TPM: Baucus and his Health Insurance Co-op

[flpoljunkie]

Health Insurance Coop

By Jon Taplin - June 12, 2009, 12:24PM

Moderate Democrats, perhaps cowed by Limbaugh's "socialized medicine" trope seem to be backing away from the public plan option. Their substitute is a non profit insurance cooperative.

"I am inclined, and I think the committee is inclined, toward a co-op," Mr. Baucus said. "It's not going to be public, we won't call it public, but it will be tough enough to keep insurance companies' feet to the fire."

This is a really dumb idea. You are going to start from scratch a whole new bureaucracy to handle potentially millions of customers, instead of letting the government which already has the systems in place (thanks to Medicare) service these customers? A start up coop is doomed to fail, which is probably the point.

http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/06/12/health_insurance_coop/

[Teaser]

1. Who is Jon Taplin?

Don't recognize him from the usual stable of commenters there...
still, good point made and such.

[Cleita]

2. The Democratic Senators like Baucus and Kent Conrad are heavily

beholden to the health and pharma industries. Scanning through their campaign contributions on Open Secrets points to this. So they are coming up with these watered down public options that aren't government run but give the insurance companies another market to offer coverage on. Do not let up on your Congress people and Senators. Be specific. Tell them you want an improved Medicare for all as a public option. The details have already been crafted in House bill HR676. Don't settle for less.

[Vinca]

3. A non-profit coop will end up with a well-paid CEO and all the trappings

of big insurance. It will start out well, but over the years it will morph into another insurance company. This is a stupid, stupid idea.

[harun]

4. If Baucus thinks it's a good idea, it isn't.

[invictus]

5. Baucus can go to h***!

nt