Senate budget chairman doubts there are enough votes to back Obama’s gov’t insurance option

October 7th, 2009 Senate health care bill to cost $829 billionWASHINGTON — Health care legislation drafted by a key Senate committee would expand coverage to 94 percent of the eligible population at a 10-year cost of $829 billion, congressional budget experts said Wednesday in a preliminary estimate. The Congressional Budget Office added that the measure would reduce federal deficits by $81 billion over a decade and probably lead to "continued reductions in federal budget deficits" in the years beyond.

September 30th, 2009 Public plan goes down in Senate Finance CommitteeWASHINGTON — The Senate Finance Committee has voted against creating a new government health insurance plan to compete with the private market. The 15-to-8 vote could forecast the fate of the public option in the Senate as a whole.

September 17th, 2009 GOP head calls co-ops 'backdoor' to public optionWASHINGTON — Republican Party Chairman Michael Steele says he fears the health insurance cooperatives envisioned in the bill the Senate Finance Committee is promoting amounts to a "back door to a public option." Interviewed Thursday on CBS's "The Early Show," Steele also said he doubts Republicans will embrace the legislation produced by committee Chairman Max Baucus and the "Gang of Six," — Baucus, two other Democrats and three Republicans. Steele said he believes that the "co-ops in this bill represent government control.

September 12th, 2009 Voices in the health care debateVoices in the health care debate: "You can't cut deals to change provisions if you're not going to vote for the bill in committee and you're not going to vote for the bill on the floor." — Alex Vachon, health care analyst and former Republican Senate aide, referring to a lack of GOP participation in crafting overhaul legislation. "I think that it solidified people who might have been wavering.

September 9th, 2009 A look at the points in Obama's speechA look at key points in Obama's health care speech: —Individuals would be required to carry basic health insurance. Those who can't afford it would get a hardship waiver.

September 9th, 2009 Not-for-profit public option part of health planWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says a not-for-profit public option needs to be available as part of any health care overhaul. He says it would keep insurance companies honest.

September 8th, 2009 Health care issues: The public insurance planA look at key issues in the health care debate: THE ISSUE: Should Americans have the option of getting health insurance from a government plan that competes with private companies? THE POLITICS: Many Democrats want to do away with private insurance and replace it with something resembling Medicare coverage for all, but that's not politically feasible. Offering the choice of a government insurance plan was a compromise within the Democratic Party.

August 23rd, 2009 Group plans TV ads criticizing health care reformWASHINGTON — A group opposed to President Barack Obama's health-care proposals is planning an ad campaign to run locally while the first family vacations for the week in Martha's Vineyard. Conservatives for Patients' Rights said more than $150,000 was spent on the television ads, which urge the president to abandon his proposal to include a government-run health insurance option.

August 17th, 2009 Dean: Public option a must for health care reformWASHINGTON — Former Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean is arguing that there can be no meaningful overhaul of the health care system without a public option for coverage. A leading player in the party's liberal wing, Dean said in a nationally broadcast interview Monday he thinks providing a government role in insurance coverage is fair.

August 17th, 2009 Obama backs away from public health insurance planWASHINGTON — Former Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean, a leading figure in the liberal wing of his party, said Monday he doubts there can be meaningful health care reform without a direct government role. Dean urged the Obama administration to stand by statements made early on in the debate in which it steadfastly insisted that such a public option was indispensable to genuine change, saying that Medicare and the Veterans Administration are "two very good programs that have been around for a long time." Dean appeared on morning news shows Monday amid increasing indications the Obama White House is retreating from the public option in the face of vocal opposition from Republicans and some vocal participants at a town-hall-style meetings around the country.

August 17th, 2009 Former Gov. Dean calls public option indispensableWASHINGTON — Former Democratic Party chairman Howard Dean said Monday he doubts there can be meaningful health care reform without a direct government role, putting him at odds with President Barack Obama who says such a public option is only a sliver of the solution. Dean, a leading figure among the party's liberals, carefully tried to avoid criticizing the president openly, but he urged the administration to stand by statements made early on in the debate in which it steadfastly insisted that such a public option was indispensable to genuine change.

August 17th, 2009 Dean says government must have health care roleWASHINGTON — Former Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean, a leading figure in the liberal wing of his party, said Monday he doubts there can be meaningful health care reform without a direct government role. Dean urged the Obama administration to stand by statements made early on in the debate in which it steadfastly insisted that such a public option was indispensable to genuine change, saying that Medicare and the Veterans Administration are "two very good programs that have been around for a long time." Dean appeared on morning news shows Monday amid increasing indications the Obama White House is retreating from the public option in the face of vocal opposition from Republicans and some vocal participants at a town-hall-style meetings around the country.

July 19th, 2009 Budget chief sees progress in health care overhaulWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama's budget director is playing down reports that lawmakers are bogged down over the health care overhaul. Peter Orszag says good progress is being made toward Obama's goal of a bill in August.

July 5th, 2009 Senators say compromise key to health care billWASHINGTON — It will take a compromise on a government option for insurance if the Senate is to agree on a health care overall before next month's break, two senators said Sunday. President Barack Obama is pushing for an Aug.

June 14th, 2009 Officials voice no support for health benefits taxWASHINGTON — Lawmakers and administration officials on Sunday distanced themselves from the idea of taxing health benefits to help pay President Barack Obama's health care overhaul and bickered over whether government insurance would strengthen the market. The debate over a government insurance plan has broken mainly along party lines.