Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says he will present the Senate with a health reform bill that includes a public option, but one that allows individual states to opt-out.
News of Reid’s decision comes just two weeks after the Senate Finance Committee’s 14 to 9 vote on a bill that excludes any type of government-run insurance provider.
“We’ve spent countless hours over the last few days in consultation with senators who’ve shown a genuine desire to reform the health-care system,” says Reid. “And I believe there’s a strong consensus to move forward in this direction.”
The inclusion of a public option in the final piece of legislation that will go to President Obama’s desk is imperative in order to force insurance companies to bring down premiums and reduce overall costs. A recent Washington Post-ABC News poll shows a clear majority, 57 percent, of Americans believe a public option is necessary.
Thu. October 29, 2009
The Public Option has everything to do with controling costs of Health Care ,and nothing to do with Government control. As it is today the Insurance Companys control their profit margin(30+%) what type of Health care you will be provided, There are no checks and balances, that is even if you can even get Insurance. The Providers have to have half their staff just to deal with Insurance Companys. All this adds to more costs. The whole system is very inefficient, and has a lot of overhead built in before any Health Care is even previded. If there is anyone who thinks the system isn\\\'t broken, wake upTue. October 27, 2009
I say NO to any Federal Government controlled Health Plan. for any reason. The government can not run a business. They only know how to spend money. They can not handle the unemployment or the crisis in Afganistan.