UPDATE: What Dr. Dean failed to mention in the call, the depressing guest list to the Senate Finance Committee hearings. Among the privileged few to be heard include old favorite of the anit-reform movement, Karen Ignagni, President and CEO, America’s Health Insurance Plan, Washington, DC, Len Nichols, Ph.D, Director, Health Policy Program, New America Foundation, Washington, DC (wants a public option weak enough to drown in a bathtub), Diane Rowland, Sc.D., Executive Vice President, Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, Washington, DC (listed by Healthcare-Now as one of the top 10 enemies of single payer reform, Jennie Chin Hansen, R.N., M.S., F.A.A.N., President, AARP, Washington, DC (steeped in the insurance industry through its affiliate, United Healthcare Group, the nation’s largest for-profit insurance company), Stuart M. Butler, Ph.D., Vice President, Domestic and Economic Policy Studies, The Heritage Foundation, Washington, DC (oy), R. Bruce Josten, Executive Vice President, Government Affairs, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Washington, DC (that's the group that advertised Mark Kirk and Peter Roskam as health care reform heros (double oy).
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Dr. Howard Dean called an emergency call on health care reform. I'll try to live blog it.
While we're waiting. Here's my backstory about Howard Dean: I like Dr. Dean. He was nice to my cousin David Gill when he ran for Congress in 2004 and he was great when my friends and I met him at a health care rally that summer in Chicago. He stopped in the parking lot and talked to us. We convinced him to talk to my cousin on the cell phone as his aides tried to get him to blow me off. But he didn't. That's class.
Justin from Moveon.org is introducing.
Lisa Hall is giving her health care story. Laid off from job, lost insurance and then COBRA and then COBRA ran out. In a car accident and daughter got sick. She had to go bankrupt. Daugher still not insured. She's trying to reinstate her credit ruined because she got sick. I've been hearing a lot of these stories.
Dr. Dean is being introduced. Senate is having a hearing tomorrow.
Dr. Dean.
Well worth the investment if it's real reform. He's arguing for the public insurance option. If no choice for a public option, not real reform at all.
Private sector needs profits, large salaries for executives, advertising. But, some people like private sector, so let them keep it, but a lot of people want Medicare. He sees that as the core fight. What about the savings we'd see from eliminating the private system though and are those savings needed to ensure the success of the public plan?
Cost issue. Public option will save people around 30% of their health care costs. Talking about his experience in Vermont. They had an outside contractor, but they took out too much in administrative costs--proves my above point. He's concentrating on choice in supporting the public option.
Congress has socialized medicine. Good point.
Still a political answer to an economic and moral question though.
As always happens, it appears I got cut off the call.
A little fancy internet maneuvering and I'm back on.
What we are up against? Lies and propaganda about people choosing your dr. for you. Now, you have a limited choice, a very limited choice.
Talking about the ad buy I mentioned earlier today. PR firms sending fake letters to the editor that are supposed to be from seniors. We have work cut out for us, but Dean thinks we can beat them. Country turned over to a new generation. Most important issue, for Democrats.
Talking about organizing now. Ads and local events.
Q&A now.
Respond for round 2? relying on all the people on this call. Write LTEs. Debunk the lies and the people who are spreading them. Talking about Scott now, see my earlier post. Not going to go down again.
Answering the single payer questions now. Why is it off the table now? Dean says it's very efficient. Dean says not necy off the table. Says the public option is essentially single payer with choice. But what about the savings we're losing?
Thinks biggest person who needs to be convinced is Max Baucus. Nominally in favor of a public option, but willing to trade it away. Waxman, Rangle key in House. Feels we'll get a good bill out of House. Problem is Senate. Senate fin committee is having hearing tomorrow.
Both parties have promised small business for decades, but neither has delivered. This is first time small business is being considered. Obama's plan gives small businesses a break. People who won't get insurance through work can get it through the government. Rates won't go up like they are going up now.
Explaining reconciliation and killing health care through filibuster. Budget is exception to filibuster rule--budget. Bush used budget bill to pass all sorts of things. Now Democrats are prepared to do this with health care. republicans mistake of saying no to everything. If not going to work with us, we're not giving up agenda Obama was elected to do. Won't give it up. Can pass health care bill in budget.
Taking action together. Senate finance committee meeting tomorrow. Go to moveon.org/publicoption. Write your piece. My old pal, John Kerry is going to be delivering the comments to the committee.
Dr. Dean thanks everyone. Won't happen because of him, DFA or Moveon. Will happen because of you.
