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To get an idea of how aggressively Max Baucus -- who, incidentally, I just profiled (have I mentioned that?) -- is moving to assert ownership of health care reform, take a look at this press release I just got from his office:On the heels of this week’s historic presidential and congressional elections, Senate Finance Committee
Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) is connecting with President-Elect Barack Obama to begin work immediately on comprehensive health care reform. The Senate Finance Committee has jurisdiction over Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and other health entitlement programs. In a letter sent today, Baucus informed the President-Elect that next week he will unveil specific policy options for consideration by the 111th Congress and the Obama Administration. Baucus noted that Finance Committee staff is briefing President-Elect Obama’s transition team on the plan, and committed to work with the new administration and with colleagues in Congress to move legislation forward next year. Baucus’s goals for health reform include coverage for every single American, using a mix of private and public solutions to ensure quality, affordable health care for all. “I made sure the Finance Committee spent this year learning and preparing for action on a comprehensive overhaul of the health care system, and I intend for us to move swiftly and decisively with legislation in early 2009. The Finance Committee and this incoming administration have laid lots of groundwork already, and there’s just no time to waste in tackling health care reform,” said Baucus. “Next week, I will unveil an outline of specific goals and policy areas on which I believe Congress must act to achieve reform. I will work together with the new administration and with my colleagues in Congress in refining and advancing this effort. After months of careful preparation, it’s time for action to get the American people the quality, affordable health care they deserve. Americans shouldn’t have to suffer needless pain or succumb to financial ruin because of our broken health care system any more.”Note that the letter actually promises specific actions. Baucus means to unveil an outline plan. He has, in the letter, a set of principles he thinks must be honored, including universality (I asked him about universality when we met. he said he thought it would require an individual mandate.). He sets up meetings between his staff and Obama's transition team. And he asks Obama himself for a meeting. This is pretty aggressive. The full text of the letter follows after the jump.
