Durbin: Health care debate could start in Senate this week
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/12/27/art.getty.dick.durbin.jpg caption="Sen. Dick Durbin said the health care bill has to pass the Senate this year."]
(CNN) - The Senate's second-ranking Democrat told CNN Tuesday that he hopes to have a version of the health care bill done and available to the public by Thanksgiving.
Sen. Dick Durbin told CNN's Wolf Blitzer that debate in the Senate on the health care bill could start this week and that he hopes that it will be "posted for the world to see over the Thanksgiving recess." He said he thinks he does have all 60 votes needed to move the bill to the Senate floor.
"I believe if we have full attendance, that we will have the 60 votes to begin the debate in terms of moving the bill forward," Durbin said. "That's when the delicate negotiations begin. And wouldn't it be great to have a senator from the other side of the aisle to join us in that effort?"
Durbin said that the bill "has to be done in the Senate this year" and that he hopes it will go to a final vote before President Obama's State of the Union address at the beginning of next year, but that he "wouldn't predict that."
Is it about health? No! Is it about care? No!
It is about getting government a channel to get money!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(and do not touch our lovely trial lawyers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
So are we going to be able to read the bill ? CNN is helping the Dems and Obamists lie. You report a story but you don't follow up with your co-conspirator Mr. Turbin.
CNN, HOW MUCH TIME WILL YOU PERMIT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO READ THE BILL ?
Durbin like the rest of the democrats are drunk on socialism power with no care for the people of this great country.
While we're being distracted by the foolish phenomenom of Sarah Palin, here is the really important news! Our Senators will debate one of the most important bills of our generation – similar to the historic debates over Medicare in the 1960s and Social Security in the 1930s.
No intelligent person – Republican, Democrat or Independent, entrepreneur, employer, worker, student, retiree, young or old, rich or poor, etc. – can deny our need to "bend the cost curve" and make cost-effective delivery of health care for all our national priority. I will be proud of our great nation and Senators come January when we will have accomplished this task!
Yup, they have to make believe they are doing something. These idiots can't figure out how many house districts there are in Arizona, but they sure know how to tell us how we should live our lives, spend out money, what to eat .......... WE NEED TERM LIMITS. Get this group of idiots replaced every couple of decades (rather than centuries – see Byrd). Both parties stink, we need a new party that actually represents the people of the US.
I got an email from this guy’s office today regarding Medicare reimbursement for doctors going down 30% in 2010.
I found it hard to believe that health care costs are going up, but government reimbursements for medical services are going down.
The answer was simple, Medicare can't pay its bills. I'm paraphrasing of course.
The Medicare Sustainable Growth Tate formula used to calculate payments for physicians and other providers.....says their going broke. Once again, I'm paraphrasing
He did say that the calculation of the annual target has produced results not intended by congress......if that helps.
If they can't keep Medicare going, how are they going to expand to cover more people with a public option? And what year will it go broke? And once it goes broke, can we go back to BCBS?
Glad to see this getting started. We need to make sure that it includes a public option. The majority of Americans want this and all of America needs it, whether they know it or not. The reason the democrats are in control is because people want the government to change from the past. Health care reform is part of that change, it is one of if not the most important of the changes that must be made.
get it done hammer it out
Doing the right time at the right time. I will be happy if the controversial health care bill is finally put to rest. "GOD BLESS AMERICA".
Go ahead Durbin. Cram this piece of budget busting garbage down the peoples' throat, in the guise of "health-reform" Prepare to pay heavily in 2010 and 2012. This has nothing to do with health care, and every thing to do with control.
Chicago politics as usuall.
Say one thing , then take a different route.
What a tribe of weasels.
Just give everyone , like they have , it at there price .
If these guys could just get their act together and give us a solid hope for health care by next week, we really could enjoy Thanksgiving. Too much to hope for ? I hope not.
We want health care reform now. Take all the wingnuts and talk show media and ship them off to an island some where. So that reasonable voices will be heard above all the noise that they make.
To: The Members of the U.S. Senate
Please start acting like adults and leave your pettiness at the door. We are starting a grass roots movement for term limits in the House and Senate. Our goal is to elect whomever runs against each of you. Forget Democrat, Republican, or Independent. We are pushing folks to just vote for the other person if that person has never worked in Washington. Either get to work or go home!
Republicans will botched this up as much as they can....it's what they do best.
Go ahead stupid Democrats and push the bill forward. Ruin any changes of ever holding the White House again especially since your bringing them out of the outhouses now.
This bill should be debated and voted on by the U.S. Senate
Sen. Durbin, would you care to explain how your amendment put forth on October 10, 2002, somehow became the rationale for the anti-war movement, and your pathetic party, for why our armed forces went into Iraq? The amendment failed by a tally of 70-30 in the Democrat controlled Senate, yet....
Why did you seek to have the authorization wording changed 8 days after you sent a letter to the first anti-war rally in Chicago?
What deal did your party, and the radical leftists in this country make with the media in not putting a much needed spotlight on these events?
It would be great if they took some of the Republican suggestions to cut the cost, make health care more affordable and more efficient in this proposal. But then again, why would they do a 180 from where they started? Only if they were serious about real reform.
It is time for Health Care Reform! I hope that members of the Senate will pass the bill. I am not an expert but having worked with major insurance companies I understand what AVERAGE AMERICANS go through. People pays high deductibles, copayments and deals with pre-existing conditions and at the same time their benefits are being reduced. Poor working Americans simply cannot afford it. I also cannot comprehend why so many Americans oppose Health care reform. I know a lot of people who got laid off and no longer have medical insurance because their COBRA coverage is way too high and yet they cannot apply for MEDICAID because they make too much from their unemployment check. NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, NO ONE IS EVER SATISFIED. I now work for a non-profit organization and 80% of our patients are on MEDICAID. Since the CRISIS began we see more uninsured patients.