Public Option OUT !

From TALKING POINTS MEMO

Democrats Agree to Tentatively
Trade Opt-Out for Trigger,
Medicare 'Buy-In' and More !

(TPM) An aide briefed on the negotiations among the gang of 10 offers up the rundown of the most important aspects of the public option compromise being sent to CBO.

If this trade-off carries the day, the opt out public option is gone.

In its place will be many of the alternatives we've been hearing about, including a Medicare expansion and a triggered, federally-based public option, the aide said.

As has been widely reported, one of the trade-offs will be to extend a version of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan to consumers in the exchanges. Insurance companies will have the option of creating nationally-based non-profit insurance plans that would offered on the exchanges in every state. However, according to the aide, if insurance companies don't step up to the plate to offer such plans, that will trigger a national public option.

Beyond that, the group agreed--contingent upon CBO analysis--to a Medicare buy in.

That buy-in option would initially be made available to some uninsured people aged 55-64 in 2011, three years before the exchanges open. For the period between 2011 and 2014, when the exchanges do open, the Medicare option will not be subsidized--people will have to pay in without federal premium assistance--and so will likely be quite expensive, the aide noted. However, after the exchanges launch, the Medicare option would be offered in the exchanges, where people could pay into it with their subsidies.

It appears as if liberals lost out on a Medicaid expansion that would have opened the program up to everybody under 150 percent of the poverty line. That ceiling will likely remain at 133 percent, as is called for in the current bill. (Read rest of Article)

B4B NOTE: HEALTH REFORM UPDATE: This article contains a good summary of where things stand with health care reform. Note that Public Option is OUT and may be TRIGGERED in 'later' if insurance profiteers don't 'do the right thing' (yea right). Unfortunately, looks like everything about the plan points to continued UNAFFORDABLE health coverage...but now with a LAW/MANDATE stating that if you don't buy it (can't afford) you'll be PENALIZED !...left still struggling WITHOUT the basic right to quality health care. Also note aides' statement that Medicare 'buy-in' 'could be expensive', while asking yourselves 'what about the millions struggling under age 55' ??? Without affordability, this in no way answers the needs of the 47 million care seeking Americans, many of whom stand in long lines while sick at make-shift free clinics just to see a doctor, like a third-world country...in hopes of NOT becoming one of the 44,000 who DIE per year due to the lack of health care. America is being hoodwinked and bamboozled ! The time is NOW to call...Fight...DEMAND...truly affordable health coverage for ALL.

Anything short is simply a mandated gift to the profiteers !

Call...Fight...DEMAND !!!
Time Is Running Out !!

B4B