What began as one of the most controversial issues of the months-long health care debate continues to be so: The public option — a government-backed insurance plan designed to compete with private companies — wasn’t included as part of the Democrats’ reconciliation bill, sending some liberals More…
There were few surprises this morning from President Obama, who was in Strongsville, Ohio, to promote the health reform proposals the Democrats hope to move through the House this week. The president pointed out that (1) health costs, both public and private, are on an unsustainable More…
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) caused quite a stir this week when he suggested that he’d urge liberal Democrats to vote against any amendments to the health care reform bill sent over from the House — even provisions like the public option that a vast majority of More…
Senator Harry Reid’s office says that if a final decision is made to pass health reform via reconciliation, the Majority Leader would support holding a reconciliation vote on the public option.
The actual statement from Reid’s office, though, is an odd one:
It began two days ago as a four-senator campaign urging Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to tap the budget reconciliation process to create a public health insurance plan that would compete against private companies. Now 16 upper-chamber Democrats have signed their names in support of that strategy, More…
Earlier this week, it was Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) being targeted by the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, which is hoping that some liberal lawmaker will stand up to insist that the public insurance option be included as part of the Democrats’ final health reform bill. Today, the group launched More…
Good deal, says Wall Street. Here’s The Associated Press, reporting yesterday on insurance company stock prices after the Senate bill cleared its first procedural hurdle:
Shares of Aetna rose $1.81, or 5.6 percent, to $34.32; Cigna gained $2.15, or 6 percent, to $37.95; Humana added $1.71, or 3.9
Unveiling a modified health reform bill on Saturday, Senate Democratic leaders appear to have cobbled together the 60 votes they’ll need to pass the most expansive overhaul to the nation’s health care system in generations. But winning that support comes at a steep cost.
To satisfy Democratic moderates, Senate Majority More…
In recent weeks, the media has linked Sen. Ben Nelson’s (D-Neb.) opposition to health reform directly to the abortion language in the bill — as if satisfying the Nebraska conservative on that point would win his support for the proposal.
Think again.
In negotiations with the White House More…
White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel isn’t exactly known for his indulgence of political opponents. Still, his recent interview with The Wall Street Journal, beyond just tough talk, can only further alienate Capitol Hill liberals at a delicate time when they’re already being asked to More…
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