Of course, bullies always ask for more if you give in to them.
The White House and Harry Reid are preparing to give Ben Nelson anything he wants in exchange for his vote. It appears that this anything could be a gutting of the single best remaining piece of reform, Medicaid expansion:
"Earlier Thursday, in an interview with a Nebraska radio station, Nelson said even if the abortion issue were resolved, he still could not support the $848 billion package, complaining that the plan to cover more than 30 million additional Americans calls for dramatically expanding Medicaid, which is partially funded by the states. The Medicaid expansion would "create an underfunded federal mandate for the state of Nebraska," Nelson said, arguing that states should be permitted to "opt out" of that idea and find other ways to offer coverage to their poorest residents."
http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/...
All those Dems and supposed progressives who were willing to throw women and their reproductive health under the bus to get coverage for the 30 million uninsured — so now you know, the bully has come for you, too.
Obama and Reid and Pelosi will sell out you and your issue, as fast as you were willing to sell women out.
Happy now?
Expanding Medicaid is the most cost effective way to increase insurance coverage. It is responsible for covering roughly half of the 30 million Americans who would gain "coverage" under the Senate bill. While Medicaid is not perfect, it is real health coverage. It is not like the junk 60%-actuarial-value "bronze" level insurance or "catastrophic" insurance that millions of the new "covered" will buy. The quality of those plans is so low, they are basically insurance in name only.
So of course, Nelson must kill the expansion of Medicaid to please his insurance company masters. Think Obama, or Reid or Pelosi will help him do so?
Of course they will.
http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/...