Signals from the White House that the president might drop the public health insurance option from a refrom bill have provoked a stern reaction from liberal Democrats, including former Democratic National Committee chair Howard Dean.
"I don't think the president should sign a bill which puts $60 billion of taxpayer's money into the private health insurance industry," said the former Vermont governor on MSNBC's "Morning Meeting." "That's what this bill would be without a public option."
If the bill does not include a public entity to provide coverage to the uninsured, "then don't call it health reform," Dean added. He said that co-ops do not work and would be an unsatisfactory solution.
The 2004 presidential candidate said that without the public option, Congress should strip funding from the bill and focus on "insurance reform" that would correct problems in the market.
But in the end, Dean asserted that the bill would include a public option.
"I think the public option is going to pass and it's going to be signed by the president," he said.
Dean argued that the negotiations would boil down to a back-and-forth between centrist Blue Dogs and liberal Democrats, saying that Republicans would offer nearly universal opposition to the bill to "hurt the president."
If the health reform bill comes to a floor vote, Dean said "Blue Dogs are not going to vote against a healthcare bill, they can't do that."
Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) on Friday afternoon backed down from comments he made on Twitter accusing Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) of spreading "myths" about "death panels."
Senator Grassley is not available on the phone today, but I will talk to him as soon as possible to clarify his position on living wills.
I believe it is appropriate to council people on their choices, but no one should tell anyone else
what to do about health care near the end of their lives.
Specter seems to have moderated his comments on the end-of-life provisions included in some versions of healthcare reform legislation.
Earlier on Friday, Specter accused Grassley of spreading fear that the government would create a "death panel" if health reform passed, an assertion former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) first made this week.
Grassley never used the phrase himself, but said yesterday that such decisions 'ought to be done within the family. We should not have a government program that determines if you're going to pull the plug on grandma."
After reading Specter's remarks, Grassley tweeted:
Specter got it all wrong that I ever used words "death boards". Even liberal press never accused me of that. So change ur last Tweet Arlen
The Senate Finance Committee, of which Grassley is ranking member, removed an end-of-life clause from the committee's version of the bill that provided incentives for doctors to consult with patients on care in case of a terminal illness or other life-threatening ailment.
The Iowa Republican said the committee removed the provision "because of the way they could be misinterpreted and implemented incorrectly."
Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) said on Friday that protests against health care reform legislation at town halls across the country are simply a "moment" and not a full-blown "movement."
"Well, I don't think it's a movement. I think it's a moment," he said on NPR's "Morning Edition."
"There's one universe of voices. Maybe some didn't like the results of the last election who are very vocal. But there is a very significant universe who understands that even for those who have healthcare insurance" they are spending a larger chunk of their income on it, he added.
Menendez, who chairs the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said that healthcare supporters represent a "great majority" of Americans who may not be as vocal as the town hall protesters.
The New Jersey Democrat also called "outrageous" claims that health reform would create government "panels" that decided end-of-life issues.
He said that some versions of the bill contain provisions that encourage care providers to have discussions with patients about their preferences for end-of-life care.
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) shot back at Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) after the latter called Grassley's office saying that he has been spreading "myths" about "death panels" and healthcare reform.
The Senate Finance Committee ranking member tweeted Friday:
Specter got it all wrong that I ever used words "death boards". Even liberal press never accused me of that. So change ur last Tweet Arlen
Specter tweeted an hour earlier that he called Grassley's office to tell him to stop spreading falsehoods about end-of-life provisions in the healthcare reform bill.
Earlier this week, the Iowa Republican echoed claims first made by former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) that the end-of-life provision would create a government "death panel" that would decide end-of-life issues but did not use the her phrase.
Such decisions "ought to be done within the family. We should not have a government program that determines if you're going to pull the plug on grandma," Grassley said.
Grassley announced yesterday that the Finance Committee would drop end-of-life provisions from its version of the bill "because of the way they could be misinterpreted and implemented incorrectly."
Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) called his Republican colleague Sen. Chuck Grassley (Iowa) to ask him to stop spreading "myths" about healthcare reform legislation and "death panels."
The Pennsylvania Democrat's call demonstrates growing tension between his party and Grassley, who is the ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee and lead GOP negotiator on healthcare reform.
Called Senator Grassley to tell him to stop speading myths about health care reform and imaginary "death panels."
Had to leave a message - for now. I will talk to him soon.
Grassley announced yesterday that the Finance Committee would drop end-of-life provisions from its version of the bill "because of the way they could be misinterpreted and implemented incorrectly."
Earlier this week, the Iowa Republican echoed claims first made by former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) that the end-of-life provision would create a government "death panel" that would decide end-of-life issues.
Such decisions "ought to be done within the family. We should not have a government program that determines if you're going to pull the plug on grandma," Grassley said.
Nine organizations representing state and local elected officials today sent a letter urging members of Congress to put special emphasis on overcoming social and economic obstacles that hinder access to high-speed Internet service around the country.
The National Lieutenant Governors Association and the National Association of Counties told Congress that the national broadband plan being developed in conjunction with the Federal Communications Commission should not just focus on making broadband service available to all communities.
The plan also needs to address the most common hurdles that prevent a large segment of the population from benefiting from high-speed Internet: low income levels, lack of computer ownership and training, and the perceived lack of relevant content on the Web.
Congress has already set aside $250 million for programs that will help educate non-broadband users about how to use the service.
While broadband adoption is rising in many areas, the letter pointed out that only 63 percent of households have broadband access. "For certain demographic groups, the adoption rate is well below 50 percent... This indicates that there are other barriers that need to be addressed," the letter said.
The letter was sent to Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-Mich.) and the ranking members of each committee.
Co-signers include the National Conference of Hispanic Legislators, the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials and Women in Municipal Government. A copy of the letter can be found here.
Former Gov. Sarah Palin (R-Alaska) recently claimed that the end-of-live provision in the healthcare reform legislation would create a government "death panel" to decide such issues. But during her term as governor, she signed a resolution that "encouraged hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, continuing care retirement communities, and hospices" to help patients make end-of-life plans.
In 2008, Palin signed a state resolution proclaiming April 16 as "Heathcare Decisions Day," which was "designed to raise public awareness of the need to plan ahead for healthcare decisions, related to end of life care and medical decision-making whenever patients are unable to speak for themselves."
The resolution also encouraged people to draft "advance directives to communicate these important healthcare decisions."
The provision expressed hope that "more citizens will have conversations about their healthcare decisions; more citizens will execute advance directives to make their wishes known; and fewer families and healthcare providers will have to struggle with making difficult healthcare decisions in the absence of guidance from the patient."
In a Facebook message yesterday, Palin criticized the House legislation for encouraging doctors to initiate end-of-life consultations, suggesting that elderly patients would feel pressured not to accept treatment.
A strong proponent of health reform has declined to hold town halls on the subject because he believes they are a "forum for confusion."
"Well, I think it's a big distraction it's a forum for confusion," Rep. Brian Higgins (D-N.Y.) told WBEN radio in Buffalo on Friday. "The people who are advocating for town hall meetings, we know where they're at they're opposed to healthcare reform."
The third-term Democrat added that he was a strong supporter of the current House health bill, H.R. 3200, saying that "it gets us on a path away from fees for service and toward complete care."
"Don't talk about a European system, let's not talk about a Canadian system. Let's talk about an American system," the Ways and Means Committee member added.
Although Higgins believes the existing bill provides an excellent fix to America's healthcare system, he indicated that provisions of the bill may change.
"There is a lot of debate left" before any plan is approved, he said.
A Texas House Republican who participated in the health reform negotiations said that Congress does not have the political capital to pass the legislation and that only President Barack Obama can get the bill ratified.
"Congress doesn't have the credibility or the popularity to do something this large," Rep. Michael C. Burgess (R-Tex.) told Fox News on Thursday. "Really, this is something on which the president is going to have to lead."
Burgess, who is a physician, is chair of the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee. Centrist Blue Dog Democrats on his committee brokered a deal with House leadership to pass their version of the bill just before August recess.
But Burgess explained that the president would have to do more to pass the bill through both chambers. The House and the Senate do not have floor versions of the bill up for consideration.
"The president does have the poll numbers but for whatever reason has kind of held back and has been defending the plans of five individual Democratic committee chairmen, which is a little bit odd from my perspective," he said.
The fourth-term congressman added that under health reform as it stands, private individual insurance "will likely go away and go away fairly quickly."
Employer based plans, he said, would take at least five years to "erode away."
A House Republican closely involved with the health bill negotiations said on Wednesday that vocal protests at health reform town hall meetings are "good for the Republicans."
"I don't mind people being emotional. I don't mind 'em reading the bill. I think that's good for the Republicans. This debate is healthy," said Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill.) in a local radio interview.
Shimkus, who sits on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, appeared on WLS 890 AM in Chicago.
Energy and Commerce passed their version of the health bill just before August recess as a result of a compromise brokered between House leadership and centrist Blue Dog Democrats on the committee.
The seventh-term Republican offered sharp criticism of the legislation, saying it would provide funding for abortions and would insure illegal immigrants.
Shimkus admitted that he had not read every page of the bill but was very familiar with its provisions.
"Have I read every single word? No. Do I know the bill pretty good? Yes," he said. "Law is very difficult to read, that's why you have lawyers."
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