Sen. Sanders Obtains More Funding For Health Centers

[cal04]

by DemFromCT
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/12/19/816807/-Sen.-Sanders

While the headlines have been centered around Joe Lieberman and Ben Nelson, and what we have to trade to get health reform past the egos in the Senate, Bernie Sanders has been quietly representing the voters.

Over 55 million Americans, insured and uninsured, have trouble finding a primary care provider. That is why Senator Sanders has proposed a comprehensive set of proposals that will assure not just insurance coverage, but will increase the number of health professionals and community health centers to enable all Americans to receive affordable medical, dental, and behavioral health services. This is why the senator has put so much energy into expanding the Federally Qualified Community Health Center program and the National Health Service Corps.

We now get word that the energy expended has paid off. From a press release: (http://sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/news/?id=30B2A415-4ADE-4367-AF7D-4C3306E31B58)

December 19 – A $10 billion investment in community health centers, expected to go to $14 billion when Congress completes work on health care reform legislation, was included in a final series of changes to the Senate bill unveiled today. The provision, which would provide primary care for 25 million more Americans, was requested by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

And as far as cost effectiveness goes:

For the health centers, the $14 billion in the bill that the House of Representatives approved on Nov. 7 would increase the number of centers from 20 million to 45 million over the next five years. The investment would more than pay for itself by saving Medicaid $23 billion over five years on reduced emergency room use and hospital costs, according to a study conducted by George Washington University.

There are Senators who still remember their job description, who hired them, and why they are in DC.

Thank you, Sen. Sanders. Can you by any chance move to Connecticut?

[endless october]

1. does this mean he's on board with the POS "reform" bill?

[lapfog_1]

4. In a word, yes...

Though I suspect that he will vote for cloture, and then vote against the bill. But that's just a guess.

It doesn't matter, the vote for cloture in the main thing, and that was never in any doubt from him. For weeks and weeks he has been promoting an "ethical stand that all Senators in the caucus need to take, namely to vote the way Leadership wants on all procedural matters (like cloture), and then vote your conscious on the bill". For him to reverse this position now... well, I think very highly of Senator Sanders' principles and ethics, so I just don't see him doing it.

There will be some small number of Senators in the caucus that are going to vote no for final passage, they will be predetermined and accounted for so the bill passes. It's very common.

[debbierlus]

6. No, he stated he was open to filibuster on Ed

[babylonsister]

2. Great news. We need to clone Sen. Sanders, or at least

instill his spine and doggedness into some milquetoast Dems.

[debbierlus]

3. That is not NEARLY enough to justify voting for this atrocity. FILIBUSTER

Not enough.

Not nearly enough.

I appreciate Sen Sanders work to try and get something out of this mess for his vote. But, that is not enough.

[lapfog_1]

5. He won't do that.

He's been on Thom Hartmann for weeks (if not months now) promoting the idea that Democratic caucus members should vote on procedural matters (like cloture) with the leadership. I don't think that he will change his mind on this even though he probably should.

[truedelphi]

7. Ditto. n/t