Friday, October 2, 2009

Bill Frist on Health Bill: I'd Vote For

Bill Frist on Health Bill: I'd Vote For It



Were he still in the Senate, "I would end up voting for it," he said. "As leader, I would take heat for it. ... That's what leadership is all about."

This is not to say that Frist is entirely happy with everything that is in the bill.

For one thing, he doesn't think it does nearly enough to bring costs under control. In his view, it does not fundamentally change the incentives that providers now have to provide more care, rather than better care. "There is really nothing to bend the cost curve," he says.

And Frist also predicts it will extend coverage to only 20 million or so additional Americans--far short of true universal coverage. Given the fiscal constraints, he says, he says a better approach would be to provide a more bare-bones package of benefits known as "catastrophic coverage" that would insure more people.

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Minnesota bank is 97th U.S. failure of 2009 - MarketWatch

Minnesota bank is 97th U.S. failure of 2009 - MarketWatch



Two regional banks were closed by regulators on Friday evening, bringing the 2009 tally to 97.

Warren Bank, based in Warren, Mich., and Jennings State Bank in Spring Grove, Minn., were the latest to go down.




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Chicago Pleads Its Case to Host Olympic Games in 2016 - NYTimes.com



Although I want Chicago to win, 2016 in Rio would be incredible!

Chicago Pleads Its Case to Host Olympic Games in 2016 - NYTimes.com: "Chicago Pleads Its Case"

Thursday, October 1, 2009

People aren't dying, Psycho talk: Video - 2:56


Senate Committee Passes Quasi-Public Option Amendment


Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), taking a page from a program originating in her home state of Washington, has successfully maneuvered an amendment through the finance committee that comes close to a public option while not quite getting there.

The program, which made its way into the finance committee bill by one vote, would affect those above the 133% of the federal poverty line (those below this threshold are currently covered by Medicaid) up to 200% of the FPL. This would include a family of four earning up to $44,000.

Texas governor’s cousin, 74, dies in gunfire exchange with deputies | Raw Story


Texas governor’s cousin, 74, dies in gunfire exchange with deputies | Raw Story: "According to that news report, deputies from the Montague County Sheriff's Office showed up at Wheeler's home in Nocona, northwest of Dallas, after reports of a gunshot being heard in the vicinity."

Senator’s Aid After Affair Raises Flags Over Ethics: NYTimes

Early last year, Senator John Ensign contacted a small circle of political and corporate supporters back home in Nevada — a casino designer, an airline executive, the head of a utility and several political consultants — seeking work for a close friend and top Washington aide, Douglas Hampton.

Read emails:
Records Show Senator's Tangled History With Aide

Rick Berman: video: 5:42

Ghost writer: Video

General P., not so fast on the Troops: Video: 1:54