WASHINGTON – The health care bill headed for a vote in the House this week costs $1.2 trillion or more over a decade, according to numerous Democratic officials and figures contained in an analysis by congressional budget experts, far higher than the $900 billion cited by President Barack Obama as a price tag for his reform plan.

While the Congressional Budget Office has put the cost of expanding coverage in the legislation at roughly $1 trillion, Democrats added billions more on higher spending for public health, a reinsurance program to hold down retiree health costs, payments for preventive services and more.

Many of the additions are designed to improve benefits or ease access to coverage in government programs. The officials who provided overall cost estimates did so on condition of anonymity, saying they were not authorized to discuss them.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has referred repeatedly to the bill’s net cost of $894 billion over a decade for coverage.

Asked about the higher estimate, Pelosi spokesman Brendan Daly said the measure not only insures 36 million more Americans, it provides critical health insurance reform in a way that is fiscally sound.

“It will not add one dime to the deficit. In fact, the CBO said last week that it will reduce the deficit both in the first 10 years and in the second 10 years,” Daly said.

Democrats have been intent on passing legislation this year to implement Obama’s call for expanded coverage for millions, curbs on industry abuses and provisions to slow the rate of growth of health care costs nationally.

“Now, add it all up, and the plan I’m proposing will cost around $900 billion over 10 years,” the president said in a nationally televised speech in early September.

Whatever the final cost of legislation, the calendar is working increasingly against the White House and Democrats. While a House vote is possible late this week, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., may not be able to begin debate on the issue until the week before Thanksgiving. Additionally, the Republican leader, Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, has hinted at efforts to extend the debate for weeks if not months, a timetable that could extend into 2010.

For the rest of the article:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091102/ap_on_bi_ge/us_health_care_overhaul

Face Forward Comments:

Like we didn’t all see that coming.  Of course it’s going to cost more than was projected by the Democrats.  If they can figure out how to provide all of this while elimintating our debt, then go for it.  I have no problem with helping the “needy” it’s defining who the needy are and finding the money to pay for it is the problem.

Eliminate the Debt, Eliminate senselessTaxes, and return to the constitution.  I realize that’s  quite a bit to ask for from a socalistic/communist administration but If they can make outrages demands…..so can I.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Senate Democratic leaders are close to securing enough votes to advance a sweeping healthcare reform backed by President Barack Obama, a top Senate Democrat said on Sunday, adding that it likely would include a national health plan that would allow states the option of dropping out.

Senator Charles Schumer, a member of the Senate Democratic leadership team, said he is pushing a compromise that would create a new national health insurance plan and allow states to opt out. The proposed public plan would compete on a level playing field with other insurers, he said.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is expected to produce a bill on Monday that will be sent to the Congressional Budget Office for an official cost estimate, an aide said.

Reid and other Democratic leaders have been talking with liberals, who want a strong public plan, and moderates who lean toward a less expansive government program and more state-level options.

They are testing the waters to see which version would win the 60 votes needed to advance controversial legislation in the 100-member chamber and hope to produce a bill this week that would then go to the Senate for debate.

“I think we’re very close to getting the 60 votes we need to move forward,” Schumer said in a NBC “Meet the Press” interview. “My guess is that the public option level playing field with the state opt-out will be in the bill.”

Senator Ben Nelson, a moderate Democrat, told CNN’s “State of the Union” that he has not decided how he will vote. He said he favors more state control on healthcare issues and would prefer allowing states to “opt in” on any proposed new government plan.

“I think the states can make decisions on their own about their own citizens,” he said.

For the rest of the story

http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE59M4PB20091026?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews

 

The Democratic health care strategy brings our fight against nationalized health care down to the wire: Some form of a nationalized health care bill will come to the Senate floor for a full vote any day. When the full Senate takes it up, the Democrats need 60 votes to invoke cloture, which would close off the floor health care debate. As it stands now, they have those 60 votes! We must knock those 60 votes down and stop nationalized health care!

If the Democrats successfully invoke cloture, then all they need are 51 votes to to pass the health care bill!

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HOW IS THIS HAPPENING SO QUICKLY?

It’s being called the “Vapor Bill,” and it’s being pushed right now… this is the Democrats’ plan to pass a health care bill by the end of October, or sooner! Basically, the two Senate Finance Committees (Senate Finance and HELP) are jointly writing the health care bill and it will be considered before the full Senate at any time. Then, Senator Reid will push for a House-passed tax measure so the House won’t prevent the Senate from originating a tax bill…then health care gets added as an amendment to the tax bill, and Reid does everything he can to shut down debate and place a bill on President Obama’s desk before end of October.

Confused yet? It’s by design… it’s typical high-minded liberal shenanigans at its best. For a summary of their strategy, read “The Rise of the Vapor Bill – Call Your Senator Now to Stop It” http://ow.ly/srLT and “The Vapor Bill – Congress’ Secret Plan to Pass ObamaCare Update” http://ow.ly/srK6.

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HERE’S WHO YOU NEED TO CALL NOW… AND KEEP CALLING THEM UNTIL THIS BATTLE IS OVER:

The following 11 Senators are being called “Blue Dogs,” essentially meaning their vote could be swayed. Sway them!!! It’s time to ratchet up the pressure on them to vote against any version of government health care! Call, fax, email, tweet, blog, post… share this information with others and call these Senators today!

TELL THEM, in no uncertain terms…

- NO public option.

- NO individual mandate.

- NO Massachusetts Model.

- NO Single Payer.

- NO Co-Ops.

- NO Government Healthcare for the USA!

THE 11 SENATORS TO CALL NOW:

• Mark Begich (D-AK)

o Email: http://begich.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=EmailSenator

o DC Phone: (202) 224-3004

o DC FAX: (202) 224-2354

o State Phone: (907) 271-5915

• Blanche Lincoln (D-AR)

o Email: http://lincoln.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm

o DC Phone: (202) 224-4843

o DC FAX: (202) 228-1371

o State Phone: (501) 375-2993

• Mark Pryor (D-AR)

o Email: http://pryor.senate.gov/contact/

o DC Phone: (202) 224-2353

o DC FAX: (202) 228-0908

o State Phone: (501) 324-6336

• Michael Bennet (D-CO)

o Email: http://bennet.senate.gov/contact/

o DC Phone: (202) 224-5852

o DC FAX: (202) 228-5036

o State Phone: (303) 455-7600

• Joe Lieberman (D-CT)

o Email: http://lieberman.senate.gov/contact/

o DC Phone: (202) 224-4041

o DC FAX: (202) 224-9750

o State Phone: (860) 549-8463

• Evan Bayh (D-IN)

o Email: http://bayh.senate.gov/contact/

o DC Phone: (202) 224-5623

o DC FAX: (202) 228-1377

o State Phone: (317) 554-0750

• Mary Landrieu (D-LA)

o Email: http://landrieu.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm

o DC Phone: (202) 224-5824

o DC FAX: (202) 224-9735

o State Phone: (504) 589-2427

• Jon Tester (D-MT)

o Email: http://tester.senate.gov/Contact/

o DC Phone: (202) 224-2644

o DC FAX: (202) 224-8594

o State Phone: (406) 728-3003

• Ben Nelson (D-NE)

o Email: http://bennelson.senate.gov/contact-me.cfm

o DC Phone: (202)-224-6551

o DC FAX: (202) 228-0012

o State Phone: (402) 391-3411

• Mark Warner (D-VA)

o Email: http://warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Contact

o DC Phone: (202)-224-2023

o DC FAX: (202) 224-6295

o State Phone: (804) 739-0247

• Jim Webb (D-VA)

o Email: http://webb.senate.gov/contact/

o DC Phone: (202) 224-4024

o DC FAX: (202) 228-6363

o State Phone: (804) 771-2221

WASHINGTON — President Obama yesterday rolled out the red carpet — and handed out doctors’ white coats as well, just so nobody missed his hard-sell health-care message.

In a heavy-handed attempt at reviving support for health-care reform, the White House orchestrated a massive photo op to buttress its claim that front-line physicians support Obama.

A sea of 150 white-coated doctors, all enthusiastically supportive of the president and representing all 50 states, looked as if they were at a costume party as they posed in the Rose Garden before hearing Obama’s pitch for the Democratic overhaul bills moving through Congress.

But some docs apparently forgot, failing to meet the White House dress code by showing up in business suits or dresses. So the White House rustled up white coats for them and handed them to the suited physicians who had taken seats in the sun-splashed lawn area.  All this to provide a visual counter to complaints from other doctors that pending legislation is bad news for the medical profession.

“Nobody has more credibility with the American people on this issue than you do,” Obama told his guests.

The president was flanked by four white-coated doctors at a podium as he delivered his pep talk.

“When you cut through all the noise and all the distractions that are out there, I think what’s most telling is that some of the people who are most supportive of reform are the very medical professionals who know the health-care system best,” the president said.

For the rest of this article:

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/tricky_doctored_photo_kTVWHZ3vEeRQbxCC0TNZHN

Face Fwd Comments:

Manipulation has come to a new level at the White House.  They used a cheap publicity stunt to try to get you to believe that the proposed government owned health care is doctor approved.  Not only is it a cheap stunt but it is a copy of an old Nathans Hot Dog stunt.  Read this story.

In 1916 Handwerker and his wife, Idastarted Nathans.   With a savings of $300, the Handwerkers bought an 8-foot by 25-foot space at the corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenues.  Nathan installed walk-up counters in the building and hung up big red signs that advertised his five-cent hot dogs. The Handwerkers added roast beef sandwiches, hamburgers, and french fries to the menu, and “Nathan’s Famous Frankfurter & Soft Drink Stand” was launched.

Things did not go exactly as planned, however. Rather than the new stand’s lower price drawing customers away from Feltman’s, it instead made them suspicious about the quality of Nathan’s food. Because his price was so much lower, many assumed that he must be using inferior meat.  Handwerker, however, believed in the quality of his product–and he came up with an ingenious way to convince others of it. He hired people to dress up as doctors, complete with lab coats and stethoscopes, and stand in front of his restaurant, eating hot dogs. Handwerker reasoned that the sight of medical professionals munching on Nathan’s hot dogs would allay customers’ health fears and give his restaurant the stamp of approval. To drive the point home, he posted a new sign reading, “If doctors eat our hot dogs, you know they’re good!”

Congratulations America, Obama has just once again proven that he thinks so little of you, that you would fall for a cheap stunt.  But then again, the people that voted for him the first time did.