many House liberals look ready to accept a compromise health care bill

 

Sunday, Nov 01,2009, 1:19:43 AM   Click:

They may not love him, but many House liberals have looked ready to accept a bill compromise health care, putting the Democratic leadership on track to deliver on the president's call for Barack Obama for review.

After claiming for months, they could not vote for a bill without the best possible government run insurance option, the Liberals put aside their disappointment with the weaker version in the legislation for a historic opportunity to remake medical system in America.

"The current language is much weaker than I prefer, and I think it is also true for the progressive caucus, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo., Member of the Congressional Black Caucus, has said Friday. "But because I have not come here to participate in gridlock and acrimony, I told management that I am willing to compromise."

Obama said in private liberal House, they would chalk up a victory.

Leaders of the Progressive, Black, Hispanic and Asian Pacific American Caucus met at the White House on Thursday evening with Mr. Obama, who has listened to their concerns and praised their efforts.

"He looked at us and said:" You guys should walk around like you've won because you have reduced the public option, ' "said Rep. Mike Honda, D-Calif. He alluded to the fact that prospects for any kind of government the option Run scowling angrily after town halls in August.

House-ground debate could begin late next week on legislation that extends coverage to scan 96 percent of Americans, imposing new requirements on individuals and employers to obtain insurance and provide subsidies to people low income.

The bill includes a new public insurance plan that would pay providers and hospital rates negotiated by the Health and Human Services secretary. Liberal had pushed the rate of payment should be linked to Medicare, which they said would mean lower costs for consumers and the federal government. But concerns moderate "than those lower rates would adversely affect hospitals and other providers in their districts prevailed, although House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Had supported the health insurance based on the version.

In a bit of news is sobering, the Congressional Budas right, but with hindsight I think progressives are going to be good soldiers on it, once again," said Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., Co - President of the Progressive Caucus.

Grijalva said progressive and gave no fight to offer their preferred option for public insurance as an amendment. But House leaderThere are still concerns of moderate cost of the bill - 1.055 billion dollars over 10 years - and the long-term costs, and disputes must be resolved on blocking federal funding of abortions and d 'prevent illegal immigrants from seeking care financed by taxpayers. But both the strident opposition to the liberal version of Option Public Insurance Bill Pelosi released Thursday had simply disappeared after 24 hours.

This is the exact result Pelosi predicted in early August, sparking anger from progressives at the time.

"Are you asking me: 'Are liberals will win universal, quality health care affordable for all Americans, I do not think so," Pelosi said then, laughing at the question.

Indeed, they are not.

"I hate to say he was right, but with hindsight I think progressives are going to be good soldiers on it, once again," said Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., Co - President of the Progressive Caucus.

Grijalva said progressive and gave no fight to offer their preferred option for public insurance as an amendment. But House leaders have indicated they will not allow amendments to the bill.

House liberals are afraid of what will happen to their version of the bill the government-run plan when it comes time to merge with what the Senate adopted.

Senator Harry Reid, D-Nev., Said earlier this week that the bill the Senate would have a new federal insurance program with payment rates negotiated. Unlike the text in the House, although states could opt out. We do not see the proposal command enough votes in the Senate to survive and could be replaced by a monitoring system driven by the moderates who would not take effect until it is clear the individual states have been experiencing a lack of competition between private companies.

Grijalva said the Liberals have expressed serious concerns on both the opt-out "and" trigger "approach during Thursday's meeting at the White House, but Obama does not engage in these issues.

Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, was the main proponent of the "trigger" approach, but she told The Associated Press in an interview Friday that she did not intend to offer in the form of amendment because it lacks the votes to prevail. Snowe is the only Republican in Congress have supported legislation Democrats' health care, voting "yes" to the Finance Committee. But she said Friday she could not support the current version of Reid.