White House backs away from public health care option

White House backs away from public health care option
By CARRIE BUDOFF BROWN
Politico
August 16, 2009

President Barack Obama and his top aides are signaling that they’re prepared to drop a government insurance option from a final health-reform deal if that’s what’s needed to strike a compromise on Obama’s top legislative priority.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Sunday that the public option was “not the essential element” of the overhaul. A day earlier, Obama downplayed the public option during a Colorado town hall meeting, saying it was “just one sliver” of the debate.

He even chided Democratic supporters and Republican critics for becoming “so fixated on this that they forget everything else” – a dig at some liberals in his own party who have made the public option the main rallying cry of the health reform debate.

At the same time, Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), one of six senators involved in bipartisan Finance Committee negotiations, all but declared the public option dead in the Senate.

.... taken together, the remarks from Obama, Sebelius and Conrad suggest the White House is preparing supporters for a health care compromise that may well exclude the government option – which could help Obama win enough votes for a sweeping overhaul but touch off a nasty battle inside his own party between liberals and more moderate members who have resisted a bigger government role in health care.

Please read the complete article at:

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0809/26158.ht

the deck chairs on the Titanic isn't going to make the iceberg go away. I would like to read the whole article but it's been removed.

:hi:

That he/she forgot the "ml" at the end of the link to the article. SOP.

"He even chided Democratic supporters and Republican critics for becoming 'so fixated on this that they forget everything else' – a dig at some liberals in his own party who have made the public option the main rallying cry of the health reform debate."

:eyes:

With all due respect, Mr. President, YOU were the one who brought up the public option in the first place! You were the one who kept telling us how important a strong public option was to health care reform. Your belief in, and apparent commitment to, a public option is the reason we began to support it, even though single-payer was what we really wanted.

Now you're saying we're fixated on it?? :mad: Maybe what we're really fixated on is the fact that WE seem to be the only ones who ever have to compromise. WE seem to be the only ones giving something up for the greater good ... over and over again. WE are the ones who are asked to work the hardest and give the most when the Democrats need support, only to be the first ones thrown under the bus when the legislation is written. :-(


On edit: I know it's from Politico and I know there's no bill, yet. However, I must admit that I'm a bit worried because today's message seems to be "no public option" and it's coming from multiple sources. That can't be good. :-(

The story is based on one out-of-context line by Sebelius ("I think what's important is choice and competition, and I'm convinced that at the end of the day the plan will have both of those -- but that is not the essential element") which was later clarified by Robert Gibbs ("The president believes the option of a government plan is the best way to provide competition...(D)o individuals looking for health insurance in the private market have choice and competition?...If we have that the president will be satisfied.")

The media (who stand to lose for-profit-healthcare ad revenues if the public option wins) don't want to talk about Obama's successful town hall meeting, so they're talking about this.


rocktivity

Thanks for making me feel a little better. :hi: I was starting to get worried about all the "no public option" stories that are popping up all over the place today.

I get nervous, then those here put my mind at ease.

I keep thinking where will the incentive for competition for lower costs come from, if not from Public Option? There will be only collaborative efforts to boost costs from the Private sector.

Public option is a huge and important component for keeping costs in line.

If not, then the article's contention remains the most reasonable conclusion to glean from them....