As we all know by now, Feingold, who endorsed Obama in the primary, is saying that the health care reform bill that is being presented in the senate, stripped of a real public option and an expanded Medicare, is exactly the bill Obama wanted. Don't blame Lieberman, he says.

Obama, since his inauguration, has been rarely seen on the subject of health care reform. Last May, when the Democratic party's Rules and Bylaws Committee met to determine the number of delegates from Michigan and Florida which would be seated, and how they would be apportioned between Clinton and Obama, the meeting was chaired by Tufts Health Care CEO James Roosevelt. If you're new to the story, because the legislatures in those two states had moved the primary date up in opposition to the party rules, the R&B committee met to consider how their delegates should be appoirtioned between the two remaining candidates. Hillary had won both states and had they counted in full she would have almost certainly been the nominee rather than Obama. But because the Republican legislature in both states had introduced a bill to move the primary up to before the date allowed by Democratic party rules, and because that bill had passed (in Michigan, it was a party line vote with all Democrats voting against the change in the primary date), the party decided to dock each of the states 50% of their delegates, thereby diluting the number of delegates Clinton received for her wins. Then, they assigned Obama four of the delegates that Clinton had legitimately won in Michigan and all of the uncommitted delegates of that state putting him 17 delegates ahead of her.

Again, this was a meeting chaired by Tufts Health Care CEO, James Roosevelt. And what is it that Mr. Roosevelt was hoping for in a healthcare reform bill? Let's see what he has to say in this opinion piece he published this past year:

The advocates of a government-run plan claim that it will control costs. I am not convinced. The allure of a government-run health plan is distracting and unproven, and brings a high risk of unintended consequences such as reducing competition and consumer choice. Moreover, even if a government-run plan could be designed in a way that preserves choice for most Americans, it would delay the start of universal coverage for years. As a nation, we simply cannot afford to wait for the kind of accessible, portable, universal healthcare coverage that we have available to us today in Massachusetts, or to employees eligible for coverage through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan, which was touted during President Obama's campaign.

Well, at least he didn't call us "little". We aren't convincing the head of a health insurance agency that universal coverage would save money, but I guess that isn't surprising. But what is it that he does want? Hmmmm.....

We have already learned that for healthcare reform to be successful, individual mandates encourage widespread adoption; that timing and a united will can create a workable solution; and that incentives must be aligned. This public/private partnership has successfully met the needs of more than 97 percent of the state's citizens and could be a blueprint for private market reform, as we understand what can be reasonably accomplished in a set time frame, what can be improved upon, and where the focus should be for achieving sustainable change while maintaining choice, quality, and affordability.

In addition, there is much that we do here in Massachusetts that the president wants the rest of the nation to adopt, such as: our leadership in electronic medical records; our commitment to quality through innovative payment models for providers; and our adherence to evidence-based medicine. Of course, this isn't to say that our state system is perfect, but theoretical perfection should not hold us hostage as we embark upon an idea whose time has finally come.

Evidence that we inhabit a unique moment is that, unlike 1993, we are engaged in a much different discussion. The country's insurance industry is now a key supporter and stakeholder, and has already signaled its willingness to be part of the national solution.

For example, America's Health Insurance Plans, a national trade association on whose board I sit, has submitted its own comprehensive healthcare reform proposal to achieve universal coverage, reduce the unsustainable increase of healthcare costs, and improve the quality of medical care. No less a national healthcare advocate than Senator Ted Kennedy said of AHIP's efforts, "The insurance industry has advanced serious proposals that deserve serious analysis and consideration."

Gee, thanks, Teddy.

I don't see anything about a public option or expanded Medicare access in there. Just the need for mandates and private insurance. It looks to me like he is getting exactly the bill he wanted. I wonder if he considers Obama a man of his word?