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Baucus Bill Concerns

Essex, Vermont - September 16, 2009

"This is a good bill. This is a balanced bill," said Sen. Max Baucus, D-Montana.

Another health care proposal is now before Americans. The Baucus bill carries a slimmed down price tag of $856 billion over 10 years and rejects the idea of a government-run insurance program. It's an attempt at compromise to gain Republican support for health reform.

"It's much more moderate," said Robert Gaydos, the president of the Benefit Group of New England. "More moderate because it doesn't rely on the public plan. It relies on co-ops that are private but funded by the government and it's moderate because it doesn't have an employer mandate. It does have an individual mandate though."

Gaydos spoke to business owners in Essex Wednesday about the three major proposals now on the table-- proposals most say they're having trouble deciphering.

"It's very confusing," said Sharon Gutwin of the Rehab Gym.

"It's next to impossible to keep track of everything," added Kelly Conklin of Gordon's Window Decor.

The Baucus bill establishes purchasing exchanges where consumers could shop for insurance and compare plans. It also expands Medicaid to more than 30 million uninsured citizens and compels every American to purchase qualified health insurance coverage by 2013. Insurance companies would also be forced to undergo major reform and could not bar coverage based on pre-existing medical conditions.

"We need a major shakeup," Gutwin said.

Like the other reform proposals, most business owners at the Essex event had differing opinions about the Baucus bill.

"At this point it does just feel like it's a whole lot of politics," Conklin said.

...Especially over the lack of a public option and the idea of mandatory coverage.

The finance committee bill would fine individuals who refuse to purchase coverage-- specifically young adults that traditionally opt not to pay for insurance because they assume they won't need it.

"When I hear things like that I immediately think scare tactic," Conklin said.

"Some people are willing to gamble and that's a risk," said Winn Smith of the Sugarbush Ski Resort. "You can get injured at a young age, get cancer at a young age, so I'm very much in favor of having people covered from the beginning."

It's public opinions like these that will likely influence lawmakers as they debate the pros and cons of all the proposals now on the table.

And Robert Gaydos strongly encouraged business leaders to let lawmakers know which plan they support-- recommending that Vermonters first look at comparisons of how the three major plans differ.

Debate over the Baucus bill will begin next week with a vote on a final product expected later this fall. Vermont's two Senators have not yet weighed in on the Baucus plan. But both Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders are on record strongly supporting having a public option in any health care overhaul.

Keagan Harsha - WCAX News