I've just read that the Democratic leadership in the House are now seriously considering the pilot programssupported by Rep. Clyburn as a way to bridge the gap between liberal and conservative Democrats.
These pilot programs are largely unrelated to proposals circulating in the Senate that would grant states more authority to determine what level of competition to impose on private insurers. But it's a further sign that leaders in both chambers are weighing new options to stake out a middle ground between supporters and foes of the public option.
....
Party Whip James Clyburn of South Carolina has been pushing the idea for months, arguing Congress needs to establish some sort of pilot programs before 2013, when the bill would go into effect, so people will understand how the new state exchanges would work, with or without some form of public option or non-profit health care cooperative. Clyburn and Speaker Nancy Pelosi both told the White House on Wednesday that this idea has become popular among their rank-and-file, according to notes from that session.
Pilot programs are a way to prevent the public option from being delivered on a national scale. In order to contain costs of private insurance premiums, the public option has to compete nationally in order to deliver this kind of power. A regional pilot program is just a way to kill the public option because it won't be effective in providing competition on a smaller scale, and it's basically like a regional co-op in terms of scale and cost-effectiveness. It has to be done on a national scale.
If the public option isn't effective on a regional scale (which they won't be, given the scale of competition), then the national public option would never get started. It's their new trigger for the public option, and House leaders like Nancy Pelosi and Clyburn are playing along with it. Here's what Rep. Clyburn has said about these pilot programs:
After a four-year limited trial run, Clyburn said, the federal health-care coverage would be expanded only if it doesn't drive up costs and prompt companies to stop providing private insurance, as Republican opponents have claimed a nationwide public option would do.
"We can evaluate this thing to see whether the (nationwide) public option is needed," Clyburn said.
We already know that federal insurance programs work--Medicare and Tricare. Why are they now looking to pilot programs instead? It's just another delaying tactic to prevent the national public option from ever getting started.
Please help me push back against this newest "compromise" offered for the public option! Here's how you can do it---CALL these Democrats below with these talking points!
Hi, my name is [insert name]. I'd like to thank Rep. [name] for supporting the public option, but I don't support any delays like regional pilot programs as a compromise on the public option! Regional pilot programs will not work, and they're another delaying tactic. We already have pilot programs in existence--they're called Medicare and Tricare. We need a national public option, and we NEED it now!
PLEASE CALL your Democratic Representative In The House!
Please continue to call the Congressional Progressive Caucus to let them know that you don't want any triggers, co-ops, or pilot programs as delaying tactics for a national public option! Thank them for supporting the public option, and urge them to stand firm on the line in the sand for the public option as an essential part of real health care reform!
When you call, please REPORT BACK and remember to follow these steps below as outlined by nyceve:
- It's not enough to be told the member supports a public option.
- Anyone who calls needs to ask the follow up: it's great they support it, but I need them to commit to ONLY vote for a bill with a public option. No coops, no triggers, no pilot programs. Nothing less. Will they do that?
- This is what the offices need to hear - not just support. Hold the line.
- Please then report back on the form, what you've unearthed.
We'll keep on fighting for what is right, and please help support our work (since we do literally work for you guys) by donating to our fund at Firedoglake! Your donations go to our living stipends, expenses, and travel costs, including awesome tools like these. You also can follow me on Twitter @slinkerwink.