Health bill to include ‘opt-out’ public option

The Senate will vote on a health care reform bill that will include government-run plans in new insurance exchanges, unless states choose not to offer a public option.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced Monday afternoon that he had decided to include a public option, with a state opt-out provision, after consulting with Democratic senators and the White House.

There is “strong consensus to move forward in this direction,” Reid said. The public option is “not a silver bullet,” but it will ensure competition in the health insurance market, he said.

States will have the ability to decide if a government-run plan “works well for them,” he said. If it doesn’t, they can choose not to include one in their insurance exchanges. Under the legislation, uninsured individuals and small businesses could shop for health insurance through Web-based exchanges that would offer standardized, easy-to-compare information about insurance plans that are available in their area.

Opponents of the public option, including many business groups, fear it would undercut private insurance.

President Barack Obama is “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,” said Press Secretary Robert Gibbs. ”It has the potential to play an essential role in holding insurance companies accountable through choice and competition.”

Reid noted that Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, the only Republican who voted for either of the Senate’s two health care bills in committee, opposes the public option. He said he hopes “there will come a time when she sees the wisdom” of supporting the Senate’s health care reform legislation.

Republicans, he said, are “making a big mistake” by not working with Democrats on health care legislation.

Reid has been meeting with the leaders of two Senate committees on merging their health care bills. Several options, including one with the state opt-out public option, will be sent to the Congressional Budget Office for its analysis, he said.

Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-West Virginia, was pleased that Reid included a public option in the bill that will be presented to the full Senate.

“An opt-out clause would protect the public option, and would help secure the necessary votes to pass health care reform, without compromising on the type of coverage or level of affordability,” Rockefeller said


-----




so, the public option comes back from the dead. it might be a little compromised at the moment, but this is a damn good start!!



.
[Edited 10/27/09 11:37am]

Proof that this is all about politics and not about real solutions. Just congressmen/women trying to find a way to buy people's vote by sneaking away more money from them!

The idea is that by having an "opt out" clause, Republicans will have to argue to their constituents that they shouldn't get something other state citizens are getting. In other words, political suicide.

More game playing with a serious issue.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

All Glory To the Hypno-Toad!

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Dauphin said:

cborgman said:

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

All Glory To the Hypno-Toad!

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

I have a feeling that the dems are doing this KNOWING that equal protection and full faith and credit laws will be used to force states that do opt out to provided the coverage. So like the lie about told about not covering illegals I am believe that this opt out is a trick.

(as far as illegals are concerned I am okay with them getting the care they need as long as it is followed by a trip home)


*President Obama KNEW, that with few exceptions the courts have ruled that a person in the US could not be denied access to a social program.
[Edited 10/28/09 14:46pm]

Do you think the states that opt out won't have to pay for it?
This is all to give the Dems up for election a convenient "no" vote, but everyone will still pay.

OnlyNDaUsa said:

MrSoulpower said:

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

All Glory To the Hypno-Toad!

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Dauphin said:

MrSoulpower said:

OnlyNDaUsa said:

MrSoulpower said:

OnlyNDaUsa said:

MrSoulpower said:

OnlyNDaUsa said:

MrSoulpower said:

OnlyNDaUsa said:

OnlyNDaUsa said:

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

OnlyNDaUsa said:

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Jeez-Louise!
Some people's minds are stuck in a rut concerning Mexican immigrants,....

Yes people you are good patriots blah blah blah, but give it a rest! Our world can not revolve around your paranoia that if a Mexican is treated for medical aid or would also somehow benefit in someway from anything we do in our society that we should scrap it.
Cold shower and black coffee, snap out of it.

Somewhere out there is a Mexican enjoying tasty American donuts and it burns you up alive, and its all Obama's fault...snap the fuck out of it!

MrSoulpower said:

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

All Glory To the Hypno-Toad!

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Dauphin said:

MrSoulpower said:

OnlyNDaUsa said:

OnlyNDaUsa said:

MrSoulpower said:

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

All Glory To the Hypno-Toad!

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Dauphin said:

Dauphin said: