NEWS

Senate Votes to Open Health Care Debate – New York Times

The Senate voted on Saturday to begin full debate on major health care legislation, propelling President Obama’s top domestic initiative over a crucial, preliminary hurdle in a formidable display of muscle-flexing by the Democratic majority.

Schumer: Dems ready to go-it-alone on health care – Associated Press

A leading Senate Democrat said Monday his party is determined to push through a health care overhaul bill with or without Republican support because the "system is broken."

Senators voice optimism on public option – Boston Globe

Buoyed by their weekend victory on a vote beginning the health care debate, several Senate Democrats expressed optimism yesterday they could find a way to keep a government-run insurance plan in the sweeping bill.

Michael Bennet: I’ll Lose My Seat To Support Health Care (VIDEO) – Huffington Post

Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), a freshman Senator who is fighting to hold his seat in 2010, said he would support health care reform even if it cost him his job.

For a healthcare holdout, it’s lonely in the middle – LA Times

Arkansas Democrat Blanche Lincoln, who remains undecided on Senate legislation, is getting pummeled from the left and right.

Health care fight swells lobbying - USA Today

Companies and groups hiring lobbying firms on health issues nearly doubled this year as special interests rushed to shape the massive revamp of the nation’s health care system now in its final stretch before Congress.

PolitiFact Smacks Down Rep. Boehner’s "Abortion Premium" Claim – Media Matters

As the Senate moves to take up its version of the health care reform bill, Rep. Boehner alleged that the bill levied a new "abortion premium."  PolitiFact.com reviewed his statement.

The Senate Votes to Begin Debate on Health-care Bill – Washington Post

A look at how members of the U.S. Senate voted.

OPINION

1,500 Uninsured Arkansans Line Up For A Free Health Care Clinic – Think Progress

One out of every five people in Arkansas lacks health insurance coverage. However, today over 1,500 uninsured Arkansans received health care at a free clinic hosted by Communities Are Responding Everyday (CARE) at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock, which was made possible in part because of calls for donations by MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann. A wide variety of medical services, including physicals and screenings for such conditions as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, were provided at the clinic.

Blanche Lincoln’s Website Still Says She Supports The Public Option – Think Progress

This afternoon, Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AK) announced that she would vote for cloture on the motion to proceed but promised — at least 3 different times — to filibuster reform if it includes a public option. “I’m prepared to vote against moving to the next stage of consideration as long as a government-run public option is included,” she said. But Lincoln hasn’t always opposed a public plan. In July, Lincoln wrote in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: “Individuals should be able to choose from a range of quality health insurance plans. Options should include private plans as well as a quality, affordable public plan or non-profit plan that can accomplish the same goals as those of a public plan.”

So will the public option hurt hospitals? Not in the Ozarks – The Health Care Blog

I’ve had this sitting in my inbox a while, but I thought that with the Senate bill out it was time to have a bit of weekend fun with it. The topic is the fear that a public option/government-run health plan/Hitler-ization of America (delete where applicable) will of necessity put all those worthy private health plans out of business. And worse because it will impose government’s lower pay rates on providers, it’ll also put them out of business, or at least into a position equivalent to that of Ukrainian peasants working on a collectivized farm.

(compiled for Health Care for America Now)