Moving Forward

Plenty are reporting a deal was struck this afternoon between Henry Waxman and the Blue Dogs. Both sides made concessions totaling about $100 billion in cuts from the reform effort. The "public option" remained intact. Here are some of the changes.

• Exemption from penalty for businesses making $500,000 or less
• Public option rates tied to Health and Human Services secretary rather than Medicare
• State can conduct co-ops but must have public option
• Lower rate by 1% for subsidization of reimbursement rate
  

It's a livable plan that should pass both chambers. Steven Benen hits it on the head with this: "the only thing standing between the status quo and a reform plan that's been sought after since the days of Truman is a Senate with a 60-seat Democratic majority." That's actually a pretty scary thought.