Arrested Development - Ex-Pats Mexico

WASHINGTON – House Democrats reached agreement Wednesday on key elements of a health care bill that would vastly alter America's medical landscape, requiring virtually universal sign-ups and establishing a new government-run insurance option for millions.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi planned a formal announcement Thursday morning, but details were still being finalized, lawmakers and aides said. Officials said the legislation could be up for a vote on the House floor next week.

The rollout would cap months of arduous negotiations to bridge differences between liberal and moderate Democrats and blend health care overhaul bills passed by three separate committees over the summer. The developments in the House came as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., tried to round up support among moderate Democrats for his bill, which includes a modified government insurance option that states could opt out of.

Reid met Thursday with Arkansas Sen. Blanche Lincoln, who faces a potentially tough re-election next year.

The final product in the House, reflecting many of President Barack Obama's priorities, includes new requirements for employers to offer insurance to their workers or face penalties, fines on Americans who don't purchase coverage and subsidies to help lower-income people do so. Insurance companies would face new prohibitions against charging much more to older people or denying coverage to people with health conditions.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091028/ap_ ... e_overhaul

I'm glad they are trying to go that far. Wonder if there will be an exception for Expats for those fines

Progress is being made towards health insurance reform. But the Republicans, backed by industry lobbies, are not yet rolling over and playing dead. They are now targetting the AARP as the latest villains in the reform debate:

" Republican leaders say AARP is supporting changes to the Medicare system included in Democratic health care reform bills because they would result in more sales of AARP-branded insurance. They claim that "backroom deals" between executives of the AARP and Democratic leadership -- deals the GOP say are designed to protect the executives' high salaries -- led to the group's pro-Medicare reform stance."

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009 ... hp?ref=fpb

"Yesterday, right wing blogs and publications picked up the story. Michelle Malkin retweeted the House GOP talking points on the topic and Human Events published a story echoing the GOP claims. Malkin and the conservative magazine focused on the corruption message, highlighting the "back-room" dealing."

The wingnuts have jumped in. That should make it interesting.

Rollout which is attended by RSVP only, not a "public option" and is DOA. So, why do we pay these people to write 2,000 page fantasy's?

Today, House Democratic leaders unveiled the chamber's final health reform bill (HR 3962), which includes a public health insurance option favored by moderates that would have providers negotiate their reimbursement rates directly with the government, the Washington Post reports.

http://www.californiahealthline.org/art ... ation.aspx

The release of a Senate plan on Monday containing a version of the public option that allows states to determine whether they will participate further softened Pelosi's insistence on including the robust option in the House bill (California Healthline, 10/28).

Both provide competition to health insurance companies. That is why industry lobbies and paid for politicians are fighting it.