Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) is quoted in a 9-21-09 article in “The Hill” that a public option may still be included in health care reform. He indicated that that there may be enough Senate votes for a public health insurance option in health reform if a trigger is put into place.
A “public option” would be an opportunity for people to buy into a government run health insurance plan that would compete with private health insurance in a contemplated insurance exchange (where individuals and small businesses could purchase health insurance).
What is a trigger? It would be a provision in a health care bill that would allow the government to offer an insurance plan in the insurance exchange only if certain events occur – perhaps some percentage of the population remains uninsured by a certain date or the average premium costs of insurance exceeds a certain amount.
The Senate needs 60 votes for a filibuster proof vote to pass health care reform. With the recent passing of Senator Ted Kennedy, the Senate has 59 Democrats so it is likely that at least one Republican would have to break ranks with their colleagues and vote in support of a Democratic health plan. It may require more than one Republican vote if one or more Democratic Senators votes against a public option.
Private health insurance companies generally oppose a public option because they fear they will have to lower their prices (and in turn their profits) in order to compete with anything that is sponsored by the government.
An approach that first allows private insurance companies to compete with each other in the insurance exchange before a government plan is put into effect (if at all) appears to be a point that may gain the necessary 60 votes to pass health care reform in the Senate.
