Monday, August 17, 2009

Public option could be dropped?

It’s looking like Obama’s public health insurance option could get dropped from the reform plan.

Amid growing skepticism for a plan to compete with the private sector, Obama administration is saying it would compromise and consider a Senate proposal for a nonprofit health cooperative. Read more

Officials are now saying the public option is “not the essential” element of the reform push. Obama called it just “one aspect” of the reform. Lawmakers, pundits, and citizens will continue to debate plans to fix healthcare over the next few weeks in anticipation of a vote next month.

Liberal Democrats weren’t too happy about the idea that the public option could be dropped, but Obama administration officials said what’s “important is choice and competition,” and the plan will have that. Under the co-op proposal, insurance would be offered through a nonprofit, nongovernmental entity run by its members.

No comments:

Post a Comment