WSJ: Health-Care Battle Set to Focus on Public Plan

[antigop]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123785156695519283.html

Congress is poised for a battle over whether an ambitious health-care overhaul should include a new government-run health plan to compete with private companies in the effort to cover the uninsured.

The proposal for a public health plan inspires passion on both sides, as it gets to the heart of what government's role should be in the health-care system. Democrats typically see more government involvement as a good way to check the private sector and help control costs. Republicans fear the government will have unfair power over the market.

The matter is likely to come to a head first in the Senate Finance Committee, where Chairman Max Baucus (D., Mont.) has pledged to write a bipartisan bill. His partner, Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa, the top Republican on the panel, is adamantly opposed to the provision for a public health-care plan. As such, aides in both parties say it's unlikely a public plan will be included in the legislation now being negotiated.

The House of Representatives, on the other hand, is likely to include the provision in its version of the bill, expected in late spring or early summer, aides say. That suggests the issue would have to be worked out in negotiations between the chambers later this year.

The government-run plan isn't the only contentious issue in the health-care debate. Others include whether employers should face penalties if they fail to offer health insurance, and whether individuals should be required to buy coverage.

For liberal Democrats, many of whom would prefer that all Americans join a government-run health system, the inclusion of a public plan among other options for consumers is a fallback position that they are reluctant to give up. But even some supporters privately predict that it may have to go to get a deal done.

[Bluenorthwest]

1. Who are these people

who think the uninsured can deal with the required payments of premiums? Look at this economy! And they want to mandate large new bills for all?

[yurbud]

2. a mandate to buy private insurance is just about the worst option

people don't buy it because it's too expensive unless you get a giant deductible or lousy policy which will lead to medical bankruptcy anyway.