Two swing-state Democrats offer middle ground on health care

[mcar]

Last edited Mon Oct 16, 2017, 03:25 PM - Edit history (1)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/two-swing-state-democrats-offer-middle-ground-on-health-care/2017/10/16/7c78abca-b1ea-11e7-be94-fabb0f1e9ffb_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-more-top-stories_pkcapitol-1214pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.363e02dcf6df



Two swing-state Democrats offer middle ground on health care

Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee member Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), third from left, speaks on Capitol Hill in January. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) is second from left. Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) is fourth from right. (Alex Brandon/AP)
By Paul Kane October 16 at 11:58 AM
A pair of swing-state Democrats are offering new legislation that would create Medicare-style options for non-elderly workers, with a heavy focus on rural areas that have few insurers offering coverage under the Affordable Care Act.

The proposal, from Sens. Michael F. Bennet (Colo.) and Tim Kaine (Va.), is politically significant because it tries to build on the existing law rather than the tear-it-all-down proposal of a national health-care system that is being offered by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)....

That’s where Bennet and Kaine come in, with what they call “Medicare-X,” legislation they are formally unveiling this week. It would allow anyone to buy into a publicly provided plan using the network of Medicare providers and physicians, at similar rates, with lower-income workers receiving tax credits for the plan. In its first years of operation, this new Medicare option would be available only in counties that have one or no providers offering insurance on the ACA’s private exchanges.

It would eventually phase in to all counties and would effectively serve as what Democrats called the “public option” in 2009 and 2010, when they debated and passed the health law under President Barack Obama. The public option, passed in the original draft by the House, could not clear a filibuster in the Senate and was dropped from the final bill. That came even though Democrats had 60 members in their caucus, enough to clear a filibuster, because several opposed a public option.

[Wounded Bear]

1. K & R...for visibility...nt

[beachbum bob]

2. How do democrats appeal to the rural poorer voter in red and swing states? Doing this

and showing the willingness to make something happen with the otherside. Of course, conservatives will get bent out of shape for their obvious reasons that you never work with the otherside

[Freddie]

3. Would this be age-restricted?

Such as age 50 - 65? This would be a good counter to Repugs determined to sell "skimpy" plans, as a way of getting affordable comprehensive plans to those that need them the most.

[mcar]

4. I'm sure we'll know more when they release it

It's a good start, IMO.