Senate Revisiting Public Option With State Opt Out Clause
Senate Democrats met this week to reconcile the two healthcare reform bills that were approved by the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions(HELP) Committee and Senate Finance Committee. The version approved by the HELP Committee contained a provision for a government run public option, while the version approved last week by the Finance Committee did not.
Once the Senate reconciles their version it will still need to be reconciled with the House version which will in all likelihood also contain the public healthcare option. Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid is supporting a measure that would contain a public option but would allow states to opt out of it, of they so choose.
It’s appearing much more difficult to pass a bill in the Senate with the public option with a number of more moderate Democrats concerned over the added expense. The more liberal House appears certain to pass a bill with the public option at this point and while the administration favors the public option, they appear willing to give it up in order to pass the reform bill.
There are serious doubts as to whether a reform bill will pass before the year is out, although the Obama administration is hopeful that something can be worked out during the current Congressional session. With millions of Americans without healthcare insurance and cost spiraling out of control, the Obama administration has made healthcare reform it’s primary domestic policy initiative.
