Bloomberg - "Senate Finance Panel Members Seek Health Plan Changes"

The question in my mind is whether we can add in a public option while preserving the deficit reduction effects of the overall health care bill. I think the public option is vital to deficit reduction efforts, particularly since the CBO concluded that the co-ops are ineffective to provide significant competition.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/bloomberg/a18z5oxoe7g4

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Sept. 19 (Bloomberg) -- Senate Finance Committee members of both parties signaled an aggressive effort to reshape health- care legislation proposed by Chairman Max Baucus, drafting 564 amendments for consideration when the panel meets next week.

Members want to make a host of changes to legislation designed to lower health-care costs and expand coverage to the uninsured, which Baucus introduced after months of bipartisan talks. Possible revisions include expanding tax subsidies to lower-income Americans to pay for coverage, eliminating a proposed $215 billion tax on high-value health plans, and establishing a government-run insurance program to provide competition with private industry.

Baucus said after introducing his measure last week that he expects some changes to be approved, including areas related to Medicare cost savings and insurance subsidies. He made clear he will try to keep the general framework of his plan intact.

"It's a readjustment and redialing of whatever is in the package," Baucus, a Montana Democrat, told reporters.

His legislation has faced fire from both parties even as it is seen as the proposal most likely to attract enough Republican support to win passage in the Senate. Three House panels and the Senate health committee have approved rival measures along party lines.

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