Specter, Key "Centrist" Dems Open To Public Health Care Plan

Progressive health care reform advocates got a major boost in their efforts to secure a public plan for insurance coverage when newly minted Democrat Arlen Specter said he would be open to such a proposal in a legislative compromise.

In a letter to the group Health Care for America Now, the Pennsylvania Democrat backed away from his position weeks ago opposing the plan. Now, under increasing pressure from progressive groups, Specter says he looks forward to "discussing and considering" the issue.

Separately, centrist Democratic senators told the Huffington Post they are keeping the door open to a public health care option after a compromise proposal from Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) last week. Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) publicly announced his opposition to a public option the week before, spurring worry among advocates that more defections could be on the way.

Schumer's compromise emphasizes that the public health care plan must finance itself through premiums and must follow the same laws private insurers follow. He argues that it will be a better plan because it won't need to focus on advertising or generating short-term profits for Wall Street.

Even Nelson said he's listening. "I know he's making a strong effort here to find something that would work and I've talked to him about it and we're going to continue to talk," Nelson said.

So you're open to it?

"I'm open to listening to him explain to me how this would work and certainly congratulate him for coming forward with something. It's better than just saying no."

Specter, in his letter, said Schumer's proposal could serve as a useful "starting point" for discussions about a public health plan.

"With respect to the clause in the third bullet - 'to join a public health insurance plan' - I look forward to discussing and considering the issue. A starting point could be the proposal made by Senator Schumer earlier this week which seeks to maintain a level playing field between the private sector and any public plan. There may well be other proposals on this issue which should be considered in drafting legislation and debating the bill on the Senate floor."

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"The other issue which I think requires extensive debate and analysis is the clause in the eighth bullet - 'using the public's purchasing power to lower drug and other prices.'.... In order to maintain a level playing field between the private sector and any public plan, consideration would have to be given to the implications of the Government's purchasing power in buying prescription drugs which could provide an unfair competitive advantage. There may be other proposals on this issue which should be considered in drafting legislation and debating the issue on the Senate floor."

The Associated Press first reported Specter's openness to a public plan. The Huffington Post obtained his letter to HCAN.

Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) says that she's still weighing the public option. "I am actually not sure," she told the Huffington Post. "I don't think I am [for it], but I told the folks that are promoting it that I would talk with them, but I am an original cosponsor of the Wyden-Bennett bipartisan proposal -- the only bipartisan proposal that I know of. And so I'm going to stay focused on that as a core, but I'm not going to shut the door on anything right now."

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) is not pushing his proposal aggressively; the biggest fight in the Senate is whether to include a public option. Wyden supports a public option himself, but didn't include it in order to garner Republican cosponsors.

But not all Senate Republicans are entirely closed off to a public plan.

"I am looking at all the alternatives at this point," said Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) of the public option. "I have a lot of concerns about the impact of a public plan. The Lewin Group has estimated that it could cause 119 million people to be transferred from private plans to public plans, which would mean the collapse of the private insurance system which I don't think would serve our country well."

Asked specifically about Schumer's compromise, she said she had yet to review it. Public plan advocates dispute the Lewin Group findings and insist a public plan can work in conjunction with private insurers.

Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) sounded disinclined to support a public option, but he hasn't shut the door yet. "I don't have a closed mind on it, but I want to hear folks out through advocates and we'll decide," he said.

Sen. Jim Webb is one centrist Democrat who has come out in favor of a public plan. His Virginia colleague, Democrat Mark Warner, hasn't gone that far yet. But he's open.

"I haven't weighed in on that yet," Warner said.

The White House announced a commitment Sunday night to partner with the insurance industry to cut health care costs by $2 trillion, a collaboration that Paul Krugman declared "some of the best policy news I've heard in a long time."

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Comments

[Joseph Upton]

I don't want the government to be MORE involved in healthcare. I want the government OUT of healthcare.

[bichn]

Government is not the problem. Greed and graft are the problem and as long as there is no public plan for them to compete with, the greed and graft will continue. For-profit health insurance is just plain immoral.

[callmeslice23]

Why yes, I would like to pay outrageous fees to see the doctor. Then, when I encounter a serious medical issue I would very much like to be denied an operation by a big insurance company looking out for their bottom dollar.

Millions of uninsured Americans? I scoff at the idea! What do these people want, to be on par with every other industrialized nation?! PSHAW I SAY!

[lynettema]

I want our country to adopt Medicare as the healthcare plan for all of us, including you. We already have government in healthcare in Medicare, SCHIP, the military, and Congress. Why aren't all of us covered? The obvious answer is to protect the profits of the insurance companies and HMO's.

[shevas01]

The gov't has been out of healthcare since I was born over 37 years ago and look where that has gotten us. We've been under the "free-market" plan for the last 8 years...wh­at has that done for us? NOTHING but 47 million people uninsured and growing...­insurers cherry picking "healthy people to insure". Give me a break free-market = corporate greed. I'm willing to get the gov't involved to solve an issue that will help all Americans and American business!!

[XLintLuvR]

Here's the flaw with repub thinking in their arguments for smaller gov't and less taxes. Ummm...I don't care. I don't care if every other American worked for the gov't if they don't prevent me from making as much as I could possibly want. I'm fine with higher taxes if they keep me safe, don't make my quality of life worse off than it is and lower my standard of living. Stop trying to make the gov't the boogey man. Most of us don't care! If the gov't is able to bring down the price of healthcare for every man, woman, and child, I think that's more important than the welfare of the healt care insurace industry.

[bichn]

"I have a lot of concerns about the impact of a public plan. The Lewin Group has estimated that it could cause 119 million people to be transferred from private plans to public plans, which would mean the collapse of the private insurance system which I don't think would serve our country well."

With all due respect, Sen Collins, the private insurance companies have not served our country well. But then no for-profit insurance company has any mission of serving our country well. It is all about the bottom line and it always will be. If by creating a level playing field the taxpayers are required to subsidize the private for-profit plans so they can compete with a public plan, it is unacceptable. PERIOD.

[zest]

When health care corporations have plenty of money to advertise with and to hire lobbyist with and to pay dividends with then you know something is wrong with health care.

[ProudLiberalDan]

The only thing that can overcome the colossal sums the insurance and pharmaceutical companies have given in campaign contributions to members of Congress of BOTH parties for decades in preparation of this legislative battle is sustained public pressure to include a public plan.

Keep up the great work!. But it needs to keep going all the way until the bill gets on the President's desk.

[Montgriz]

Sen. Max Baucus is one of the chief recipients­....just why does a senator, representing a state with less than a million people receive so much cash from the Insurance, Health, Pharma., lobbies, not to mention Israeli drug companies? Our government stinks./

[BUTCHER111]

Centrist Democratic Senators can read polls too and they see the what the people want and the Senators want to keep their jobs.

[Montgriz]

Are you kidding? Senators don't give a rats behind about what the people want! They are bought and paid for by the highest bidder.. The People have very short memories and vote, when they do, for the best commercial, the best looking, the best sound byte.....

[XLintLuvR]

Ummm...the­y do care what the people think when it'll affect them keeping their seats.

[apduncan1]

An ex-lobbyist told me the Senators care about getting re-elected. And lobbyists know it.

[EmeraldWorld]

Honestly, have you ever taken a course on American Politics? It shatters all the misconceptions we have about our political system. Politicians hear us, but they often do not actually listen to us. They just look for the point where they can't do something without inciting public anger, and then they push all of their personal agendas that fall just below that point. We really do not have as strong of a voice as we think in the political system. There's a lot of evidence to prove this is actually true.

[rain33]

i agree with you too but centrists democrats must stop kissing ass towards corporatio­ns,republi­cans,wall street gangs too.they voted against the homeowners' foreclosure bill as well old bankruptcy bill too which should have stop the bleeding of more folks losing their homes..the­y must stop being scared of them and start working for their voters!..d­amn it, i'm tired of it now!..our economy must be recovering as well congress stop bullshiting with the voters(both democrats and republicans!)

[madprogressive]

Now we know what competition means, it has to be private. The only opposition these people have to a single payer public option being added to the bill is it would hurt the insurance companies. Oh those poor, suffering, misunderstood insurance companies. Reading between the lines, or just outright taking them at their words, the result is screw the public. Our political futures matter more than providing a cost effective, more efficient, unversal health care plan to the people they claim they are elected to represent. Once again, republicans, oh excuse me, centrist democrats, are blocking real reform for feaux reform. As is always the case with these people, corporations and the rich always win out over the people. These people sicken me to my stomach. Elderly people, children, and working Americans are dying because these people value their seats in power more than the people they represent. Specter proved that with his switch to the Democratic party. Great, just what we needed, another Ben Nelson in the Democratic party. Guess all this destruction caused by their policies hasn't swayed these people at all. It has always been and will always be about them, and the rest of us be damned!

[ECBA88]

On the other hand, a plan like Schumer's keeps most of the important facets of a public plan in place (and yes, Mr. Specter, prescription drug prices are important because of PEOPLE, not free markets), while removing any reason to oppose the plan. A government healthcare system competing evenly with private insurers will still be better, as billions of dollars in premiums go to providing actual care, not profit for CEO's and stockholders.

[Rangergirl]

Yea.....St­ay strong....­.Get good healthcare reform in place and soon.....T­here are so many people struggling to keep above water....T­his is long over due.

[TJCole]

See why do we need 2 Senators for NY State when it's just inflating the money these industries have to spend on bribes....­I mean lobbying..­.I mean $$$ Free $peech..!

[LucieLee]

We don't Republicans on this!! they will never support it, because they only care about the corporate buck!!! get the insurance companies out of the health care business..­..they don't offer health care...the­y aren't in it for that..they are only in it to make money, and they don't get the money by offering health care!!

[jelly450]

"I am looking at all the alternatives at this point," said Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) of the public option. "I have a lot of concerns about the impact of a public plan. The Lewin Group has estimated that it could cause 119 million people to be transferred from private plans to public plans, which would mean the collapse of the private insurance system which I don't think would serve our country well."

Why would the collapse of private "for profit" insurance companies be bad? Did they contribute a lot to your campaign?

[Montgriz]

to be sure, the unemployment rate would increase quickly...­..not to mention real estate, and related fields....­.

[serindipity803]

Re-election has to be a burden for those on the dole.

[christopherflynn]

For every position posed by any congressperson, all you need to do is "follow the money..." (unfortunately)

[WinterParkMom]

They better be on board for a public option, because it's what the people who voted them in want. It's about the people you represent senators, not the businesses that line your pockets.

Senator Weydon, your public plan you spoke about is what the people want. Don't water it down to kowtow to the minority. They are exactly that, the minority. They don't speak for us.

We want single payer and we want it now, or there will be a price next year!!!

[freelyb]

Bingo