Clyburn: Public option 'could very well' return to health reform bill

[kpete]

Source: The Hill


Clyburn: Public option 'could very well' return to health reform bill
By Michael O'Brien - 02/18/10 10:01 AM ET

A public insurance option "could very well" be a part of the final health legislation, the third-ranking House Democrat said Thursday.

House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) said the government-run plan, which had been scrapped in order to win over centrists' votes in the Senate, could reemerge if the Senate were to use a procedural tactic to pass a set of additional health reforms with only a simple majority vote.

"So I think so far as the public option is concerned, if you're going to do a 50-vote or a 50-plus-one strategy, rather than a 60-vote strategy, I'm not too sure that the public option cannot be a part of this plan," Clyburn said during an appearance on MSNBC.

"Because we were trying to get the 60 votes by dropping the public option, so if you're not going to do a 60-vote strategy but instead a 50-plus-one strategy, the public option could very well be a part of this package," the whip added.

Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/81847-clyburn-public-option-could-very-well-be-reinserted-into-health-bill

[xchrom]

1. They don't need sixty to get stuff done.

They need to be unafraid to govern.

[Name removed]

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[Warpy]

2. If it doesn't return, a lot of them will be unemployed in January

because demoralized Democrats are going to stay home in November.

They really need to know this is what they're facing. I don't think they have a clue in the world just how angry people are in this country about the perceived failure to deal with the health care mess.

Our allies in all this are the insurance companies making their last huge cash grabs. If we can't get through to those comfortably, smugly conservative bozos, maybe things like a 39% increase from BC/BS in California can.

[yurbud]

5. and the stronger it is, the better. Just go with the Medicare buy in.

The House bill barely earned a C in my book, and the Senate one deserved an F for plagiarism from sociopathic insurance & pharma lobbyists.

[Doctor_J]

3. When? 2013?

WTF are they waiting for?

Expect a roll-out of Big Insurance's new propaganda onslaught any day now.

[asjr]

4. Mr Clyburn I hate teasers.

[groundloop]

6. This is encouraging

But I'd be even more encouraged to hear Harry Reid saying this. The dems in congress had better realize that healthcare, and specifically the public option, is the number one hot button issue for many of us.

[TfG]

8. This would be great

if it could really happen that way.

[Plucketeer]

9. Since it's not likely to happen,

I guess holding my breath would be foolish. :crazy:

[thereismore]

11. I am only hoping that the new bill will be better than the Senate bill that passed w 60. nt

[Plucketeer]

14. Well, it sure wouldn't take much to have it qualify as "better".

[thereismore]

10. Well Duh, DUers have been saying this since Brown's victory. nt

[Roland99]

12. Shove HR 676 through Reconciliation! Let's get it RIGHT right now!

[bc3000]

13. Dream on...

that would just make too much sense