Edging Closer

" House Democrats are pushing closer and closer to a final health care bill and sources say that the speaker of the house Nancy Pelosi. Is just a few votes shy of the votes needed for passage. The sticking point seems to be a so called robust version of government run health insurance so what happens now joining me now to talk about the Coleman and Democrat Debbie wasserman. Schultz and she serves on the House Appropriations Committee and Daschle joins speaker -- this afternoon in Florida as we understand for roundtable discussion on. Benefits to seniors and health care reform. Good to see you representative. Out -- the -- at the end of the week it's been widely reported that Nancy Pelosi took the votes and she doesn't have the 218 for the robust plan. For a government run option which would I act is I understand it paid based on Medicare rates -- your judgment. Among the various versions. What would pass the negotiated rates the states opt in or opt out the trigger option on nonprofit co ops. What would get the 218."

" Well I mean I think the big news is that we absolutely after taking that that very. You know public roll call in our well in our caucus meeting. That we have the votes overwhelmingly to pass the public option and you know which one right now we really sort of I know that's the question. I'm happy to answer it live right now with sorting out the details. On what the various options are and being with the public option plan have the votes that that. That will benefit over the and -- you but he had estimated revenue and weak which he wanted to fly and fight back the American people. I I I can tell you right now is that the vote if not today where we're still working. Towards getting the votes and not just on the public option but to on the various components of the -- of the overall health care reform legislation in. The bill will come out and will be voting in within the next few weeks and that would become more clear as we get --"

" It is been said for weeks now that these so called blue dogs the moderate conservative. Democrats would oppose several of the different forms of the public option have you swung some of them over."

" Actually there are number blue dog members I've personally went number of them that are. Absolutely comfortable with that split the robust public option some of them -- Negotiated rates. In most of them that I've spoken to actually have other issues that health care reform that they're focused on in the public option is not that. It's not so much they're focused but the bottom line is that the Democratic Caucus. We have the votes overwhelmingly to pass health care reform. With a public option and we agree with the American people who support a public option that at least 57%. The."

" That's what this CBO concluded and I'm sure you read this. Net seventeen. Million Americans will still remain uninsured under the Senate version you'll get a few more. Under the house versions. But won't that still be. Vastly shy of fulfilling the promise of the president when he said quote every American will have affordable healthcare."

" The the numbers that you're referring to mostly referred to the illegal immigration population in the undocumented immigrants that we have in this country. Our plan covers about I think it. 96 and 97%. On the -- and in the house bill. Everyone in America who is supposed to be covered. -- health -- appointment inflation the Senate version of the bill -- if something like 25 million of which is far beyond the number of undocumented immigrants we have in the country. So I I think the house bill is much more comprehensive but that's why we're gonna put arsenic so that we can hold as much as -- components of it in the."

" did you see that -- and look at the new Gallup poll shows that it's can't. 20% of Americans expect the quality and the cost of their health care. To improve. That's pretty abysmal confidence in what you're doing how do you account for that."

" I didn't -- not familiar -- at all but I do know that people overwhelmingly want to make sure that we reform the health care system. That we provide the security and stability to the current insurance that most Americans you have that we insure the 46 million Americans that don't have it. And that we bring down the overall costs and we're working to educate Americans all across the country. About the goals of health care reform. I'm not familiar with that old."

" And we are we hear a lot from people who say look at the track record of the American government in running entitlement programs. He's awful. And they point to the trustees' report five months ago that Social Security. And Medicare. And by implication Medicaid as well the three biggest entitlement programs are headed for insolvency they're on track to go bankrupt. It can you name actually I laugh at us hey my question you can you name one Carmen entitlement program that's well run."

" I check that Medicare as well run -- and let me tell you I'm about how Canada hits commuters can -- that. An announcement let me just an answer your question I invite you come down here with me spend today with me. In my district. And we'll go door to go are among the senior citizens that I represent -- new act and that they think Medicare as well run in left and that they would like Medicare to go away. About the veterans in this country like Afghanistan like tri care. That's also a government run program Social Security that's a pretty good government run program that provides eight the confidence. In with net and men and women in this country who would -- it would not be able to put food on the table so if you look at the track record of the government run programs in this country. I think you're gonna ask the senior citizens at the biggest benefits is that programs. That they that would be hell to pay if you took it away and."

" but again Mike what did you think that two programs that are headed for insolvency are well wrong but whether. -- at all -- Social Security. I'm 43 year old Social Security isn't projected to be insolvent till I'm 84. So headed for insolvency if -- gross exaggeration. We do need to make sure that we shore up social security and stave off its future could compensate the four for Medicare and Social Security about seventeen now it has not been eight years from now that's absolutely not and you have to go back and look at that without that trustee report. It's about. No each -- and I'll go back you don't look at Bob may twelfth of this year in the audience -- all right now don't get wasserman Schultz thanks very much for meaningless. And then having it. In my discussion with that congresswoman wasserman Schultz several minutes ago we talked about the future insolvency of Medicare. And Social Security. One of my numbers was right one was wrong they are respectively. 20172037. That's according to the trustees in their annual report this last may twelfth -- That clarification and correction."