Scott Spiegel

“Inclusion of a government insurance plan in Senate health care legislation is posing problems for moderate senators whose votes are critical to passing the bill. Reverberations could be felt across the Capitol, where House Democratic leaders are finalizing a bill with a government plan.

“Connecticut Sen. Joseph Lieberman said Tuesday that while he won’t vote to block Majority Leader Harry Reid’s plan from going to the Senate floor for debate, he would ultimately oppose the measure because it includes a public option.

“Meanwhile, Maine Republican Susan Collins, who had earlier indicated interest in trying to pass a bipartisan bill this year, issued a statement underscoring her opposition to ‘a taxpayer-subsidized, government-run health insurance company…’

“The reaction from moderate Democrats — they fear a public plan could drive insurers out of business and take over the marketplace — ranged from muted to skeptical. The one Republican who has so far lent her support to Democratic health overhaul proposals, Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine, said she was ‘deeply disappointed’ by Reid’s decision…

“Among the moderates whose support is in question are Sens. Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas and Mary Landrieu of Louisiana.”

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091027/ap_on_go_co/us_health_care_overhaul

Related posts:

1. Senate Health Care Bill to Include Public Option Harry Reid has just sentenced his fellow Senate Democrats to...
2. Lieberman Digs In on Public Option “[Lieberman's] objection is based on fiscal risk: ‘Once the government...
3. Lieberman Resists Medicare Buy-in Plan “Senate Democrats who thought they had a workable compromise to...
4. NYT: Doctors’ Group Opposes Public Insurance Plan “[T]he American Medical Association is letting Congress know that it...
5. Bottom Line on Public Insurance Plan Gets Blurry “Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska, a swing vote on...