Pelosi Stands By Public Option: We Won’t Pass The ‘Private Insurance Profit Perpetuation Act’

[jefferson_dem]

Pelosi Stands By Public Option: We Won’t Pass The ‘Private Insurance Profit Perpetuation Act’

Today, in testimony before the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee Forum on Health Insurance Reform, health care whistle blower Wendell Potter reminded Congress why a public option is essential to reform. If Congress fails to create “a public health insurance option to compete with private insurers, the bill it sends to the President might as well be called, ‘The Insurance Industry Profit Protection And Enhancement Act,’” Potter said.

At the end of the hearing, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) agreed with Potter. “You cited a public option as one way for it to reach its achieve its goal,” she told him. “We will be passing the ‘Private Insurance Profit Perpetuation Act.’ We have no intention of doing that”:

Mr. Potter, you said it well when you said, if we do a plan that doesn’t really achieve its goal. And you cited a public option as one way for it to reach its achieve its goal. We will be passing the ‘Private Insurance Profit Perpetuation Act.’ We have no intention of doing that. We want the private insurance to thrive. We don’t want our members to go into an exchange where they only have one choice, where there is sole sourcing. But that the public option provides that competition.

Watch it: http://thinkprogress.org/2009/09/15/pelosi-potter/

Potter has harshly criticized Sen. Max Buacus’ (D-MT) proposed framework for reform, calling the bill “an absolute gift to the industry.”

“A public option must be created to provide true choice to consumers or reform will fail to fix the root of the severe problems that have been caused in large part by the greedy demands of Wall Street. By creating a strong public option and restricting the insurance companies’ ability to enrich executives and investors at the expense of taxpayers and consumers, HR 3200 will truly benefit Americans,” Potter said in his opening statement. “The Baucus plan, on the other hand, would create a government subsidized monopoly for the purchase of bare bones high deductible policies that would truly benefit big insurance. In other words, insurers would win, your constituents would lose.”

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/09/15/pelosi-potter/

[DrToast]

1. Love this Potter guy

And it's about time we started taking down the Buacus Insurance Bailout Bill.

[havocmom]

2. Mr. Potter gave the perfect defination of mandate without public option

It only enslaves working class further and makes sure the exploiters of workers prosper more.

[Bolo Boffin]

3. There is only one way I could live with a trigger option

If the trigger is the bill passing both houses with a party line split in the vote.

Did I say "if"? I meant "when". WHEN the bill without a public option passes both houses, and the vote is split right down the party line, then that triggers the Democrats to turn around and pass a bill that builds the public option. Send it through on a reconciliation basis from the very beginning - to hell with cloture in the Senate. If the Democrats in Congress bend that far over for the Republicans and the Republicans STILL throw it back into their faces, then pass the public option. If I were Pelosi, I'd have a bill with language ready to go.

[tridim]

4. The Democrats are finally playing hardball now

No letting up.

[90-percent]

5. Wendell Potter

Wendell Potter is a heroic and patriotic American. It is so great a man with his background can see fit to use his experience to work for the common good. I wish there were many more Wendell Potters out there!

He is also tireless and seems to appear where ever this debate is brought up. That is generous, as it's probably his own dime for all that travel and hotels and transportation and meals. Damn good citizenship, I must say. (Reminds me of Frank Zappa and what he did during the PMRC hearings in 1985)

He will help give other whistle blowers the good name they so richly deserve!

-90% Jimmy

[mzmolly]

6. GO NANCY!

:toast:

[OneGrassRoot]

8. We usually write and call to complain....

Her voice on this issue of late is something to applaud and support, IMHO.

Office of the Speaker
H-232, US Capitol
Washington, DC 20515
[phone]

http://speaker.house.gov/contact/

:toast:

[mzmolly]

9. A most excellent

point! :hi:

[polichick]

7. I like the way she put that - hope the Dems hold tight now! nt

[Romulox]

10. Good cop/bad cop, I'm afraid. Since when has Nancy stood up for the people?

:hi:

[Laelth]

11. k&r for Wendell Potter and the truth.

I certainly hope Pelosi listens to him.

:dem:

-Laelth

[OwnedByFerrets]

12. K and R

[stevietheman]

13. Wendell Potter truly is a HERO, and I don't throw that word around lightly n/t

n/t

[JimWis]

14. I watched that forum this morning. In my opinion, both panels that

testified seemed to agree on 2 things - a public option is a must for real reform - and - the Baucus bill is a piece of shit. They do like HR 3200.

K&R