Legal Commentary

Baucus Courts President Snowe

By Big Tent Democrat

NYTimes on the Baucus health care plan:

People familiar with Mr. Baucus’s plan said it was calculated to appeal to Senator Olympia J. Snowe, Republican of Maine. . . .

Mr. Baucus’s plan . . . would tax insurance companies on their most expensive health care policies. . . . Another section of Mr. Baucus’s proposal would help pay insurance premiums, co-payments and deductibles for people with incomes less than 300 percent of the poverty level . . . Mr. Baucus’s proposal does not include a “trigger mechanism” [or a public plan.] Coverage under Mr. Baucus’s plan would, by some measures, be less extensive than the least generous of three levels envisioned in a bill approved by three House committees.

In short, "competition" is not included in the Baucus proposal. President Obama's supposed insistence on "competition" is not a Baucus concern. Apparently, only President Snowe is Baucus's concern. This seems a pretty clumsy non-starter at first blush and not really helpful on any front. Time will tell.

Speaking for me only

Full post as published by TalkLeft on September 07, 2009 (boomark / email).