Co-Ops Don’t Take The Place Of A Public Option, Pelosi Says
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi today told reporters that a health care co-op is not sufficient to take the place of the public option, The Hill reports, "putting the House further at odds with the Senate Finance Committee." Pelosi maintains that the House bill "will include some form of a government-run 'public option' to compete with private plans. So, if a cooperative doesn't qualify as a public option, Pelosi won't put it in the bill," according to The Hill. The measure currently being considered by the Senate panel includes cooperatives, "and the committee voted down two versions of the public option this week. The bill is considered by many to be the best chance of bringing at least one Republican on board" (Soraghan, 10/1).