burlingtonfreepress.com

Sponsored by:

vt.Buzz ~ a political blog

Political notes from Free Press staff writers Terri Hallenbeck, Sam Hemingway and Nancy Remsen


10.16.2007

 

Some health history

Jason Gibbs, the governor's spokesman, alerted us to an interview with Gov. Jim Douglas that appears in the latest issue of Health Affairs. It's titled "Comprehensive Health Care Reform in Vermont: A conversation with Governor Jim Douglas" and can be read here.

What's interesting about this interview by James Maxwell is how Douglas explains the origins and development of Catamount Health, the new health insurance program for Vermont's uninsured. (If you are uninsured and need coverage, check it out here. ) It's interesting to note, too, how Douglas explains to a national audience how Catamount is paid for and who he credits with political leadership (besides himself) in making compromise possible.

Here's one paragraph to ponder:

Catamount Health is a premium subsidy program that allows the uninsured to purchase affordable coverage through their employer or directly through Catamount. These reforms are a key part of my strategy to make Vermont a more affordable place to live, work and raise a family. The reforms are part of my Affordability Agenda ......

I wonder if Democrats remember Catamount as Douglas' idea, as this paragraph seems to suggest, or their idea?

The interviewer asked Douglas what compromises had to be made to reach agreement following the stalemate of 2005 that ended with Douglas' veto of Green Mountain Health, Catamount's muscular political predecessor. Douglas answers the extremes on the ideological spectrum had to be rejected -- especially, he notes, the extreme he couldn't stomach, a government-run, taxpayer-financed health plan. Only later in the interview does Douglas explain how he had to give in on how to pay for the program. The health reform package that he signed into law includes an employer assessment of one dollar per day for each uninsured employee. "I didn't support the assessment, but it was part of the compromise."

Who does Douglas credit by name for leadership in the reform effort? Sorry Jim Leddy and John Tracy, it's U.S. Rep. Peter Welch, D-VT, formerly president pro tempore in the state senate. Douglas called Welch "one of our most important partners." Douglas explains what Welch brought to the table. "It was clear to me that he wanted to accomplish something and to get a bill that we could all feel good about."

Later, Douglas spreads the praise more broadly. "I would give much credit to my Democratic colleagues -- it took both parties, and in the end the legislators saw that we had to abandon the extremes."

The governor is certainly getting a lot of national mileage out of Catamount Health. Remember he already collected an award from AARP for his critical role in reaching the compromise in 2006 that resulted in Catamount Health. Anybody jealous?

-- Nancy Remsen

Comments:
You can be sure that when Catamount fails it will be everyone else's fault. Anybody for real health care reform?
 
Douglas is so friggin' sleazy, it makes me ill (am I enrolled in Catamount?). I think Douglas is really a wax figure and that Mike Smith is behind him with a long string that makes his mouth move. Gibbs is responsible for cleaning the wax dummy every night and then dressing him in the stylish flood pants the governor is so fond of wearing.
 
Catamount Health is a scam. The thing will be bankrupt before the end of the decade.

And Douglas will be retired, traveling the world on a pension paid for by the taxpayers of the state of Vermont.
 
Unbelievable!

Jim Douglas actually believes this stuff that Jason Gibbs writes!???

This is nothing but pure spin and Jim Douglas should be ashamed of himself!

What a hypocrite!
 
Very interesting Nancy. Thank you for the post.

Aside from the Governor's transparent effort to suggest it was all his idea, I'm especially intrigued by his characterization of Catamount as a "comprehensive" strategy. Exactly what does this program do for the tens of thousands of Vermonters (and business owners) who are struggling to pay for health insurance? My premiums have increased 185% in less then 10 years.

The Governor thinks we all have a right to "insurance" rather than health care. His refusal to accept the need for fundamental reform doesn't exactly square with his supposed concern for "affordability".

C'mon Governor, lead or get out of the way.
 
Without Jim Leddy holding everyone's feet to the fire, there would have been no legislation of any consequence passed.

If it had been up to Jim Douglas - he would have talked about it and done nothing else.
 
Here's an idea. How about Douglas appoints Doug Hoffer to be Commissioner of Finance? Some bi-partisan leadership maybe? At least Doug has ideas and wants to try new approaches. Lord knows we could use some ideas from the fifth floor at 109. I can almost hear the crickets chirping when Team Douglas sits down for a staff meeting. Of course, this will never happen because Wittle Jimmy wants to continue spreading doom and gloom throughout Vermont. What a downer Douglas is (of course, even if he was up, you probably wouldn't be able to tell).
 
If Douglas says 2+2=4, you all doubt and criticize. Honestly, what would happen to any truly Republican initiative he might bring to the Democratic Legislature? DOA. What you're really saying is: Why doesn't Douglas become an enlightenend Democrat like the rest of you so there can be a complete monopoly on governance and no debate or questioning of Democratic authority?
 
Thanks Jason, but get back to your job now.
 
Jim Douglas, George Bush - they are so alike!

Jason Gibbs, Karl Rove - again so alike.

To these folks, healthcare discussions revolve around "health insurance" and not about "healthcare."
 
Douglas won't even try to compromise
 
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
 
Douglas is a joke.
 
So are Gaye and Peter. Peter's worse than a joke, he's a laughingstock.
 
My prior post, with apparently offending letter removed:
I'm not Jason and you're a*inine.

This word is an adjective found in every dictionary in eveyr grade school library in America, and is defined simply as "marked by inexcusable failure to exercise intelligence and sound judgment." Given the prepubescent insults that pass as political dialogue on this blog, spare me the censoring of perfectly fine, descriptive words that are part of the Queen's English. Or is this one of those places where I would be censored for using the word "niggardly" to describe someone who is grudgingly mean about spending?
 
It might be the Queen's English, but King James rules here. Get your butt back across the pond.
 
Actually, my family's been in Vermont for generations. So, I'll stay right here, if you don't mind.
 
Grade schoolers know how to spell "every," so how about catching up on your education.
 
Ah, yes, the level of erudition I have come to expect from the coterie of pusillanimous cretins that frequent this place.

Ever heard of a typo? You just keep proving my points for me ....
 
You're a little full of yourself, aren't you? Big words compensating for other inadequacies?
 
Let's see. I'm called out as someone I'm not. Then, in response to an invitation to get my butt back across the pond, I point out I am a native Vermonter going back several generations. Followed by the clever riposte that I mistyped "every" and need to "catch up" on my education. Attempting to lighten things up a bit, I throw out some big words (without even using that thang you call a thee-soar-us). Then, after having previously been criticized as uneducated, you now reply that I am using big words to compensate. Yup, you must have done mighty fine on your debate team with such elegant rhetorical thrusts and parries. By Jeezum.
 
Debate team was never my thing, but I'm guessing it was yours. Probably a member of the chess club too. By Jeezum? Is that a phrase your immigrant relatives passed down?
 
I'll let you have the last word, Paco. Good work.
 
He totally beat you on points, Paco.
 
Paco is a racist term. Please refrain from using it. It offends my Latino heritage.
 
My apologies.
 
Una cerveza, por favor
 
Muy bien. Cerveza es bueno.
 
As Homer would say: Mmmm, cerveza.
 
Is it beer-30 yet?
 
Where did all these illegals come from?
 
Gaye Symington should step down as speaker - the house is a mess!
 
You got that right. I may not even vote next time.
 
Not going to happen
 
We need a new speaker.
 
Post a Comment



<< Home

Recent Posts

Recent Comments

Archives

June 2006   July 2006   August 2006   September 2006   October 2006   November 2006   December 2006   January 2007   February 2007   March 2007   April 2007   May 2007   June 2007   July 2007   August 2007   September 2007   October 2007   November 2007   December 2007   January 2008   February 2008   March 2008   April 2008   May 2008   June 2008   July 2008   August 2008   September 2008   October 2008   November 2008   December 2008   January 2009   February 2009   March 2009   April 2009   May 2009   June 2009   July 2009   August 2009   September 2009   October 2009   November 2009   December 2009   January 2010   February 2010   March 2010   April 2010