BREAKING: Senator Reid puts public option in the Senate bill
Posted on October 26th, 2009 by Jason Rosenbaum in Congress Watch
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Reid's prepared remarks:
The last two weeks have been a great opportunity to work with the White House, Senators Baucus and Dodd, and members of our Caucus on this critical issue of reforming our health insurance system.
We have had productive, meaningful discussions about how to craft the strongest bill that can gain the 60 votes necessary to move forward in the Senate.
I feel good about progress we have made within our caucus and with the White House, and we are all optimistic about reform because of the unprecedented momentum that exists.
I am well aware that the issue of the public option has been a source of great discussion in recent weeks. I have always been a strong supporter of the public option.
While the public option is not a silver bullet, I believe it is an important way to ensure competition and to level the playing field for patients.
As we've gone through this process, I've concluded, with the support of the White House and Senators Baucus and Dodd, that the best way forward is to include a public option with an opt-out provision for states.
Under this concept, states will be able to determine whether the public option works well for them and will have the ability to opt-out.
I believe that a public option can achieve the goal of bringing meaningful reform to our broken system. It will protect consumers, keep insurers honest and ensure competition and that's why we intend to include it on the bill that will be submitted to the Senate for consideration.
We have spent countless hours over the last few days in consultation with Senators who have shown a genuine desire to see reform succeed, and I believe there is strong consensus to move forward in this direction.
Today's developments bring us another step closer to achieving our goal of passing a bill this year that lowers costs, preserves choice, creates competition and improves quality of care.
I'm happy to answer a few questions before I have to leave for a meeting.
Senator Reid, this is a good start. Now we need the public option WITHOUT the state opt-outs. When that comes to the floor, your vote in favor is necessary!
While I salute Sen. Harry Reid for including a public option (a huge success) I truly see this only as a first step. I clearly see giving states the right to opt out will be used by the insurance companies to divide and conquor the nation. Southern states, lead by Republican governors, i.e Rick Perry-TX, Bobby Jindal-LA, Mark Sanford-SC, will certainly open up their pocket books for huge campaign donations to encourage them to disallow their residents the necessary public option. This cannot and must not happen.
If that happens, let Perry, Jindal, and Sanford be voted out of office. If they put the opt-out decision to a vote of the people, or at least to a vote of the state's legislature, let the voters tell them what they think. I would hope that those who don't want individuals to have a choice of plan will have to identify themselves. A few years down the road I expect anyone who doesn't have a public option available to them will punish their enemies at the polls.
The states opt out option, will not do anything to reduce the cost factor and deny citizens in the states that do this the opportunity of having affordable health care. We need to remove the monopolies that the private insurance companies enjoy, to assure a real free market.Only then can we have the same rights our congress enjoys and affordable health care.
Good for Reid. Shame on Obama
Hurray! Someone has shown some guts at last! Go for the public option that the PUBLIC has been asking for to the tune of more than 50% nationwide. Honestly, can we get our Senators to listen to the little guy? I really hope so this time!
Is the actual text of the bill available?
Not yet.
Chris Rock, many years ago, talking about guys who brag "I FEED my children!" said, "What, you want some kind of medal? You're SUPPOSED to feed your children!" The preference for a Public Option has been clear for many months (years?) now… NOT some optional Public Option Option. Lavish praise to Reid, who continues to show how tentatively he hears and heeds the voice of the people, is like giving a guy a Nobel Praize just for keeping his children clothed. When the day is done, each Congressman and Senator should receiveor be denied the lavish praise of re-election to his office, or not, based on this single issue - Did you vote for REAL robust and effective Health Insurance Reform… including Ms. Olympia Snowe.
While inclusion of a public option sounds nice, the devil is in the details, and details are what the insurance companies specialize in. A real public option would give ALL the people the choice to buy coverage from the public for ALL their health care. Otherwise, there will be little competition for the healthcare industry. Allowing only poor people access is wrong as well as demeaning. The premise of honest healthcare reform is that healthcare is a right, not a privilege for the people of means. I fear this is not the premise of legislators like Baucus and perhaps Reid.
Opt out is simply a way of caving in to the hard hearted.
I think the opt-out condition stinks. Every stupid myopic Republican Govenor will penalize the citizens of his state who desperately need the public option by opting out. WE NEED A PURE PUBLIC OPTION WITH NO OPT-OUT OR TRIGGER. PERIOD.
While I know this is seen as some sort of victory, I'm left a little queasy about the details. I really don't trust Max Baucus as far as who pays the bill. He really does not have a feel for the middle class. I also feel like the insurance companies, who are by no means innocent, are being used as a scapegoat, while there are a lot of responsibility all medical community, along with a lot outside. There needs to be work at prevention through more than just the doctors, whom I loosely compare to the tobacco industry, trying to stop people from smoking. If everyone was in better health; the medical community wouldn't do as well. What will happen when we break the insurance companies? Do we find another scapegoat, or will it be too late. There needs to be alot of work from all angles which is what was sent in to the health reform website, but I don't see anything in this bill.
REID is not the GIVE_EM_HELL_HARRY of the past. I read today that the state right to opt out is included with a plan for CO-OP. There is a lot of noise being generated about a bill that will not get the job done of giving competition to the BIG $$ MED and INSURANCE greedy bunch. WE need BETTER. We pay you to protect the people of the USA. GET DOING IT
ONWARD
TO VICTORY
Kudos to Senator Reid for pushing for the inclusion of the public option into the Senate bill! Now it's up to the blue dog Democrats to step to the plate and finally show where they stand; with the insurance industry or with the American people.
I am uncomfortable with a public opt- out option. will the insurance FEED the states who are willing to opt out? It has become clear to the public, that many of our politicians care more about padding their pockets for re-election than they do about the people. I would like to see the provisions of the bill. A pobust public option with NO OPT OUT is the best solution
Public insurance option, but without state opt-out, is clearly the second best way to go. Confusing, and with some sketpicism that it's not just another insurance plan, though non-profit, it's a step forward. Best, without question, but politically impractical is single payer, i.e., Medicare for all,