Re: Single-payer health care plan for America dies in Senate

[Guest guest]

In Senate Health Showdown, Round Goes to G.O.P. By ROBERT PEAR

WASHINGTON — On the 17th day of Senate debate on health legislation, it came

down to this: A rock-ribbed conservative physician from Oklahoma squared off

against a self-described democratic socialist from Vermont who was hoping for a

full-throated debate on his proposal to establish a system of " Medicare for

all. " The Oklahoman, Senator Tom Coburn, a Republican, had propounded a

unanimous-consent request, stipulating that no amendment could be offered unless

it had been publicly available for 72 hours, with an estimate of its costs.

Senator Max Baucus, Democrat of Montana and chairman of the Finance Committee,

objected.

Minutes later, Senator Bernard , independent of Vermont, called up his

amendment. " For the first time in American history, " Mr. said, " the

Senate will debate a proposal to create a single-payer, Medicare-for-all health

care system. "

Not so fast.

Mr. Coburn objected to Mr. 's request to dispense with the reading of the

767-page amendment.

So a relay team of Senate clerks began reading the proposal. After nearly three

hours, Mr. threw in the towel and withdrew his amendment.

The conflict on Wednesday illustrated the frustration growing in both parties

after more than two weeks of desultory debate, as Senate Democrats struggle to

line up 60 votes and pass their health care bill before Christmas.

Democrats said Republicans were stalling and obstructing the most important

social legislation in decades.

Republicans said Mr. had candidly avowed a goal that many Democrats

secretly shared: a government takeover of health care.

" I admire Senator for his willingness to fight publicly for what many

advocate only privately: a single-payer health care system funded and controlled

by bureaucrats and politicians in Washington, " Mr. Coburn said.

The No. 2 Democrat in the Senate, J. Durbin of Illinois, said Mr. Coburn

was pursuing a " clear strategy " with support from Senate Republican leaders.

" What this is all about is to bring down health care reform, " Mr. Durbin said.

The delays jeopardize not only health care legislation, he said, but also a

separate bill that provides money for the military and for extended unemployment

insurance benefits.

The Senate Republican leader, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, said the Democrats,

led by Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, were " pressing ahead in a blind rush of

frantic deal-making to find 60 votes by Christmas, " even though opinion polls

showed growing opposition to the bill.

Senator Jim DeMint, Republican of South Carolina, said, " If Senator Reid won't

slow down this debate, we will do it for him. "

Mr. was sputtering. " The best the Republicans can do is to try to bring

the United States government to a halt, " he said. " It's an outrage, a disgrace.

It explains why so many people have contempt for Washington. "

To win the elusive 60th vote, Mr. Reid on Wednesday stepped up efforts to work

out a compromise restricting the use of federal money for insurance covering

abortion.

Those efforts focused, in particular, on Senator Ben , Democrat of

Nebraska, an opponent of abortion who said he had not decided how he would vote

on the legislation.

Aides to Mr. said he was studying a proposal on abortion that he received

on Wednesday from Senator Bob Casey, Democrat of Pennsylvania, who had been

asked by Democratic leaders to try to draft a compromise.

Mr. had no immediate comment on the proposal, but said: " This is not an

issue where you can split the difference. That's what makes it so challenging. "

In an interview on Wednesday, M. Doerflinger, a spokesman on abortion

for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, said that the bishops

appreciated the goals of some of Mr. Casey's proposals, but that none of the

proposals addressed the fundamental concern of the use of taxpayer money to

subsidize insurance that includes coverage of abortion.

Mr. dismissed suggestions that Democratic leaders had tried to win his

support for the health care bill by offering several hundred million dollars for

projects in Nebraska.

" My vote is not for sale, " he said. He also said he was concerned that the bill

would raise taxes, impose costly new requirements on states and reduce access to

health care by curbing Medicare payments to some providers, including nursing

homes and home-care agencies.

On the other hand, Mr. said, he wants to help people get affordable

coverage, and the bill would do that.

Senator L. Landrieu, Democrat of Louisiana, said her reservations about the

bill had been addressed with the decision to strip out a new government-run

health plan and the proposed expansion of Medicare.

Senate Democratic leaders said they would probably accept two contentious

proposals by Senator D. Rockefeller IV, Democrat of West Virginia. One

would increase the powers of a proposed new agency to limit the growth of health

spending, including payments to hospitals.

The other proposal would require insurers to spend a specified share of premiums

— at least 85 percent — on clinical services and activities that improve the

quality of care. This would, in effect, limit the profits of insurers.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/17/health/policy/17health.html