In an article in
The New Yorker Ezekiel said that Rahm is now his boss; he works at the White House as an adviser to the budget director on health policy.
In a post at
Fire Dog Lake today it is suggested that Zeke Emanuel might even be in line for the Health Czar post.
And who is auditioning for that White House office? Why, it's Rahm Emanuel's big bro:
Ezekiel J. Emanuel, big brother to White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, is quickly emerging as a key player in Obama’s health-care overhaul, the biggest push to expand coverage in two decades.
Known as Zeke, Emanuel has labored behind the scenes on the issue for years, well-known to people who follow it closely. But he has significantly raised his political profile by signing on as a top adviser to White House budget chief Peter Orszag. And there he was Thursday, a fidgety presence at the back of the briefing room, nodding in approval as Orszag detailed the budget, and trading conversation with aides around him.
I am concerned very much about something he espouses as a health care plan. He proposes vouchers. He thinks as people get guaranteed health care, that no new people are added to Medicare and Medicaid.
Here is a summary of what I think he believes, and I do not like the idea. He wants to phase out the public choices of Medicare and Medicaid and phase the programs out.
Ezekiel Emanuel, Sustainable Health CareThe Guaranteed Healthcare Access Plan proposes to repair the health care system by giving all Americans a voucher to select a standard benefits package offered by insurance company. In most areas, American will be able to choose between 5 and 8 insurance companies. And the insurance companies will be required to enroll anyone who wants and cannot exclude coverage for pre-existing conditions. The standard benefit package is based on what Congressman and Senators receive, and is more generous than what most Americans currently have through their employers or government program. Americans will also decide if they wanted to buy additional services, say wider selection of doctors and hospitals, more mental health benefits, or coverage for alternative medicines.
The Guaranteed Healthcare Access Plan will be administered by a National Health Board and regional boards modeled on the Federal Reserve System with fiscal, administrative, and political independence to make tough decisions based on the merits, not special interest lobbying. There will also be an Institute for Technology and Outcomes Assessment to assess the effectiveness of new drugs, devices, procedures, and other interventions. It will also assess and make publicly available data on the clinical outcomes of patients in different insurance companies. This will permit comparative shopping based on real quality results.
No one (I think he means to say "anyone") receiving Medicare, Medicaid, or any other government program will not be forced out, but there will be no new enrollees. People who turn 65 will simply stay in the Guaranteed Healthcare Access Plan. The special tax benefits related to employer based coverage will be eliminated and most employers will stop offering health insurance.
No new enrollees under his plan.
I realize Governor Dean is out of the health care picture now, but I remember the words he said on Hardball the other day. Think Progress kept a record.
Wonk RoomVideo link plus this statement:
Howard Dean: Real Health Reform ‘Rises And Falls On Whether The Public Is Allowed To Choose Medicare’
Today, during an appearance on MSNBC’s Hardball, former Gov. Howard Dean (D-VT) said that a public insurance option is essential to any health reform effort:
"If Barack Obama’s bill gets changed to exclude the public entities, it is not health insurance reform…it rises and falls on whether the public is allowed to choose Medicare if they’re under 65 or not. If they are allowed to choose Medicare as an option, this bill will be real health care reform. If they’re not, we will be back fighting about it for another 20 years before somebody tries again."
I know that one of the options in
the Obama/Baucus plan is choice.
• Guarantee Choice. The plan should provide Americans a choice of health plans and physicians. People will be allowed to keep their own doctor and their employer-based health plan.
It does not indicate a public option. I can't tell if that has been changed in the plan.
I will be curious to see if any of the vouchers and phasing out of Medicare and Medicaid come into the bill. I certainly hope not.
