Key Players in the Game of Health Insurance Reform

Key Players in the Game of Health Insurance Reform in Individual Health Insurance

Holiday shmoliday.

Lawmakers were hard at work this weekend. Most notably, Senator Max Baucus who circulated a comprehensive proposal of his year-long effort to craft a bipartisan health care bill.

But after reading that it doesn’t include a public option and advocates for an additional fee from health insurance companies, all we could think was: huh? Seems like a good way to alienate Republicans and Democrats alike.

Or is it a smart calculation to appeal to legislators such as Senator Olympia J. Snowe, who could be instrumental in getting the bill passed at all? Even so, the proposal will still have to win support from the other Senate Finance Committee Republicans in the “group of six,” including Senators Charles E. Grassley and Michael B. Enzi.

We also think it will be interesting to see how Mr. Baucus’s plan jibes with any proposals President Obama lays out in his congressional address tomorrow... Not to mention certain other legislators. As this all unfolds, The New York Times Prescriptions blog offers a great look at some of the key players to watch:

Senator Kent Conrad, Democrat of North Dakota
Huge proponent of the health insurance co-op option. He pronounced the public plan “dead” a few weeks ago, declaring that it didn’t have the votes to pass.

Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, Republicans of Maine
If the public option is discarded, these Senators could be brought on board, providing crucial votes to Democrats.

Representative Henry Waxman, Democrat of California
Head of the House Energy Committee. He has been vocal that he will not stand for any bill that provides a federal “windfall” to the insurance industry.

Representative Raúl Grijalva, Democrat of Arizona
The Leader of the House progressives. No bill has a chance without his support and he insists on a public option.

Representative Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, Democrat of South Dakota
Leader of the fiscally conservative Blue Dogs. Congresswoman Sandlin wants to tone down legislation and steer clear of big spending and would rather not have a public option.

While Max Baucus struggles to forge a bipartisan consensus within his committee, what we are wondering is how the Democrats can pass a substantive health reform bill… and not wind up a fractured party.

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