WASHINGTON (CNN) - Senate Democratic leaders met Thursday night with White House officials to consider including a government-funded public health insurance option, along with a provision allowing states to opt out of it, in a health care overhaul bill.
Two senior Democratic Senate sources told CNN that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is leaning toward a public option with the state opt-out provision in the Senate health care bill that will reach the full chamber in coming weeks.
According to one source familiar with the White House meeting, the matter was discussed with President Barack Obama but no decisions were made.
Republicans and some moderate Democrats oppose a public option, threatening the chances for a bill that includes the provision to get the 60 votes necessary to overcome a Senate filibuster.
The state opt-out provision is considered a possible way to get moderate Democrats to support a bill with a public option. However, the spokesman for Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska, a key moderate, said Nelson opposes the idea of a national public option with an opt-out for the states.
In addition, the idea is opposed by Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine, the only Republican to support any kind of health care proposal so far. Snowe's spokesman, John Gentzel, confirmed to CNN her opposition to the modified public option.
Obama and Democratic leaders say the non-profit public option will bring competition to the health insurance industry and lower costs while expanding access to Americans currently without coverage.
Republican opponents contend a public option would drive private insurers from the market and lead to an eventual government takeover of the health care system.
Of five health care bills approved so far by House and Senate committees, four include a public option. The other bill, from the Senate Finance Committee, includes non-profit cooperatives instead of a public option and is the proposal supported by Snowe.
In recent days, two administration officials have told CNN that the prevailing White House opinion is for the Senate health care bill to include a so-called "trigger" mechanism proposed by Snowe that would bring a public option in the future if thresholds for expanding coverage and lowering costs go unmet in coming years.
The source familiar with Thursday evening's meeting said Obama "pushed for a so-called trigger, because it's the more bipartisan way to go," due to Snowe's support for the concept. A critical White House goal in passing a health care bill is the ability to call it bipartisan, so Obama officials are wary of doing anything to alienate Snowe.
Also Thursday, 36 moderate House Democrats threatened to vote against the current health care bill the chamber's leaders are drafting because they don't believe it will sufficiently reduce long-term health care costs.
In a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Maryland, the fiscally conservative Democrats cited recent testimony by Congressional Budget Office Director Doug Elmendorf that indicated health care costs under the House legislation could rise after 10 years.
Elmendorf "has already indicated that the bill does nothing to rein in the costs of health care, and therefore may not be sustainable outside the 10-year budget window," the letter said.
"We will be unable to support any health care legislation that doesn't meet the president's goals of driving down and holding down the cost of health care, as determined by" the CBO, the letter concluded.
A Democratic leadership aide told CNN that final analysis from the Congressional Budget Office will be crucial to passing a bill in the House.
"If we do not get a reasonable sort of indication from CBO that we're going to bend it, that will be a problem," the aide said of lowering costs in the future.
House Democratic leaders learned earlier this week that the CBO projected their bill would cost $871 billion over 10 years and also reduce the deficit during that time. But the CBO was unable to assess what the impact would be in the next 10 years.
Moderate Democrats have asked leaders for details about the long-term costs from CBO, but no final analysis has yet been released.
Rep. John Barrow of Georgia, a leader of the fiscally conservative "Blue Dog" Democrats, initiated the letter because "the question of cost isn't one that should be swept under the rug," said Barrow's spokesperson, Jane Brodsky.
Updated: 9:25 p.m.
–CNN's Dana Bash and Deirdre Walsh contributed to this story.
From CNN Politics
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It's about time...grow a spine and stand-up for the public option.
After all, President Obama is trying to HELP AMERICANS . . . not take us to War!
PLEASE hurry up and include the PUBLIC OPTION so this bill will PASS and go on the BACK BURNER so that other issues will come to the surface that I KNOW our President is handling but you have some HEAD STRONG and DEAD WRONG far right Party of NO REPUBLI-CAN'T fools like CHENEY calling our Presiddent SCARED and not being able to handle Afghanistan!!!
We want the PUBLIC OPTION and we need to show AMERICA that we – as DEMOCRATS are STRONG and can get things done!!!!
Don't just look at adding it, DO IT. Vote for Medicare Part E (Medicare for Everyone) Now!
Dems are the majority. Grow a spine, put the public option in the bill with NO opt out for states.
They must add a public option! the majority of the country wants a public option!
Let's Go Democrats!! I'am with you all the way, Good Luck!
Finally – the people have spoken and we are starting to move this effort in the right direction. The current system has people locked in and afraid. You can't fully pursue your dreams and maximize your contribution to our country and our economy if you are handcuffed to your job by your health insurance. We must separate health care from employment, period!
It's only a matter of time and strategy before we have a single payer (ie. single point of control) for health care. For those of you who earn enough to take care of yourselves, kiss good healthcare goodbye. You can tell your grandkids about it someday. For those of you that prefer to "ask what your country can do for you", congratulations. I'll leave my wallet where you can steal it.
Read where Max Baucus got Harry Reid in a closed room and went absolutely positively ballistic. They thought he was going to have a stroke and wanted to know if he needed medical attention.
I suppose he saw all those extra millions he was expecting from the insurance companies slipping away. I heard he had already gotten 1.5 million. Guess it doesn't make any difference that you were elected to serve the public, all you do when you get in is serve yourself and your rich masters.
People that think that this overhaul of the healthcare system are delusional. First of all, it doesn't give everyone healthcare (2/3s of those not covered still won't be covered). Second, it has already raised taxes and will most likely continue to need to find revenue streams–more taxes. Third, the 'reforms' really don't make healthcare more affordable, but subsidize it with taxpayer money.
Fix Medicare and Medicaid before you take on the care for over 300 M people and 20% for the economy.
Bring it on! We need a strong public option in the healthcare overhaul.
Exhilarating stuff!!!!
They are going to have to give up a lot to get conservative democrats on-board.
I wonder what pork they are angling for...
No health care reform without public option
There is only one way to do it Right !! Offering a public option.
Hey lets do it hate crimes more bills to make all those in our country who feel less now we will give you more. When will this madness stop and when in GOD's name we will start to take care of our own problems.
Health care for all yes that is it let us make sure even those who do not pay a thing into the system get theirs. Oh and let us not forget that we can even more money from other countries all we have to do is sale our soul "you know our countries future", but who cares that is today we can not see the future.
WELL HERE IT IS THE TWO PARTIES AND ALL OF YOU THAT HATE EACH OTHER BECAUSE OF THEM WILL PUT MY FUTURE AND ALL OF MY CHILDREN IN A HELL OF A MESS. WAKE UP WE CAN NOT BUY OR WAY OUT STOP, STOP, STOP NOW THIS MADNESS. WHERE ARE YOU AMERICA
The fun starts now as these democratic weasels tries saving their political hides in 2010.
Do it without Senator Snowe. Why should 1 person dictate what millions of Americans want. My gosh show some guts. If Democrats need to just let the republicans filibuster and make fools out of themselves.
Incredible that the democrats are intent on ignoring and brushing aside the majority of Americans. Never has such disregard for the voters been on such display.
Americans need to realize that the democrats cannot be trusted in any way. Joe Wilson's "you lie" could be applied to the entire democratic party.
With polls showing that the majority of American people want a Public Option, and individual states having the right to opt out of such a plan, and the CBO confirming that it will pay for itself, are there any remaining justifications for obstructing its creation?? Well, there are the millions of dollars of bribes from the insurance industry.
Why is it called an "option" anyway, since the whole purpose is to lead to government mandates and control of the healthcare system?
Half of America does not know what is best for them; that is why we elect these people. In years to come, the very ones who think the Obama administration is doing wrong, will wake up and smell the new world around them.
I voted for Obama, and I will vote for him again.
The only option that any party needs to add to health care is that every American has exactly the same benefits that any member of Congess has for not any of the members of the government from its janitors to its President has any more rights to heath care than the rest of the American People. It is, " We the People " and "we are created equal" and we all have a right to heath care and no one even the Supreme Court is in a position to decide who does not. Money is not the decideing factor in any examination of an inalienable right. You can let the parties squabble over whether its socialism communism or capitalism but the only common denominator is we are human beings and because we live we have a right to Life and no one can determine otherwise.
Private insurers will certainly NOT be driven from the market with a public option, NOR will a public option lead to a "government takeover" of the "health care system" (for lack of better words). Again, Republican opponents are using scare tactics (or are so ignorant that they should not be representatives of the people). A public option would make health care available to all and lower costs to everyone in general. It does not make sense that a few get mega rich at the expense of the health and well-being of an entire nation. A public option is also a step forward to bring the US up to par with other industrialzed nations in the world which have a cost efficient healthy society. Health care insurance companies can all live together, whether it be super private, private, group, regular, public, social, etc. etc. They will all still profit. Point is, everyone should be insured to maintain a healthy society which is cost efficient. The GOP has got to start putting the people of this country first, not the wallets of their cronies and themselves.
No Public option. Credible polls show the MAJORITY of Americans are against the private option............we don't want you destroying our health care.
Thank you Public oprtions are the way to go. Keep up the good work .
Thank you. Public options are the way to go. Keep up the good work .
Every single poll now shows that the majority of Americans support a public option. Apparently, though, our esteemed legislators have to decide who they care more about – the people who vote or the people (insurance lobby) who fund their campaigns. If there is no public option, there is no true reform!
I'm all for the opt-out provision as long as the people of the state are allowed to vote on it rather than the decision being left solely to the state government.
MESSAGE TO DEMOCRATS – - – PUBLIC OPTION ANY WHICH WAY YOU CAN!
A Public "Medicare-like" Option will bring competition to the health insurance cartel, and force them to cut their ridiculous profits made on the backs of hardworking middle-class Americans, who are finding it increasingly difficult to afford decent health care.
We need a public option now, stop fooling around and get it done. while your at it, get ride of the Anti trust exemption.
Really!! I mean really!! Is someone finally going to consider the opinions of the millions of democrats who voted for this administration and the majority in Congress? We wanted single payer and now we may or may not even have a "public option"!!
Talk about being afraid of the opposition and taking your base for granted!! Get on with putting the public option in, do a little polling and see how happy people are with you!
We need the public option for bringing down the insurance prices and distribution of fair health care in U.S.
I have no problem with a public option i think its needed especially to keep insurance companies honest. It seems that republicans want to leave healthcare up to the freemarket and private sector that doesnt always work, we can see that when it came to the economic mess we had a few months ago theres no doubt in my mind that these private insurers will do all they can to deny people of insurance to save money for their pockets.
We NEED a public option. Call it whatever makes it palatable, but we need it. Hell, just expand Medicare. It works pretty darned well, all things considered.
I applaud Obama for cracking down on these Wall Street fat cats. Next, we need to limit the pay of some of these pro athletes. Millions of dollars to throw a ball around? That's not right!!! Also, these fat cats in Hollywood need to be limited. Millions of dollars to act in a movie? Come on, man! I know it will be hard because they are for Obama but it is the right thing to do.
And two important, effective ways to help fund meaningful health care reform (including a robust public option and eliminating pre-existing condition exclusions) are:
1. Eliminate the FICA tax cap on income above $90,000. This would generate a huge source of funds. (Right now, no FICA is paid on individual income above $90,000.)
2. Change the top tax rate to what it was under Ronald Reagan: 39%. Right now, the top rate is 36%; people making higher incomes can afford to pay an additional 3%.
Are these "taxes on the rich?" Yes, they are. And the wealthy of this country can well afford it. After all, it's the least they can do for this country that has given them the opportunity to create their wealth in the first place.
Snowe does NOT represent the majority of the people in the country. The Democrats need to do what we voted them into office to do – to hell with the party of NO.
WE WANT THE PUBLIC OPTION
Isn't it obvious? If Congress makes mandatory to have health insurance (a good thing in itself), but does not establishing a public option to compete, there'll be nothing to stop the insurance companies gold-plating the premiums. That would led to a rip-off by the insurance companies that will make the investment bankers' greed look moderate by comparison.
The public option is an essential ingredient of heath-care reform. In all likelihood , most people who already have insurance will will stick with their private insurance plans, and that's fine. But the public option has got to be there to discipline the private insurance companies.
Another good way to help pay for meaningful health care reform:
Collect the tax owed by all the corporations who are not paying their fair share by hiding it offshore, borrowing huge sums of money to use as a tax deduction, etc.
Think of how much money there'd be if we collected what we're legitimately owed!
GOOD. This had BETTER include a public option or Senators who oppose will have difficulty come re election.
SO she is just like the rest of her republican butt wipes ..no public option for america means insurance companies win the issue .. no compatition we need a choice of a government option . just like social security and medicare.. they work with out insurance companies control
There had better be a public option, or ,like they say, "don't let the door hit ya, where the good lord split ya!
Democratic leader should listen to the voters that give them their seats in congress. Not to consider a strong public option / competition to For Profit Insurance Companies, and strong health care reform is why we vote the way we did. We wanted President Obama who is compassionate, has leadership and the interest of all US citizens. Like him we want a better nation that care of all. It not about politics and Washington and Big money and corporate games play. "We the people" say stand strong Democrates and do the right thing.
We have to have the public option in order for reform to work!
Democrats should consider a way to get moderate Democrats to support a bill with a public option.
Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine, opposes the public option this will be her downfall.
Of course the progressive left-wing spenders will try and sneak the Public Option into law against the will of "working" Americans. Healthcare and free Government cheese to all citizens! Pathetic and driven by Socialistic hunger to get as many Americans DEPENDING on the Democrat party to refortify votes to keep them in power! Pathetic,
Opt-out of a public option sounds like a reasonable compromise, what is the problem?
The opt-out provision is only acceptable if it includes a mechanism whereby people can opt out of paying additional fees, taxes, or any other financial disaster caused by this imbecilic waste of money.
We must have a public option, it's the only way reform to work.
What is the point of having a public option if stupid Republican governors can opt out of it? All it will do is cause people to have a mass exodus out of those states to ones with the public option which would in the end bog down those states' health facilities. It isn't rocket science.
Bill needs a public option. Just a money maker for Insurance companies without it. Dems need to grow a backbone and get it done!
A public option is pointless. Congress needs to go back and focus on health care costs not insurance. Health insurance is a risk managment tool (by definition of insurance) it is not a health care program. This is why there are 16,000,000 young, healthy Americans who choose not to have health insurance. In their minds, the risk of expensive health issues is small. These bills force them to take coverage or pay a fine. Buy a $4,000 policy or pay a $600 fine. Hmm, what will they do? My calculations say thats about $50,000,000,000 a year that the government is counting on. Over 10 years their $874 billion plan (over 10 years) goes up to $1,374,000,000,000. A LITTLE TOO PRICEY!
"Republican opponents contend a public option would drive private insurers from the market and lead to an eventual government takeover of the health care system."
And they are 100% correct. The public option would destroy the health insurance industry and cost thousands of jobs. Millions of Americans would be forced to trade in their private insurance for a generic Medicaid plan that will probably go broke in 10-20 years just like Medicare is going broke.
And it doesn't matter if the other plans have a public option. They can write any plan they want. It doesn't mean it'll pass. The Senate Finance Committee said no public option based on COST.
No money means no public option.
I am outraged that we can't all agree that a public option is the right thing, the most civilized thing to do for our country. I know socialized medicine is the dirty word of the year, but so what. Socialized medicine for all is better than private medicine for the privelaged few. I fear losing my job to disability as a nurse in a large university hospital and leaving my 4 kids and my small-business owner husband out in the cold. My parents lost their business and their home to foreclosure just short of the age of 65 and were not eligible for Medicare. Both have serious chronic health conditions that preclude them working. They were not eligible for Medicaid because they owned a car. I will be so disappointed and will lose complete faith in our government if they can't get a public option. The private sector had their chance to be competitive and will not do so unless forced. The insurance companies are nothing more than thugs that take your money for "protection" and then will do everything they can not to make good on their empty promises. Let them fail. The free market is not the answer to every social problem.
It isn't a public option if states make the decision for the public.
over 50 Republican members of Congress are on Medicare, a federal government socialist program.
Why do they rant against government health insurance? Smells like . . .
Hypocrisy.
Yes to healthcare reform! NO to government run public option!
there's no denying now that the majority of Americans want the public option, do it!
The Republicans said the same thing when Medicare and Medicaid came into being. That hasn't happend yet and most likely won't happen. I kow some people who were federal employees. Their health insurance options are from a wide range of PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCES. I don't mind the public option being triggered into existance, but it should be there in the legislation.
What this administration and his drones in the Congress are failing to understand is that their party's moderates and Blue Dogs are now starting to listen and fear their constituencies! Despite what the libs and life time, social program receivers tell you, the public option is a non- starter and will be the very reason this health care reform sore continues to fester!
They better do more than that. They better take another look a t medicar. The elderly can't get physicians to accept it now. Guess what will happen when they trim what they pay the Doctors now. Your medicare will be out the window and you'll be forced into purchasing a hospital plan. This is what the ERKEL SKINNY MORON WANTS. I wish I'd never heard his stupid name.
Again the Lawmakers are planning to ignore the voters and cram one of their bad and budget busting bills down the publics throat. Oh well, 2010 isn't that far away. The people are fast getting enough of this nanny state approach to governing.
This so called public option will do nothing but add more gov. controll to our lives. It should be DOA as the rest of the bill should be; we can't afford it. Obama is destroying our country with his uncontrolled spending.
I just can't wait to see all these Senate Democrats get voted out in the next election....It will happen and well worth waiting for.
no pubic option =no change
The Republicans are the obstructionists here and if Democrats have to use reconciliation then DO IT. They've made it clear that they will not vote for a single bill President Obama supports simply for political reasons so it's time to play hardball and just get it passed. It is now clear that they (the Republicans) do not have morals as they have claimed for so long. Harry Reid, just get it done and make history.
Don't worry about O. Snowe Democrats. She'll pretty much vote for anything you want to push as far as health care is concerned. You have more to worry about with your moderate And the voters Democrats than you do her. I say put the strongest public option you have in a bill and let the chips fall where they may. At least you will know then who the true blue left wing loons really are. And the voters will know who to kick out of office next year. So again I say, put that strong public option in your Health Care reform bill.
Snowe knew all along a public option was going to be included in the final bill. She voted for the finance bill to gain popularit among democrats. She needs to be reminded if Snowe do not vote on public option we will have a democratic senator come next election she is up. Vote now for public option or be ready to be voted out.
Do what the majority of American people want, not one Republican lady.
Why won't they listen to us....we don't want a public option...perhaps they need hearing aids. Perhaps they are just stupid.
The Democrats lie.
They took 250 Billion out of the bill and are now magically accounting for it...
This will cost TOO much money.
Say no to the bill.
Say no.
Just forget the public option. The government turns everything into a debacle. To top it off they want to make health insurance mandatory or we pay fines. Outrageous! Further proof the liberals won't be happy till we live under totalitarian rule because, you know, they think they know what's best. Their goal is obviously less and less freedom for the American people.
you dems better do it,,otherwise the repugs will try to take back over and we won't get anything done for the little guy
i am a white middle aged male who works his butt of for a living. i believe in the lord and that we all need to help our fellow man. with a public option we will help lift the burden off the lower income families and help raise there stanrard of living .. and not just for them but for all of us I SAY YES FOR THE PUBLIC OPTION!!!!!! White working class here !! so .. just get to work and do it please stop the left and right whining and do something for the country like helping us .. not having a rock paper scissors contest with ppl lives ..
If any Democrat allows the Republicans to filibuster this, you will not be re-elected. Guaranteed! Have a vote!
I'm a Democrat, and at this point, Ben Nelson will NOT be my vote in the 2012 Democratic Primary.
Surprise, surprise!! So now the Senate leader is "leaning" toward the public option. What a crock. Bait and switch was the plan all along. Trot out a benign plan (Backus bill) and have the Obama media pump it up for the American people then behind closed doors add the public option and ram it through the congress. You idiot liberals are going to pay dearly in next years election. He who pays the piper (the tax payers) calls the tune!!!
Do it! I challenge the Democrats to do what America elected them to do!
If they don't- there will be a price to pay-ESPECIALLY AT THE POLLS!
Why don't the republicans and the so called blue dog democrats ( who are really republicans that could not get elected as republicans ) just come out and say that they are not going to vote for any kind of health care reform peroid. the want Obama to fail. and they do not care if america goes down with him. senator demint has said as much. them and their familys have the public option health coverage but they do not want the american people to have it.
We need need NEED the public option!
Well, there's more than 50 of them. They should be able to.
With the Democrats wanting entitlement healthcare for everyone... and Obama stating illegal immigrants would not be entitled, why do the democrats vote down any kind of proposel to validate any kind of means to verify identification? Photo ID's have never been a hurtle for honest Americans. The question that should be asked; why are the Dems so against it? I think the answer is obvious. They want the loopholes. It is another example of half truths that are running rampant.
Congratulations... They should always support the public period. The CBO already stated the public option that Pelosi supports would save money immediately over the next ten years while it is being paid for and implemented over the next ten years. People need help and these politicians better start looking past the checks that are coming into their campaigns, because we have to vote for them to keep getting the checks. I will not support anyone who is against the public option. So, Hagan, Moore, and Watt, the ones from NC I know, you are on notice.
Considering that the majority of Americans want a public option, and the fact that the U.S. is the only major nation in the world without some type of government health care plan, the question arises regarding those who oppose a public option – WHO IN THE HELL DO THEY THINK THEY ARE? Certainly not people who are representing the interests of their consitutents! Let's get them out of office NOW!!!!!
The weird aspect about supporters of the public option, is that they are usually the first ones to desire "choice". Where is the choice with the public option? It is the first step toward a government run single payer system, and that gives the American people no choice. Washington would decide the health care for each of us, and we would be at the mercy of corrupt politicians. Washington has mismanaged Medicare and Social Security until both are dangerously in peril of going bankrupt. The federal government. It would do the same for health care. Also, since when has the federal government run anything efficiently? I don't trust insurance companies, but I really don't trust the corrupt self serving politicians in Washington. With the private health care providers, at least I have choices. With the government, it wouid be "Take what we give you, and shut up!" I don't want to be at the mercy of a unresponsive bloated federal government.
Reid, the one that has no chance of ever getting reelected and I wonder why
Duh...who are these yo-yo's who are unable to understand that Medicare and Medicaid ARE already a PUBLIC OPTION... which answers the question, Is Health Care a right or a priveledge?...by the 2/3 standard it has been already been deemed a RIGHT for children and seniors. So let's not reinvent the wheel by letting those feeding at the trough try to change the landscape with lies and untruths.
This is beyond unbelievable when you think we pay Congress to give us what we want and need. Politics has such a foul, disgusting odor attached to it. But, hey, those Insurance companies have the big bucks to buy whomever they want and still not provide a necessary service to any of us.
Apart from specific and explicit caps on all medical services, what will encourage insurers and providers to lower costs besides a publicly funded option driving competition? Conservatives keep complaining that is tantamount to socialism. The current market forces do nothing but increase health care costs. It's painfully ignorant to lament the rising costs while in the same breath comdeming the only option within our capitalist structure that will keep said costs in check. Regardless your politial leanings, everyone agrees the current course on health care leads no where but off a cliff!
Just think if the GOP had 60 Senators would we really have this discussion?
Dems have some guts forget the GOP and pass the bill with the Public Option!
I cannot believe that anyone would oppose a public option. They are only protecting the Insurance companies and preserving the ungodly CEO compensations. The insurance companies had their chance – they controlled the market and now its time to give them competition. We need a public option.
Yeah except some of us like paying through the nose for health insurance that can deny us care at any time under any circumstance... especially when we end up laid off or have a hard time finding a new job because nobody is hiring for anything these days.
Not that I'm one of those idiots....
PUBLIC OPTION – YES!!!! (keyword: OPTION – to all the rednecks who can't grasp that concept.)
Why can't they get off this financial disaster waiting to happen they call public option, which is another name for the next welfare program in the country
without it, we're looking at a colossal giveaway to the insurance industry, and most Americans favor it
The final destination for passage of health care is to get the 60 votes so include the insurance exchange, Non-Profit Coopertives, and Public Option Trigger. The mass majority would be happy and you would have your 60 votes. If health care expenses are not reduced the Public Option Trigger goes into effect. Most likely that trigger will be hit some years in the future but it is a good test of the insurance exchange and Non-Profit Cooperatives for now. Then the president can sign the bill.
If every body wants to be nasty and play hard ball go with procedure vote and pass health care with just majority vote. That means polidical war. War should be avoided at all cost because the only ones that is going to get hurt is the American People. More children, women, and the next generation will get hurt more than anyone else. Eventually there will be no money to take care of the elderly. A war could trigger a natural political stalemate death panel for the elderly.
Grow a spine guys
Get us a public option for us
NOW!
Please go with a strong and robust public option. Sen Snowe, pick up the phone, History is still calling.
The only reason a politician will oppose the Pulic Option is because he or she is in the the pocket of the Health Insurance Industry. Without any real competition, the Insurance companies collude and force doctors and patients to do exactly what they want. They raise rates, deny coverage and cancel policies at will, just like the credit card, oil companies, and other giant monopolies act with impunity. How some people can not see this is beyond me. Now I hear some right wing commentators are on the side of the the bank executives who are paying themselves obsence million dollar bonuses, but are fighting against the possibility of health care for the un-insured. Are the American people this stupid???
The democrats better get togeather on this one. The majority of the public want a public option. WE voted you in we can vote you out.
This possibility would force senators from Southern states to save face but also feel the heat from their own constituents for siding with Big Insurance monopoly. Not a bad way to get the public option rolling.
GOOD! I hope the other democrats get the necessary spine replacement surgery and endorse a public option also.
The "trigger" is so totally inappropriate. It is Lucy asking Charlie Brown one more time to try to kick the football that she's holding, all to make him look like an idiot again. Americans don't trust any monopolies, insurance monopolies, ANY monopolies. Sen. Snowe, what part of "no monopoly" can you not spell?
I hope the Republicans stop Obama's health care in it's tracks. The fact of the matter is that no one knows what additional financial burdens this will put on all of us because Obama needs to satisfy his ego. The insurance companies will always have the upper hand – always.
Except that it would cost us a lot of money to field all the lawsuits to have all this mess overturned (as it is ALL unconstitutional anyway and won't stand the challenge) – I almost wish they would play the public option card... it would guarantee even more of these idiot senators and congressmen get tossed out on their ear in 2010 for not doing the people's will.
They are trying to cram too much in. They should start on what they do agree on – try just cutting costs first. Open up insurance companies to compete across state lines.
"the question of cost isn't one that should be swept under the rug,"
_______________________________________________________
So far the Democrats have shown no plan that reduces health care costs. There are 2 reasons why they ignore this core problem with health care. For one, it is difficult. It's a challenge. It is easier to say," Let's treat the symptoms ( like less than 100% coverage )." than to solve the main problem. Just throw money at it and raise taxes! That's the easy way out.
The second reason is that Obama came out and defined a high cost way to address the issue and gave no leadership to a real solution to the real problem of cost. Calling the target he defined as 'reform' is a misuse of the word. It's more like Health Care Band-Aid than Health Care Reform.
I say send them back to come up with meaningful reform, something that does not cost $900 billion and something that actually addresses the cost of health care. Republicans will support this kind of a plan and then it will pass, but not before then.
Opt-out provision! So they basically want to give it with one hand and take it away with the other! so why even bother? What a bunch of jokers!
Let the Dems add it in. That'll just give us more and more excuse to vote them out in 2010.
It couldn't come sooner!
I need a public option about as much as I need a 3 month wait to see a specialist...
If people will stop being so negative and start thinking postive maybe we can get somewhere, You have a job you complain you dont have one but yet you are still making it, evidently so you still have a computer to post your comment but yet you still complain the President give extended unemployement benefits you complain about that at least whether you have a job or not you have life and that you cannot beat so Thank GOD for what you do have.I gurantee you when this healthcare package is passed with a public option somebody somewhere will still complain. The president spend you complain if he dont spend especiall the way you want you complain so i just PRAY for President Obama to just do whats right for the country no matter if people like his policies or not1
I am unclear what the Dems are missing when the majority of polls reflect that the majority of Americans do not want big government/public option in their healthcare! Well, typical – all their good ideas will go away come 2010! Too bad.
And two important, effective ways to help fund meaningful health care reform (including a robust public option and eliminating pre-existing condition exclusions) are:
1. Eliminate the FICA tax cap on income above $90,000. This would generate a huge source of funds. (Right now, no FICA is paid on individual income above $90,000.)
2. Change the top tax rate to what it was under Ronald Reagan: 39%. Right now, the top rate is 36%; people making higher incomes can afford to pay an additional 3%.
Are these "taxes on the rich?" Yes, they are. And the wealthy of this country can well afford it. After all, it's the least they can do for this country that has given them the opportunity to create
What reason does any Senator have to oppose an OPTIONAL public option for health care except to protect their precious, precious insurance industry contributions?
Add public option to your healthcare boondoggle - and be swept out of office in 2010!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bank on it !!!!!!!!!!!
If those so-called moderate/conservative Democrats think that their democratic constituents are going to vote for their re-election if they don't vote for a health care reform bill with a public option, they're crazy. And if they think republicans are going to vote to put them back in office, no matter how they vote on the health care reform bill, they're crazy. Either way they're out in 2010. Maybe they'll feel good sitting on the sidelines with their insurance industry payoff.