Sen. Max Baucus has cost the Democrats and the White House an enormous amount of political capital by holding the country hostage for two months while he allegedly seeks bipartisanship.  And this is the best that he comes up with?  The Baucus plan proposes expanding Medicaid to individuals making less than 14k per year and to families of four making less than 30k per year.  However, to pay for your health insurance the Baucus’ plan levies a 13 percent tax on individuals making MORE than 32k per year and families of four making more than 66k .  Individuals who do not buy health insurance and who make LESS than 32k a year are fined $750 yearly and a $950 yearly fine is imposed on those who opt out and make MORE than 32k a year.  Families of four who do not buy health insurance and that make LESS than 66k per year are fined $1,500 a year and a $3,800 fine is levied on those making MORE than 66k  annually who opt out.  In addition, the 13 percent of  your salary that is deducted directly from your pay check is streamlined directly to insurance companies.  My question is did he put a cap on the 13 percent?  What about those making $200k per year?  Are they required to pay 13 percent of the 200k or was he at least slick enough to put a cap on the amount that can be paid to insurance companies for a single policy?    

The plan also proposes state-based/regional co-ops as a way to provide competition to the insurance companies.  In the meantime and while the co-ops are taking several years/decades to ramp-up the insurance companies are continuing to rake in obscene profits through a 13 percent mandate being imposed by the federal government.  That means that the insurance companies will be receiving 13 percent of every working person’s check going directly into their bank accounts.  Is Baucus serious? 

Unbelievable.  After all that drama not a single Republican vote.  Some folks were very happy with the Baucus plan however.  Insurance executives.  Stock prices for insurance companies rose between one and three percent following the announcement .  Which leads us to wonder if Baucus delayed this bill intentionally in order to sabotage or at least cripple health insurance reform.  The Montana senator has received $3 million from the health care and insurance industry since 2003.  The fact that none of Baucus’ Gang appeared with him at the press conference announcing his plan speaks volumes.

If you want a public option FireDogLake has put together a fundraising effort to kill the “trigger” option and replace it with the public option.  Please donate  here to make health care affordable for all Americans.