The Candid Bob Dole

by Charles Lemos, Wed Oct 07, 2009 at 07:59:12 PM EDT

In a speech at a health care reform summit sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City, former Senator Bob Dole urged Congress to enact health care reform and called on Republicans to get behind the effort. Mr. Dole, a 26 year veteran of the Senate and the GOP's Presidential nominee in 1996, also repeatedly blamed "partisanship" for the failure to produce a bill so far. He also had a number of moments of candor.

Mr. Dole also talked about the failure to get a health care reform bill through Congress in 1993 and 1994 when President Bill Clinton proposed it. He blamed himself -- and Hillary Clinton -- and finally politics.

"Politics took over," he said. "And you lost." Sounds about right.

A second moment of candor came when he voiced his opposition to a public option for health insurance, which he said would drive private companies out of business. Though I am not sure that I necessarily agree with that conclusion, a number of countries have a hybrid system, it is clear what is driving the GOP is their concern for the profits of insurance companies, not the well-being of the American people.

Tags: Senator Bob Dole, US Healthcare Reform (all tags)

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6 Comments

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It was the Bill Kristol memo in 1993

That made Dole decide that he had to kill healthcare reform for Republicans.  And 16 years later, we are right back at it.  

by Kent 2009-10-07 08:15PM | 0 recs
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In Australia...

Private insurers do just fine in a society with single-payer universal health care.  And total 'top drawer' coverage with a private insurer will cost a family of four no more than $6-7kUSD a year.  At most.

We have a delightfully vibrant and hybrid health care environment.  Plenty of horror stories about public health care, to be sure, but no conservative party, state or federal, dares oppose it.

by Shaun Appleby 2009-10-07 08:36PM | 0 recs
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Re: The Candid Bob Dole

That's the ting - private insurers will adjust, there will always be a private option even in a fully single-payer system.

But this is not about protecting the principle of having a private plan available, it's about protecting their dominate position as it exists today.

by vecky 2009-10-07 09:54PM | 0 recs
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So, let's drive them out of business

Health insurance companies have been driving people with pre-existing conditions out of health insurance for years now.  They claim it was simply good business.  If the public option drives health insurance companies out of business, so be it.  It's good business for us.  

by Georgeo57 2009-10-08 12:49AM | 0 recs
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Bob Dole

I wonder if he has clients that want health care reform to pass?  The long term is not sustainable for insurance companies.  Their pool of purchasers is declining as they get better at turfing people with pre-existing conditions.

The rising costs are not sustainable for employers either.

by bakho 2009-10-08 05:49AM | 0 recs
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Re: Bob Dole

It doesn't matter to the insurance companies if the pool of purchasers declines -- as long as the people who do purchase don't actually make claims (which is their goal), the insurance companies come out ahead. That's quite sustainable for them for a long time.

But you're right about the employer situation.

by fsm 2009-10-08 01:01PM | 0 recs

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