September 20, 2009

Healthcare Bill Falters

U.S. Senator Max Baucus -- Montana Democrat and chairman of the Senate Finance Committee – introduced its long- anticipated healthcare reform bill last Wednesday.

It extends health coverage to 29 million uninsured Americans.  It also provides a detailed look at a legislative proposal meeting many of the requirements that President Barack Obama outlined in his address to Congress last week.

Baucus was cold-shouldered by senators on both sides of the aisle.  He had crafted the bill with help of a bipartisan “Gang Of Six” in hope of satisfying everyone – including President Obama.

Senate Majority leader Harry Reid, complimented Baucus for trying, but gave the proposal a kiss of death:  “There will be a healthy and vigorous debate in the Finance Committee as senators work to strengthen the proposal.”

Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), a Finance Committee member, said he backed the bill as a “starting point,” but pledged to seek changes to protect his state’s large number of Medicare beneficiaries.

CHIEF COMPLAINT

Liberals in the House ”panned” the bill.

As the independent, privately-owned daily newspaper “The Hill” -- published expressly for Congress and political junkies – opined:

“Their chief complaint is that Baucus did not include a proposal to create a government-run public-option health insurance program to compete with private companies.

“Democrats also want to boost the assistance middle-class families would get to buy health insurance.”

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) “reiterated her support for a public option in the final legislation.”

Representative Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-S.D.) – a leader of the 52-member Blue Dog Coalition of conservative Democrats – stated:

“The draft released by Chairman Baucus addresses two, central, goals of the Blue Dog Coalition and the Administration.  It is deficit-neutral and takes real steps to bring down the coast of healthcare over the long term.”

BUDGET OFFICE ANALYSIS

The Congressional Budget Office issued a “preliminary analysis” saying the plan would cost $774 billion over 10 years.  It would result in a net reduction in federal budget deficit of $40 billion from the year 2010 to 2019.

Baucus estimated the cost at $856 billion.

SHOP ‘TIL YOU DROP

Under the Baucus plan, new Web-based insurance exchanges would be established to allow consumers to shop for insurance plans.

The package also would expand Medicaid -- and place caps on patients’ annual health-care costs.

It would be paid for with $349 billion in new taxes and fees – plus $507 billion in cuts to government health programs.

Don’t try to hold your breath while this rosy estimate lurches ahead.

Shortly before the Baucus plan was released, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R.Ky.)  asserted that “Democrats are pushing another trillion-dollar bill, or calling for more spending, more taxes, and more debt.”

TERRIFYING WORDS

We are reminded of President Ronald Reagan’s “most terrifying nine words in the English language.”

By Lindsey Wilger Williams, retired newspaper publisher and syndicated columnist