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Public Option a Go: Reid

Senate bill will include government health plan, with opt-out

By Nick McMaster,  Newser Staff

Posted Oct 26, 2009 4:07 PM CDT

(Newser) – Harry Reid will include a public insurance plan in the pending health care reform bill, with a provision allowing individual states to refuse to participate. The Senate majority leader’s bill is likely to include an “opt-out” version of the public plan, taken from the Senate health committee, as well as provisions for the creation of nonprofit health care cooperatives, taken from the finance committee’s version of the legislation.

Reid’s announcement could jeopardize the fate of the public option if opponents take it as a sign to ramp up efforts to block it, sources tell CNN. But it could also signal that Reid is confident, as he said today, that he has the support he needs. President Obama signaled that he was pleased by the inclusion of a public plan, which has “the potential to play an essential role in holding insurance companies accountable through choice and competition,” spokesman Robert Gibbs said.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nev. gestures while speaking on health care reform during a news conference, Monday, Oct. 26, 2009, on Capitol Hill in Washington.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nev. gestures while speaking on health care reform during a news conference, Monday, Oct. 26, 2009, on Capitol Hill in Washington.   (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nev. gestures while speaking on health care reform during a news conference, Monday, Oct. 26, 2009, on Capitol Hill in Washington.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nev. gestures while speaking on health care reform during a news conference, Monday, Oct. 26, 2009, on Capitol Hill in Washington.   (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 29 comments
justme
Oct 27, 2009 12:19 PM CDT
Sorry cat but that argument doesn't hold water. The opt-out provision would be universal to all states, meeting the legal burden you set. States then make their own choice on what, if any, participation they choose. This is already happening in several other federal/ state programs such as medicaid.
LovinLife
Oct 27, 2009 12:19 PM CDT
Silence - your facts are completely wrong - where do you get this stuff? Folks - get the facts on healthcare.gov and help negate the spread of crap by the fearmongers and Rushee's.
Cat-Lover
Oct 27, 2009 12:06 PM CDT
I HOPE SOME CONSTITUTIONAL OR ACLU ATTORNEY IS READING THIS. I support a public option; in fact, I support universal health-care with the government as single payer! ATTENTION: An opt-out is unconstitutional. It violates Article l, Section 8 of the US Constitution. Federal law must be uniform to all states. An opt-out violates that. I want to serve notice that I'd like to file a legal challenge against this attempt to circumvent the Constitution. All states or nada!

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