Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) Tuesday said that the public option will continue to be included in the Senate’s health care reform legislation.
“We’re going to move forward, I believe strongly, with the public option,” said Reid. (0:23)
Health care expert Trudy Lieberman says it is a little known fact that the public option plan will not be available to “very many people.” She says the public was led to believe that insurance reform would allow anyone to join the public option for lower priced insurance, but that is not the case. (0:21)
Health Expert Trudy Lieberman says that the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is estimating that only about six million Americans will be able to take advantage of the public option plan in the House health care bill. (0:29)
Travis Martinez – University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service
Following the release of the House Democrats’ health care reform bill, Larry McNeely with the U.S. Public Interest Research Group expressed his support for the legislation.
McNeely said that he believes the House version is strong in that it will develop a national health insurance exchange that will allow customers throughout the nation to negotiate better health care rates for themselves.
“Our hope is that in conference, it leans more towards the house bill [that] is going to be a national exchange, which is important because attached to the exchange is a pool of all participants in that exchange to negotiate better deals. This pool is going to be a lot bigger nationally,” said McNeely.
McNeely lauded the House’s inclusion of a public option, or government-run insurance plan, which, in his opinion, will “[provide] a competitor for states with one or two providers that dominate the insurance markets.”
He also delighted over a provision in the bill that would ban the private insurance industry from dropping patients or refusing coverage to them based on their having a preexisting medical condition.
“It’s really an incredible step forward. Not only does the…bill ban preexisting conditions abuses…consumers and families can finally have the security of knowing their insurance will be there when they expect to,” said McNeely.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) introduced the final draft of health care reform legislation Thursday that, like the recently announced sister legislation in the Senate, will include a government administered insurance option.
“The [Affordable Health Care For America Act] will expand coverage, including a public option to boost choice and competition in health insurance reform,” said Pelosi during an unveiling ceremony with other House Democrats at the U.S. Capitol.
While the public plan introduced Thursday is likely to satisfy moderate Democrats, it runs the risk of upsetting progressives, who have long been pushing for a more “robust” option. As it now stands, the public option grants health care providers more leverage in reimbursement rate negotiations.
Still, Pelosi lauded the bill during the ceremony, claiming that it will be deficit neutral, close the Medicare Part D coverage “donut hole” and extend coverage to 96% of Americans. Pelosi also promised that the bill will be available online 72 hours before it reaches the floor.
The Speaker’s remarks were briefly interrupted by megaphone wielding pro-life protestors. Pelosi responded to the distraction, quipping “thank you, insurance companies of America.” The demonstrators were not permitted entrance to the closed ceremony.
At the ceremony’s close, Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.), the longest serving member of the House, presented the Speaker with the gavel used during the passage of Medicare.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) says Wednesday on the Senate floor that Republicans should have a say in the crafting of health care reform legislation. (0:13)
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell says Wednesday on the Senate floor that a government-owned and operated insurance plan would create debt and put private insurers out of business. (0:26)
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell says the American public is not in favor of a public option plan, and calls its inclusion in the Senate’s healthcare bill a bad idea. (0:14)
Sen. Roland W. Burris (D-Ill.) says Wednesday on the Senate floor that a public option plan would spur innovation in the health insurance industry. (0:51)
Congressman John Kline (R-Minn) says of the public option plan in the House bill, whether it’s a thin slice, or the whole pie, it still leads to a government takeover of the health care industry. (0:28)
