{"id":102,"date":"2009-10-06T01:19:00","date_gmt":"2009-10-06T09:19:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/?p=102"},"modified":"2009-10-06T01:19:00","modified_gmt":"2009-10-06T09:19:00","slug":"barf-delayed-%e2%80%93-olbermann-hosts-oregon-doctors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/2009\/10\/06\/barf-delayed-%e2%80%93-olbermann-hosts-oregon-doctors\/","title":{"rendered":"BARF Delayed \u2013 Olbermann Hosts Oregon Doctors"},"content":{"rendered":"

It looks like we won\u2019t get a vote on BARF (Baucus Anti Real Fix bill) this week.<\/p>\n

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\"BaucusBill\"<\/a> The Senate Finance Committee was supposed to convene for a vote on its controversial health care bill tomorrow [now today]. Now, that’s looking doubtful.<\/font><\/p>\n

Early in the amendment process, the panel<\/font> agreed<\/a> not to hold a vote until a preliminary analysis on the legislation’s cost-saving potential was available, and it appears as if the CBO will not complete its work until later in the week. That would touch off yet another delay–one that’s likely to frustrate Democrats and liberal activists, who’ve grown impatient over the glacial pace of reform efforts.<\/font><\/p>\n

Assuming the panel successfully approves the bill by week’s end, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will begin negotiations with Democratic health care leaders to marry it with a more liberal package that was advanced months ago by the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions committee.<\/font><\/p>\n

Most insiders expect the bill to pass on a heavily partisan basis. Depending on how Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) chooses to vote, Finance chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) will be able to lose one or two Democrats, but no more. Several Democrats, but most notably Sens. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Jay Rockefeller (D-WV)–frustrated by the right-leaning nature of the bill, and upset about being shut out of the months-long negotiations process–have suggested they may not be prepared to support the legislation as is\u2026<\/font><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Inserted from <TPM<\/a>><\/p>\n

Now what this means is that the GOP wants more time for the Insurance lobby to prepare their fight against reform, not that BARF represents any real reform at all.  Yesterday I was watching C-Span and saw Sen. Kyl speaking in opposition to BARF.  Most of it was GOP smoke and mirrors to be dismissed without further mention.  However, on a couple of points, if he was telling the truth, I actually agreed with him.  He said that BARF taxes insurance companies on policies valued at over $8,000 per family, and that insurance companies will pass the costs on to the insured.  He\u2019s right.  Many union workers have negotiated for top drawer health care in lieu of pay raises.  Firefighters and police need more costly policies due to the danger implicit in their jobs.  I consider it wrong to penalize these people.  Kyl also said that BARF increases the level above which medical expenses are deductible from federal income tax from 7% to 10%.  I don\u2019t think it right to penalize people who need catastrophic or chronic care.  In an attempt to be revenue neutral, what BARF does is to penalize common people like us to finance corporate welfare for big insurance.<\/p>\n

Let me tell you, when a piece of legislation is so bad that honesty compels me to agree with the likes of John Kyl about anything at all, it really STINKS!<\/p>\n

On 9\/22, I posted this<\/a> article about Oregon doctors campaigning for health care reform.  I was pleased to see Dr. Paul Hochfeld interviewed by Keith Olbermann on Countdown last night.  Here\u2019s the clip.<\/p>\n

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