Reid Will Push For Public Option

Fox News reports that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced that Democrats will include in the health care reform bill a government-backed health insurance program that allows states to opt out if they can come up with an alternative.

“I think it’s the fairest way to go,” Reid said of the “opt out” proposal.

The compromise measure was one of a host of different so-called public options being considered in the Senate. Though the public option seemed off the table in the chamber just one month ago, it gained traction in recent weeks as Democratic leaders floated versions meant to be more appealing to party moderates.

Reid expressed confidence Monday that the new Senate bill, which is a merger of the health care bills passed by two separate Senate panels, would have the “support of my caucus” once the Congressional Budget Office puts a price tag on the proposal.

Reid, though, needs 60 votes to shut down debate and move the bill toward a final vote on the floor — he appeared to be a couple votes shy of that number over the weekend. Plus Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, the only Republican so far to vote for any version of health care reform, opposes Reid’s plan. She favors a bill that would “trigger” a public plan down the road only if the insurance industry does not meet certain conditions, and released a statement Monday saying she was “deeply disappointed” by Reid’s proposal.

But Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin told Fox News that Snowe’s version would have lost them votes from liberal Democrats. Reid said Monday that Democrats will “have to move forward” without the Maine senator, and that he hopes Snowe eventually sees the “wisdom” in supporting the overall package.

“I’m always looking for Republicans,” Reid said.

The “opt out” proposal would set up a national insurance plan with government seed money and be run by a private, not-for-profit board. Under the proposal, states would have to prove they can provide comparable coverage in order to exit out of the federal plan. The plan would also negotiate rates with providers just like private insurance companies do, presumably keeping premiums on a level playing field with the private industry.

Reid maintained that the bill still includes a “coop,” as was included in the Senate Finance Committee version.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is pushing a more robust version of the public plan, which would be based on Medicare rates and in turn provide for cheaper premiums. Pelosi reportedly does not yet have the votes in her caucus to pass that version.

After Reid spoke, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs issued a statement in which President Obama congratulated Democrats for their “hard work on health insurance reform.”

“While much work remains, the president is pleased that at the progress that Congress has made. He’s also pleased that the Senate has decided to include a public option for health coverage, in this case with an allowance for states to opt out. As he said to Congress and the nation in September, he supports the public option because it has the potential to play an essential role in holding insurance companies accountable through choice and competition,” Gibbs said.

Please read the entire article here:
Reid: Senate Bill Will Include Government-Backed ‘Public Option’

Video of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s announcement that he will push for “Public Option”

Meanwhile, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that the controversial “Public Option” will now be called the “Competitive Option”.

Tagged as: Democrats' Healthcare Plan, H.R.3200: America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009, Harry Reid, Health Care, Public Option, S.1776: Medicare Physician Fairness Act of 2009, Single Payer, Universal Health Care