeller has been shut out of the secretive "gang of six" negotiations, in which Baucus has worked with two other Democrats and three Republicans to create a bipartisan bill. Baucus released a framework for reform based on those negotiations that he plans to introduce as legislation as early as Wednesday, regardless of whether he wins Republican support or not.
Both Democrats and Republicans in the Finance Comittee plan to request a number of amendments to the proposal.
Some congressmen have said it would be nearly impossible for Congress to pass a bill with a public option, but Rockefeller on Tuesday suggested some Democrats who have wavered on the issue may ultimately support the provision.
"It's amazing what happens when it comes down to crunch time, when people really have to go on record," he said. "During the summer you talk, you kind of dig your heels in... but when it comes down to the point where you actually start voting and amendments come up and it's for the record, then things can shift."
He said there are now probably about five or six Democrats in the Finance Committee who support a public option.
Rockefeller said Baucus' proposal to tax health insurers for plans they offer that are worth more than $8,000 would "massively" impact the coal mining industry and other sectors in his state of West Virginia.
Baucus "should understand that virtually every single coal miner will have a big, big tax put on them," Rockefeller said, adding that the tax "raises $200 billion, so I understand the temptation."
The senator also took issue with the fact that Baucus' framework only create market regulations for "small group" and individual health insurance markets until 2017, when they would be phased in for "large groups." That means health care plans offered to companies with 100 or more people would not have to follow rules, such as the rule prohibiting the denial of coverage to people with pre-existing conditions, until as late as 2022.
"Almost half of workers in West Virginia are not going to have any insurance protection" under that plan, Rockefeller said.
CBSNews.com Special Report: Health Care
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They might even begin to believe they deserve the same government welfare that corporations receive.
And who could embrace that, other than the American people themselves.
ST
"The answer is simple.
Let each hold the other to an equal standard."
SearingTruth
A Future of the Brave
SearingTruth
A Future of the Brave
But if voters march in defense of their freedom, they will quickly find they cannot be defeated.
ST
"We embraced a reasonable cost for life.
Discounting the unreasonable cost of death."
SearingTruth
A Future of the Brave
If you earnestly believe you can compensate for a
lack of skill by doubling your efforts : There is no
limit to what you can't do.
A Quick History Lesson
The U.S. Post Service was established in 1775 - they've had 234 years to get it right;
it is broke, and even though heavily subsidized, it can't compete with private sector
FedExp and UPS services.
Social Security was established in 1935 - they've had 74 years to get it right; it is broke.
Fannie Mae was established in 1938 - they've had 71 years to get it right; it is broke.
Freddie Mac was established in 1970 - they've had 39 years to get it right; it is broke.
Together Fannie and Freddie have now led the entire world into the worst economic
collapse in 80 years.
The War on Poverty was started in 1964 - they've had 45 years to get it right;
$1 trillion of our hard earned money is confiscated each year and transferred
to "the poor"; it hasn't worked.
Medicare and Medicaid were established in 1965 - they've had 44 years to
get it right; they are both broke; and now our government dares to mention
them as models for all US health care.
AMTRAK was established in 1970 - they've had 39 years to get it right;
last year they bailed it out as it continues to run at a loss!
This year, a trillion dollars was committed in the massive political payoff called
the Stimulus Bill of 2009; it shows NO sign of working; it's been used to
increase the size of governments across America, and raise government salaries
while the rest of us suffer from economic hardships. It has yet to create a single
new private sector job. Our national debt projections (approaching $10 trillion)
have increased 400% in the last six months.
"Cash for Clunkers" was established in 2009 and went broke in 2009 - after
80% of the cars purchased turned out to be produced by foreign
companies, and dealers nationwide are buried under bureaucratic paperwork
demanded by a government that is not yet paying them what was promised.
So with a perfect 100% failure rate and a record that proves that each and
every "service" shoved down our throats by an over-reaching government
turns into disaster, how could any informed American trust our government
to run or even set policies forAmerica's health care system - 17% of our economy?
Maybe each of us has a personal responsibility to let others in on this brilliant
record before 2010, and help remove from office those who are voting to
destroy capitalism and destroy our grandchildren's future.
ST
"Truth is defined by the weakest of us who must suffer through it."
SearingTruth
A Future of the Brave
SearingTuth
A Future of the Brave
Lest our children once again, as now, be simply and legally murdered.
Everyday.
ST
"I could only hold her in my arms and exclaim my most desperate undying love, as her last breath was taken. All I had learned, all I had hoped, all I had known, meant nothing. I had failed in my one most fundamental responsibility to humankind, and the first and most dear price I was to pay was the life of my own beloved mother."
SearingTruth
A Future of the Brave
And since "O" and the boys have practicaly dismantled the CIA, who is watching the back door? Acorn? What else is all the HC smoke screens hiding? Breaking the nation and undermining our defences for what reason? To bring about a new government? One party? single payer? The government will be the only winner in the pitching of the people against each other, when all power rests in the hand of one person, the people lose.
When we gain government HC, we will lose something far more important, nothing, is free.
But the Democrats can no longer deliver anything for the people, anymore than the Republicans.
For they have been seduced by greed and power.
If you want change in America, then we must have political change in America.
That's why after 25 years I recently switched from non-partisan to a member of the Green Party of the United States.
ST
"Our last great hope is doing the same as our last great tyrant."
SearingTruth
A Future of the Brave