Senator Reid discusses compromises in health care bill
KVBC, 12/09/2009 - It's beginning to look a lot like health care reform. Senate Democrats say they hope to vote on the final version of their bill by Christmas.
Senator Harry Reid says reaching the compromise was not easy and not everyone was on board with this bill. Also, he admits that the first few days of working on the bill did not go well.
But senators hashed it out and they say what they have delivered is a plan with more choices for the people and less control for insurance companies.
Liberal and moderate Democrats alike emerged from the latest health care huddle satisfied with compromise. In an interview with Harry Reid, he told us it is a tremendous step forward in health care overhaul.
"The most liberal members of our caucus and the most moderate members of our caucus holding hands, walking out of the meeting (is a) big step (which) will help complete health care reform," Reid said.
In the long journey to get to this point, Senate Democrats shed the government-run insurance option. They replaced it with a non-profit national health plan run by private insurers but overseen by the government.
The compromise also allows older Americans to buy into Medicare sooner; at age 55 rather than 65.
Senator Reid says the measure also takes control away from insurance companies.
"The insurance industry is an industry that cares about one thing: profits. And we have to stop that. We've got to take the insurance industry back; we have to stop them from controlling what we do in health care. That's what this legislation does: sets standard that they can't deny because of preexisting disabilities."
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Senator Reid discusses compromises in health care bill
KVBC, 12/09/2009 - It's beginning to look a lot like health care reform. Senate Democrats say they hope to vote on the final version of their bill by Christmas.
Senator Harry Reid says reaching the compromise was not easy and not everyone was on board with this bill. Also, he admits that the first few days of working on the bill did not go well.
But senators hashed it out and they say what they have delivered is a plan with more choices for the people and less control for insurance companies.
Liberal and moderate Democrats alike emerged from the latest health care huddle satisfied with compromise. In an interview with Harry Reid, he told us it is a tremendous step forward in health care overhaul.
"The most liberal members of our caucus and the most moderate members of our caucus holding hands, walking out of the meeting (is a) big step (which) will help complete health care reform," Reid said.
In the long journey to get to this point, Senate Democrats shed the government-run insurance option. They replaced it with a non-profit national health plan run by private insurers but overseen by the government.
The compromise also allows older Americans to buy into Medicare sooner; at age 55 rather than 65.
Senator Reid says the measure also takes control away from insurance companies.
"The insurance industry is an industry that cares about one thing: profits. And we have to stop that. We've got to take the insurance industry back; we have to stop them from controlling what we do in health care. That's what this legislation does: sets standard that they can't deny because of preexisting disabilities."
Read the whole article >>
