ObamaCare: The (Doc) Fix Isn’t In

posted at 12:02 am on October 22, 2009 by

A dozen Democrats — and Independent Joe Lieberman — joined all 40 Senate Republicans to block a permanent repeal of the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) payment formula for doctors, as there was no consensus over how to pay the $247 billion 10-year price tag. Sen. Maj. Ldr. Harry Reid wanted the “doc fix” as a payoff to keep the American Medical Association on board for ObamaCare — so naturally, he blamed the AMA for failing to deliver 27 GOP votes. The AMA was not amused:

The reference to 27 votes was made well before S. 1776 was introduced and in the context of bipartisan health reform legislation,” said J. James Rohack, AMA president. “The majority of Democrats and Republicans support SGR repeal for seniors and baby boomers, but today’s vote appears to be becoming the victim of Senate politics. Congress needs to fulfill its obligation to seniors, baby boomers and military families, and repeal of the SGR is an essential element for health reform to succeed.” (Emphasis added.)

Accordingly, I doubt docs are going to be too impressed with Reid’s comment that “We’ll take this up again when we finish healthcare.” Moreover, Reid knows he may be forced to take it up sooner:

Aides to Mr. Reid said they had no choice but to try to fix the doctor payment formula ahead of debate on the larger health care legislation. Otherwise, they said, an amendment would be offered on the Senate floor to add the formula adjustment to the bill, pushing the overall price-tag of the legislation above $1 trillion and seriously imperiling its chances.

(BTW, if you want a study in media bias, compare the NYT blog post I just linked and quoted to the standard NYT story, in which Poor Harry is the victim of those Rascally Republicans, despite having a caucus of 60. But I digress.)

So Reid, in one fell swoop: (1) failed to keep his caucus together on a cloture vote on healthcare just ahead of a massive battle on the issue; (2) failed to deliver a payoff to one of the Dems’ allies on the issue; (3) blamed that ally for his own incompetence; (4) created the likelihood of a damaging amendment and a bruising floor fight when he brings ObamaCare to the floor; (5) gave the GOP “Exhibit A” for the case that the Dems are running a dishonest shell game to hide the true costs of ObamaCare.

Heckuva job, Harry!

Blowback

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Karl, you give me hope in times of darkness.

cthulhu on October 22, 2009 at 12:27 AM

Poor Harry is the victim of those Rascally Republicans, despite having a caucus of 60.

Not to mention being a victim of tonsil-snatchers and foot rustlers. Didn’t he listen to the One tell us how unstrustworthy doctors were?

Wethal on October 22, 2009 at 5:45 AM

It’s “Wascally Wepubwicans”, “Wascally Wepubwicans”!

ya2daup on October 22, 2009 at 7:10 AM

Instead of blaming the AMA,
perhaps Mr. Reid should see
a doctor over his recent bout of “weakness”.

elderberry on October 22, 2009 at 9:20 AM

The People of Nevada have got to vote out this damn fool Reid next year! If they don’t then they deserve the out of control unemployment and foreclosures that Reid has helped make happen in Las Vegas and the rest of the state.
What a sorry bunch of political “leaders” this country has elected!

JonR on October 22, 2009 at 12:32 PM

We’ve already got a good candidate, JonR, Danny Tarkanian. Chuck Heath, Sarah Palin’s Dad, was just here doing a whirlwind round the state tour with Danny. Danny also leads clueless Harry in polling

Bruce NV on October 22, 2009 at 12:45 PM

Harry Reid brought this vote to the Senate floor without knowing it would fail miserably?

I doubt it. Reid is incompetent – but he’s got a whip doesn’t he?

I’m not sure – but I’m sensing some “passive-aggressiveness” on the part of Democrats. I think they have health care fatigue – and I think they have “Chicago Politics” fatigue. I think they are tired of being threatened by the administration and I think they are tired of White House demands – along with the “hurry up” timeline. It’s no secret that Obama is a poor leader. I believe that was proven during the campaign when he wrecked the Bush / McCain / Obama and Dem / Republican super-meeting on the TARP bailout.

I may be wrong – but I think the Dems are getting a bit tired of all this.

Maybe Reid allowed the vote even knowing that it would fail to demonstrate to the White House that this isn’t an easy task that’s being asked of him?

I mean seriously – the excuse he gave for losing the vote is just patently absurd – surely he doesn’t believe that 27 Republicans would have sided with him in this shell game … or does he?

HondaV65 on October 22, 2009 at 4:37 PM