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Politics : President Barack Obama -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: koan who wrote (60908)	8/17/2009 12:28:43 AM
From: Mac Con Ulaidh	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 149317

Co-ops are like those places you buy your veggies at. It doesn't work to keep things honest. Why do you think a Baucus likes them???

To: koan who wrote (60908)	8/17/2009 12:59:37 AM
From: Nicholas Thompson	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 149317

Co-ops cannot compete with big private health care insurance companies and could not get the big discounts ; thus pose only a minor threat to the private ins. companies. a big govt insurance company could get big discounts from hospitals etc and force down the costs competing fully with the big private insurance guys which is why the sell outs are pushing co-ops.

To: koan who wrote (60908)	8/17/2009 11:34:53 PM
From: Bread Upon The Water	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 149317

Its fuzzy to me also. I think te basic concept is that they'll operate as a non-profit insurer, but what will keep them from being saddled with all the pre-existing condition people? (I guess the provision that ALL insurers will have to accept anyone who applies to their company.)

To: koan who wrote (60908)	8/18/2009 11:33:52 AM
From: Bread Upon The Water	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 149317

From Today's WSJ. "The plan under negotiation in the {Senate} Finance Committee would establish cooperatives with a minimum of 500,000 members to ensure bargaining leverage, Mr. Conrad said. An interim, government-named board would provide start-up expertise, and a government provided insurance reserve would allow the co-ops to get running quickly and reach the 12 million {member} mark. Mr. Conrad (Senator North Dakota) put the start up price at 6 billion." The article goes on to describe the success of Co-ops in Southern Wisconsin and Seattle, but cautioned that it took a lot of time for them to acquire the necessary expertise to be successful.