Several major developments on the Hill. One is the Tri Caucus, lead by Rep Grijalva, is pushing to make the public option viable. As many of you know, the CBO has scored the Blue Dog's public option as costing more in premiums than private ones. Why? Adverse risk-sick people dumped into the plan driving up costs. Major risk adjustment or a robust PO will be needed so that the public option can be you know the AFFORDABLE ONE WE WERE  PROMISED.

We have some major developments on the Hill tonight. The whip count from CPC is complete and was shown to the leadership today. According to the Hill at least 150 House members have signed on to a Medicare tied PO. Of great NOTE -46 DEMS SIGNED A LETTER TO PELOSI STATING THEY WONT SIGN ON TO THE BLUE DOG NEGOTIATED RATE PO. Also, they stated they WILL NOT VOTE FOR A NON MEDICARE PO.

crossposted at dailykos.com

Yesterday we got a comprehensive report from the energy and commerce committee. This report details congressional district by congressional district-showing the impact of a strong healthcare reform bill. This is a great tool for us to use when calling or paying a call to resistant congressfolk. You can now tell them how many people will be bankrupted for having no healthcare. How many will get it who wouldnt have it in today's system etc..

Below Ive posted some examples for some key congressperson's districts.
If you want to look up what benefits would come to your district check out this link-its invalueble-

http://energycommerce.house.gov/index.ph p?option=com_content&view=article&am p;id=1717:hr-3200-americas-affordable-he alth-choices-act-of-2009-markup-district -by-district&catid=156:reports&I temid=55#toc10

Also Ive posted some insider info from a well versed friend on the Hill. It pretty much summarizes what we know and is likely to happen next week. See Below...

CPC has issued another letter Fri night. Link and brief synopsis below. worth the read.

Hello All-
(cross posted on dailykos.com)

I haven't posted a diary here in a while but now is the time. The critical debate over universal healthcare is something I'm passionately involved with. My story has been used by HCAN in recent press conferences in my home state. First my story. A story that is fundamentally un American to me. More below...

Good news-verry good news- tonight from the Hill. house liberals held a presser to proclaim any healthcare reform bil must include the right for individuals to opt into a Medicare under 65 option or else they will kill the whole bill.

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas says it best-we have waited along time so we must jump in front of this train. She frames it as a civil rights issue. the right of people to get not for profit healthcare.

As long as the House liberals hold tight we can defeat Baucus. if they bend or fray we will get screwed beyond belief. Please push your reps to back a strong pub option right now. peopl must have the right to get out fo the for profit system we have.

Dawn Johnsen, fmr legal counsel for many women's rights groups and a professor from Indiana, is being blocked in the senate. She has been nominated to become head of the OLC. That is to be legal consel. Its a critical post. She is very progressive, challenging Indiana's criminal voter ID laws, fighting for the right to choose int he courts etc..

Sen Harry reid needs a left wing primary challenger asap. Ive had it with him. See he claims he jsut doesnt have the votes. Hmm-um you dont need 60 votes for the OLC nom! a voice vote has always until now been enough. Bush's OLC guy got a voice vote with reid voting aye.

This is sick and must not be allowed. We must call these jackass Senators and tell them to give her a simple voice vote as precedent demands. This 60 vote crap is insane and not needed msot the time. Sen Bayh-HER ON HOMESTATE'S SENATOR-WONT LIFT A FINGER. THE WHITEHOUSE ISNT DOING MUCH. REID IS WHINNING. ERIC HOLDER HAS PUSHED FOR HER TO BE VOTED ON LAST WEEK. NADA. So we will push.

Sen Ben Nelson had no problem voting for Bush's noms. Sen reid let Bush have voice votes on many. Time for Reid to go-in fact he should have gone long ago. He is Tom Daschle Part II. Let's push them to get the job done here. More below...

VERY URGENT INFO. SEN SCHUMER HAS MET WITH SINGLE PAYER NY FOLKS AND HAS AGREED TO PUSH TO SEAT SINGLE PAYER AT THE TABLE. BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP TO HELP SCHUMER. SCHUMER WOULD LIKE ANOTHER CMTE MEMBER FOR PROCEDURAL PURPOSES TO LET US HAVE OUR VOICE. SO WE ARE TAGETING ANOTHER CMTE MEMBER TO SIDE WITH SCHUMER ON THIS. IM THINK SEN KERRY MAY BE OUR BEST BET BUT IF U ARE IN A STATE WHO HAS A SENATOR ON THE CMTE YOU HAVE EXTRA POWER IN GETTING ALL THIS DONE. BELOW ARE ACTION ITEMS I NEED EACH OF YOU TO TAKE-FAX MEMBERS, A 800 NUMBER WHICH WILL LET U RECORD A VOICEMAIL FOR YOUR SENATOR AND IT WILL BE AUTOSENT TO HIM OR HER! THE TIME IS NOW TO MOVE ON THIS. CONGRESS WONT JUST GIVE US SINGLE PAYER-WE MUST FIGHT FOR IT.

Today the 8 patriots who dared to challenge Sen Baucus and the Healthcare industry spoke out. They were arrested at the Senate hearing. Why? Because they are asking for single payer to be considered. Ed Schultz covered this story as many of you know. Ed has a great point-why is a conservative Bush dog senator managing universal healthcare? We must protest more and more as the compromise looks crappier and crappier. 100 House members have petitioned for a Medicare opt in measure. 1/3 the senate has pushed for this as well. Its up to us and the progressives in the Congress to hold firm. Kudos to MSNBC for covering this struggle. See action alert below.

A Challenge to Corporate Health Insurance Power

On May 5th, 8 Health Care Advocates, including 3 physicians, stood up to Senator Max Baucus and the Senate Finance Committee during a "public" roundtable discussion with a simple question: Will you allow an advocate for a single payer national health plan to have a seat at the table? The answer was a loud, "Get more police!" And the advocates were hauled off to jail.
The fact that a national health program is supported by the majority of the public and health care providers means nothing to Senator Baucus. The fact that thousands of people in America are dying every year because they can't get health care means nothing. The fact that over one million Americans go into bankruptcy every year due to medical debt even though most of them had insurance means nothing.  

And so, we prepared for another of the highly-scripted well-protected events that are supposed to make up the "health care debate" using standard tools of advocacy. We organized call-in days and faxes to the members of the committee requesting the presence of one single payer advocate at the table of 15. Despite thousands of calls and faxes, the only reply, received on the day before the event, was, "Sorry, but no more invitations will be issued."

We knew that this couldn't be correct. We had heard Senator Baucus say on that very same day that "All options were on the table." And so, the next day, we donned our suits and travelled to Washington. We had many knowledgeable single payer advocates in our group. And as the meeting started, one of us stood up to say that we were here and we were ready to take a seat.  And he was promptly removed from the room.

In that moment, it all became so clear. We could write letters, phone staffers, and fax until the machines fell apart, but we would never get our seat at the table. The Senators understand that most people want a national health system and that a national health system would include everybody and provide better health care at a lower cost. These facts mean nothing because Senators respond to only one standard tool of advocacy: money, and lots of it.

The people seated at the table represented the corporate interests: private health insurers and big business and those who support their agenda. The people whose voices were heard all represented organizations which pay huge sums of money to political campaigns. These interests profit greatly from the current health care industry and do not want changes that will hurt their personal pockets.

And so, we have entered a new phase in the movement for health care as a human right: acts of civil disobedience.  It is time to directly challenge corporate interests. History has shown that in order to gain human rights, we must be willing to speak out and risk arrest. We must engage in actions that expose corporate fraud and corruption.  We must make our presence known.

And that is why the 8 of us, knowledgeable health care advocates and providers, most of us parents, some of us grandparents, spoke out one by one in the Senate Finance Committee. And it is why we will continue to speak out and encourage others to do the same. Our voices must be strong enough to drown out the influence of corporate dollars. Health care must become the civil rights movement of this decade. The opportunity is here. And we can create a national health care system. Yes, we can.

Signed by:
Mark Dudzic
Labor Campaign for Single Payer

Margaret Flowers, M.D.
Physicians for a National Health Program

Russell Mokhiber
Single Payer Action

Carol Paris, M.D.
Physicians for a National Health Program

Katie Robbins
Healthcare-Now

Pat Salomon, M.D.
Physicians for a National Health Program

Adam Schneider
Health Care for the Homeless

Kevin Zeese