Deal with Hospitals to Kill Public Option Confirmed in New Daschle Book

[t0dd]

Tom Daschle’s admission that the public option was tossed in a deal with the hospital industry may come as news to a lot of people, if it gets wide attention. It’s significant that Daschle tried to clarify his statement to Igor Volsky at The Wonk Room, even though his book contains the same information:

In his book, Daschle reveals that after the Senate Finance Committee and the White House convinced hospitals to accept $155 billion in payment reductions over ten years on July 8, the hospitals and Democrats operated under two “working assumptions.” “One was that the Senate would aim for health coverage of at least 94 percent of Americans,” Daschle writes. “The other was that it would contain no public health plan,” which would have reimbursed hospitals at a lower rate than private insurers.

In addition, this acknowledgement lines up perfectly with the admittedly scant public record we have on the subject. Miles Mogulescu pursued this story at the Huffington Post for months, and Ed Schultz got an on-the-record confirmation from a reporter at the New York Times.

On Monday, Ed Shultz interviewed New York Times Washington reporter David Kirkpatrick on his MSNBC TV show, and Kirkpatrick confirmed the existence of the deal. Shultz quoted Chip Kahn, chief lobbyist for the for-profit hospital industry on Kahn’s confidence that the White House would honor the no public option deal, and Kirkpatrick responded:

“That’s a lobbyist for the hospital industry and he’s talking about the hospital industry’s specific deal with the White House and the Senate Finance Committee and, yeah, I think the hospital industry’s got a deal here. There really were only two deals, meaning quid pro quo handshake deals on both sides, one with the hospitals and the other with the drug industry. And I think what you’re interested in is that in the background of these deals was the presumption, shared on behalf of the lobbyists on the one side and the White House on the other, that the public option was not going to be in the final product.”

http://news.firedoglake.com/2010/10/05/the-deal-with-the-hospital-industry-to-kill-the-public-option/

[Selatius]

1. So, we basically got fucked over pretty much at the beginning of the struggle.

This is why Democrats are demoralized.

[Junkdrawer]

6. But consider all the effort that went into the Kabuki Theater.....

It proves they care!

[zipplewrath]

2. So they sold us down the river

They did it for admirable reasons, they were attempting to control the cost of medicaid. And they were successful. The federal government will save hundreds of millions of dollars. But for the love of me I can't figure out why they put in such a mandate, especially a weak one, not to mention a cadillac tax.

[MadHound]

3. So much for the will of the people, who supported the public option by a large majority

Instead we are increasingly being subjected to the rule of corporations and businesses, and don't forget, it is a bipartisan effort.

[vi5]

4. I'm shocked...SHOCKED!!

[Luminous Animal]

5. So Glenn & Jane were right. The public option was bargained away in secret.

[Scuba]

7. Interesting how it's painted as the "hospital industry" when it really...

...is the insurance companies driving the agenda.

I worked 32 years in hospital administration and I'll guarantee you hospitals would jump on single - payer rather than keep the mess that's been handed them today.

The healthcare industry is not rocket science. It's much more complicated than that. Just think about all the body systems, medications, illnesses and injuries. Complex enough? Not to Americans. We have a convoluted mess in terms of hospital business too.

In most cases, hospitals don't bill their patients following the rendering of services. They bill Medicare, Medicaid or a for-profit insurance company.

Without prompt payment, the hospital can't pay the nurses and aids, janitors and mechanics. The hospital shuts down.

Fortunately, in most cases Medicare and Medicaid pay reasonably promptly and accurately.

For-profit insurers are slower to pay however, and have an inordinate number of errors on claims. These range from denying the patient is a client to paying a lower percentage of covered charges that their contracts calls for them to do. Funny how the vast majority of errors are in their favor.

To re-bill these claims is notoriously expensive. So hospitals often do one of two things: write it off or tack it on the patients portion. Either way, you're giving insurance companies a windfall profit while sticking it to either the taxpayers or patient.

Ask your local hospital representative what margin they made last year. These are the "retained earnings" that allows them to replace old equipment and start new services, not profits for shareholders.

Any hospital making 3% is a top performer. Many hospitals are losing money, and reducing services as a result.

Hospitals are staffed largely by hard working, well meaning, people most of whom are under compensated for their responsibilities.

It's not the "hospital industry" that's the problem here.


edited for clarity

[Autumn]

8. They put up one hell of a fight

maybe someday they might fight for what we, the people need. I seem to remember something about "the bill I sign must include a public option", or maybe I was just stupid and heard it wrong.

[Hepburn]

9. ...

...:grr:

Fuck this shit!

[mmonk]

10. We know. It was a pretty cruel deal.

Ironically, the righties still call it socialism and the big money is now flowing to the Republicans. You can't make deals with snakes.

[Name removed]

11. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[CBR]

12. Shocking! Outrage! WTF? OMG! Not this! WWJD?!?!?!? nt

[TexasObserver]

13. This is how the FOR PROFIT health care system uses politics to stop progress.

These people are greedy. That's why they have eaten up one sixth of the US economy, while delivering services that are steadily declining in quality.

[CoffeeCat]

16. Our politicians are to blame....

Every one of them involved in these back-door agreements and deals--is corrupt and selfish.

Corporations will always be profit-centric. Corporations are not people. They exist only
to make money and their balance sheets will always be the only thing that matters.

But the politicians serve US. Not the corporations. The politicians represent the people and
they are supposed to be our advocates.

These politicians are doing the exact opposite. They are kow towing to the corporations, and
harming United States citizens for the express purpose of enriching these corporations.

Corporations have been greedy and profit-driven since day one. But our politicians have
NEVER been this corrupt, immoral, devious and sociopathic. That's what's wrong here.

It's very sad.

[Karmadillo]

14. Obama Demands: The Bill I Sign Must Include Public Option

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/07/obama-demands-the-bill-i-sign-must-include-public-option.php

While we're talking health care reform: In his weekly radio address on Saturday, President Obama did what he's refused to do all along--he said the public option isn't an option at all.

<edit>

ny plan I sign must include an insurance exchange: a one-stop shopping marketplace where you can compare the benefits, cost and track records of a variety of plans - including a public option to increase competition and keep insurance companies honest - and choose what's best for your family.

That's a first. In the recent past, the White House has only demanded that health care reform expand and improve coverage while lowering costs. But Blue Dogs and conservative Senate Democrats have been raising noises about the public option, while citing concerns that the reform proposals on the table won't cut costs. And with the debate reaching its crescendo, Obama's letting them know they can't have it both ways.

more...

[CoffeeCat]

15. So sick of this SHIT!!

Every Westernized nation on this planet has national healthcare.

We don't have it in the United States because our damn politicians kow tow
to the fricking corporations.

And Obama practically sneered at liberals, during his address to Congress--making
us feel like children for wanting the public option--and reminding us, with a
stern parental tone--that we don't always get everything we want.

Yeah, that's right. When you're cutting back-room deals with the big corporations
and profiteers--it's a bit difficult to do the right thing, now isn't it Mr. President?

You guys whittle our democracy down to the bare nub--with your greedy, underhanded,
under-the-table deals and you have the GALL to make "liberals" feel like spoiled
children when our nation is denied what every other civilized nation on this
planet has???

The reason we didn't get a public option is because of GREED and CORRUPTION! So, please--
refrain from talking down to those who only wanted what was just, reasonable and right.
The bastards who made these back-door deals should be ashamed beyond repair! They should
cringe when they look in the mirror and see their revolting, immoral faces staring back
at them. They most certainly shouldn't treat people who wanted the public option as
"lesser-thans" and petulant children who just won't shut up. Liberals did NOTHING wrong
by hoping for that public option. It's the corrupt politician who wronged us all when
they picked profits and their own political self interests over the health and well
being of this entire nation!

Curse these dishonest, disgusting, lying, arrogant reptiles.

[area51]

20. +1

Each day, 273 people die due to lack of health care in the U.S.; that's 100,000 deaths per year.

We need single-payer health care, not a welfare bailout for the serial-killer insurance agencies.

We don't need the GingrichCare of mandated, unregulated, for-profit insurance that is still too expensive, only pays parts of medical bills, denies claims, bankrupts and kills people. Republinazi '93 plan:

"Subtitle F: Universal Coverage - Requires each citizen or lawful permanent resident to be covered under a qualified health plan or equivalent health care program by January 1, 2005."

"We will never have real reform until people's health stops being treated as a financial opportunity for corporations."

[SammyWinstonJack]

25. +1000!

:applause:

[Rex]

17. Yeah it was all bullshit from the begining, but whatcha gonna do?

They get it from you coming and going.

[_ed_]

18. Obama and his staff

played us for fools. They never intended to include the public option, and lied to our faces.

[Starry Messenger]

19. recommend.

[DirkGently]

21. Un-spinnable.

[slay]

22. A government by the corporations, for the corporations

anyone who thinks our government acts in any other way is either a fool or hasn't been paying attention. we're in big trouble here people. the super-rich and mega-corporations have already won. :(

[Mimosa]

23. K&R n/t

[mdmc]

24. ..