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The good, the bad & the stupid: The Baucus Amendments.
Author: Raine    Date: 09/19/2009 22:15:30

All 543 Amendments to the infamous 'Max Baucus' health care reform bill were put online earlier today. If you are so inclined, you can read it all here. If not, the wonderful folks from Think Progress' Wonk Room tweeted them earlier today. I decided to organize them a bit. I present to you the best, the bad, the stupid & the strange of the Baucus Amendments, thus far.

It is important to note who exactly is working for REAL health care reform and who isn't. The names listed here are just as important as the names of senators that are nowhere to be seen on this issue. What you can see here is who the real obstructionists are. And -- special Props to Senator Grassley who doesn't seen to have a clue about his own government provided health insurance.

Best:
    Eliminate all overpayments to Medicare Advantage private plans. Rockefeller 9
    Establishment and administration of a public health insurance option. Rockefeller 187
    Increase the actuarial value of benefits for plans offered in the exchange. Rockefeller 190
    Allow early retirees between ages 55 and 64 to buy into Medicare. Rockefeller 206
    Replace the Free Rider provision with an employer mandate. Kerry 226
    Tax equity for Domestic Partners. Schumer, Kerry, Cantwell, Menendez
    Narrow the age rating band. Kerry 240
    To increase low-income subsidies to 400% of the Federal Poverty Level and lower cost-sharing. Wyden 249
    Give states the option of including family planning as part of their Medicaid programs. Stabenow, 275
    Providing a reduction in the out-of-pocket maximum for those between 300%-400% of poverty. Menendez 312
    Exempt workers in high-risk professions from the excise tax on high cost insurance capping itemized deductions at 35%.
    Expedite insurance market reforms in small group market. Snowe 362


Bad
    Restoration of funding for abstinence education. Hatch 351
    Strike Medicaid Expansion. Hatch 352
    Eliminate all industry fees tie tax credit 2 lowest cost bronze plan (tax credit eliminated for gold/silver). Kyl 522


Stupid:
    Limiting the Number of New Federal Health Care Bureaucrats & Preventing the Rationing of Seniors’ Care. Kyl 126
    Prohibiting a Federal Rationing Board. Kyl 130
    To prevent Medicare policies which discourage doctors from fulfilling Hippocratic Oath. Roberts 137
    To prevent reform from being paid 4 on backs of our most vulnerable & frail seniors in nursing homes. Roberts 143
    To ensure that if people like the hometown hospital they have, they can keep it. Roberts 144
    To prevent health care reform from being paid for on the backs of our seniors. Roberts 145
    An amendment to prohibit funding under this bill for ACORN. Ensign 155
    To ensure that the financial well-being of future generations not compromised by current generation. Ensign 156
    Require that elected officials and all federal employees purchase coverage through exchanges. Grassley, 328
    Automatic enrollment of Members of Congress voting for government-funded Health Care Cooperative. Hatch 349
    Prohibit the federal government's takeover of health care. Kyl 371
    Congressional enrollment in Medicaid. Enzi 421
    Prohibits federal funds under the Mark from being distributed to or used by ACORN. Hatch 511
    Strike the word "fee" everywhere it appears in the bill and replace with the word "tax". Ensign, 543


Weird:
    Ensuring People in Hospice Do not Have to Give Up the Prospect of a Cure. Wyden 44

Ironic:
    Protecting competition and fighting monopoly in health care. Cornyn 460

Real Bipartisan:
    To help solve our nation's physician workforce shortage. Stabenow, Snowe

 

13 comments (Latest Comment: 09/21/2009 13:54:16 by Raine)
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Comment by BobR on 09/19/2009 23:02:56
great rundown!

Comment by Mondobubba on 09/19/2009 23:08:04
Interesting list, I have this to say about the stupid list. As a group cause they aren't just stupid, the are buck ass stupid.

Comment by Raine on 09/19/2009 23:12:19
I will admit - 'teh stupit' really inspired me to write this.

Comment by Raine on 09/19/2009 23:17:41
Comment by Mondobubba on 09/20/2009 00:15:31
Quote by Raine:

I will admit - 'teh stupit' really inspired me to write this.




They are breathtakingly stoopid

Comment by BobR on 09/20/2009 00:28:58
I have to agree with Raine that Grassley's amendment (#328) is teh stoopitest.

Comment by Mondobubba on 09/20/2009 00:56:24
Quote by BobR:

I have to agree with Raine that Grassley's amendment (#328) is teh stoopitest.




It makes no sense at all.

Comment by m-hadley on 09/20/2009 14:48:20
Raine,

This is brilliant What a great piece of reporting - this is the first time I have seen these amendments put out there in a way that makes complete sense to me - no surprises that we agree politically, but what an insightful way to organize this info. Do you mind if I share this (I will credit the source, of course )? You are a genius, m'dear, this is great sh*t!!!

Cheers,

mfaye

Comment by Raine on 09/21/2009 12:26:48
I am going to bump this for now -- so the weekday crew can get a look see...

Comment by Raine on 09/21/2009 12:35:12
Altho worth noting there are 4 amenments to the bill that include a public option:







Consumers Health Care Act (S.1278), as modified, Rockefeller 186

Establishment and administration of a public health insurance option as an exchange-qualified health benefits plan Rockefeller 187

Level the playing field public option Schumer 260

Public option as passed by HELP Committee Schumer 261



Comment by Scoopster on 09/21/2009 13:26:28
Good morning all! Ready for another week of fun & frivolity?



I have a public service announcement this morning from the hamsters who power our wonderful bloggie. They'd like us to take extra care in case of emergency or disaster, so they've got a link for us all to check out this morning. Enjoy!

Comment by Scoopster on 09/21/2009 13:48:16
Facebook's been sucky lately.. it's not even giving me errors anymore, just FACEBOOK SAYS NO!

Comment by Raine on 09/21/2009 13:54:16