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SPOTLIGHT: SUPPORT FOR A PUBLIC
PLAN
Early cost estimates from the Congressional Budget Office found that the
House's health care reform bills are close to President Obama's target of $900
billion, and some representatives are saying that the estimates support
arguments for the inclusion of a "robust" public health insurance
option in final legislation. In an effort to reduce the cost of the chamber's
health reform bill from $1.2 trillion, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.)
asked CBO to score competing versions of the legislation. The report, which was
given to House leaders last week, found that the plan favored by House liberals
would cost an estimated $905 billion and that the plan favored by moderates
would cost about $859 billion. Both plans would create a public option, but the
more liberal version would reimburse physicians at Medicare rates plus 5%,
while the centrist version would require the HHS secretary to negotiate rates
directly with providers. According to CBO, the new packages would extend coverage
to 95% of