Even delivered in shorthand, meaning of the call was clearly to Mr. Wyden: a health care plan, he had managed to get past months earlier despite furious pressures exerted by large enterprises and labour had been removed from the overnight and killed in the broader budget agreement between the White House and Congress. What was most disturbing was that he had not much to do with budgets or the decisions of Government.
"I have been stunned, just stunned,"Mr. Wyden of Oregon, said Tuesday in an interview, describing the disappearance of a plan which would have allowed some 300,000 workers to choose their own insurance through employer-funded vouchers. "
With $ 38 billion in reductions on the line with a budget of $ 3.5 billion, the impact on federal spending played in such large numbers that most standard calculators had difficulty tracking all the zeros. But ultimately, a handful of topics regarding small arms specific industries relating to attract some of the more aggressive behind the scenes campaign, as the commercial interests, health and other care providers fought to restrain or killproposals that affected their profitability.
Much attention of the public focused on social issues which were included in the Bill spending in recent weeks as social conservatives have tried to use to advance their causes, particularly the vain attempt by opponents of abortion to cut funding for family planning. Ultimately, the budget agreement reached late Friday evening banned the District of Columbia, of the use of his own money to provide abortions for women - low income in the city a measure with a greater social impact that budget.
But there was also intense but ultimately failed pressures of General Electric and other military contractors to revive funding for an engine replacing expensive jet fighter project. Supporters of regulations more stringent for the industry of commercial college at Bay and politically influential for the moment, succeeded in beating back order to restrictions block on how schools get federal aid.
An analysis by the Congressional Budget Office found that Wyden proposal had no impact in the short term on federal spending and that it could actually save money over the next four years.
Plan to allow employees to "withdraw" their employer-sponsored plans and choose their own coverage drew the opposition of an unusual alliance of trade unions and companies. Supporters said vouchers would give employees more options and to stimulate competition in the market. Critics argued that younger and healthier employees would leave plans and insurance to more expensive for older workers, less good health.
The American Council benefits - a group that represents employers and insurers and spent almost$ 1 million on Federal lobbying last year - has written its members that the proposal of Wyden would have an impact "destabilizing" on employer insurance schemes. The A.F.L. UI a.i p.o, which employs a formidable Washington lobbying force, warned that the proposal would create a "death spiral" of the higher charges.
But the measure was also strong supporters. Charles Kolb, President of the Economic Development Committee, had said Tuesday that Mr. Wyden, taking different tactics of management of health care costs, "seeks to introduce the type of structural reform that the system is shouting for."
The measure did in the final health plan signed by President Obama the last year, only to be cut to 11th hour in the agreement on the budget Friday night. "It is a lost opportunity," said Mr Kolb.
Which if deleted program?
"I'd that I knew," said Mr. Wyden. "Everyone at the table says that someone else has." They say, "This was not me."?”
Democrats and administration officials emphasized Tuesday in interviews Republican leaders had moved to get rid of the Wyden plan. They recognize private who were unable to combat it that aggressively, considering that he was opposed by the business and labour, and that accepting kill plan was considered as a means to stave off other potential in health funding reductions.
"There is no doubt that the Elimination of this provision were not our first choice," said an official of the Obama administration who spoke on condition of anonymity in discussing private negotiations. "But it was difficult, difficult negotiations and obviously no one got everything they wanted.".
Michael Steel, a spokesman for President John a. Boehner, said "the program has been eliminated because it costs jobs - and jobs are the priority of the American people.".
Mr. Wyden said that no matter who it in negotiations of the Congress the White House, he suspects that the Group of the Elimination of its plan of action was the Business Roundtable, a powerful force lobbying composed of Chief Executives of leading companies in the country. The round table, who has spent more than $ 8.2 million lobbying on a range of health issues and financial last year, had strongly come out against the idea of allowing employees to take their own insurance.
"It is a case of school special interests that prevail - Exhibit A,", said Mr. Wyden of the disappearance of his good health care plan. "Everyone knows the Business Roundtable wanted this killed, and now they can come back with a trophy to say that they protected business as usual".
Frames of the round table did not voice messages or emails on Tuesday investigating the issue.
But while Mr. Wyden was looking for ways Tuesday to boost its good plan, the Business Roundtable was announcing a separate agreement with the administration of the Obama to sign a "pledge partnership for Patients" intended to show the commitment to health care.
"We are delighted with the administration," said former Governor John Engler of Michigan, Chairman of Business Roundtable, "" to make this proactive measure to bring together a diverse group of stakeholders - everyone is committed to and invested in the U.S. health care system - to improve the quality of measurable health care. ""
没有评论:
发表评论