Specter indicates he’s open to public health insurance plan, dropping his previous opposition

October 14th, 2009 Health care issues: The 'trigger' public planA look at key issues in the health care debate: THE ISSUE: Would a so-called "trigger" or "fallback" public plan win enough votes to get some sort of government-run insurance option in any health care legislation Congress may pass? THE POLITICS: The trigger option is seen as a possible compromise that would replace the idea of allowing the government to sell insurance in competition with private insurance. Many Democrats want the so-called public option but Republicans oppose it.

October 9th, 2009 Health care issues: Paying for abortionsA look at key issues in the health care debate: THE ISSUE: Would new health care legislation allow abortions to be funded with tax money? THE POLITICS: Abortion opponents say proposed government-sponsored health insurance plans would change federal policy by paying for abortions in many cases. For years, a restriction in the law that governs Medicaid — health insurance for the poor — has barred federal funding of abortions except in cases of rape, incest and danger to the mother's life.

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 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.

September 7th, 2009 VP Joe Biden pledges to back workers in Pa. stopPITTSBURGH — Vice President Joe Biden told a rally at Pittsburgh's Labor Day parade that organized labor was the backbone of the country and that he and Sen.

August 31st, 2009 2 Specter foes team up for meeting on health careHARRISBURG, Pa. — Political bedfellows don't get much stranger than Joe Sestak and Pat Toomey.

August 20th, 2009 Pelosi: House health bill needs public planSAN FRANCISCO — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says there's no way the House can pass a health overhaul bill that doesn't include a new public insurance plan. Her comments at a news conference Thursday in San Francisco come as the White House faces a liberal backlash for indicating openness to leaving a public plan out of a final health bill.

August 18th, 2009 Liberals push for public health insurance planWASHINGTON — Congressional liberals are telling the Obama administration that a health overhaul bill cannot pass unless it includes a new government-run insurance option. The Congressional Progressive Caucus, made up of more than 80 liberal House members, wrote to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius expressing opposition to her weekend comments suggesting a public option was not essential to a health overhaul.

August 12th, 2009 Protesters plan rally at Obama visitHELENA, Mont. — Protesters plan a big rally Friday when President Barack Obama brings his town hall tour to Montana, putting a conservative suburb of Bozeman at the center of the issue for one day.

August 11th, 2009 Lawmaker faces angry Pa. crowd on health careLEBANON, Pa.

June 16th, 2009 AP Interview: Sebelius says public plan to surviveWASHINGTON — The insurance lobby won't be able to block a public health plan because most Americans realize they would be better off if the industry had competition, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Tuesday as congressional committees worked to shape legislation. In an interview with The Associated Press, Sebelius said that President Barack Obama does not want to drive health insurers out of business, but make them more competitive by offering working families and small businesses the option of a public plan without the high overhead costs of marketing, administration and profits.

June 14th, 2009 Sebelius says Obama plan would lower health costsWASHINGTON — Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius says the government health insurance plan proposed by the Obama administration would increase competition and drive down costs. Sebelius says President Barack Obama does not want to dismantle privately owned plans and does not want the 180 million people who have employer coverage to lose their insurance.

June 12th, 2009 HHS' Sebelius touts Obama health insurance planOMAHA, Neb. — Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Friday that Americans need a new government-sponsored insurance plan to guarantee choice and competition — especially in rural America.

June 8th, 2009 GOP senators respond to Obama on health careWASHINGTON — Republicans on a key Senate committee are warning President Barack Obama that he's making a mistake on health care by supporting a government insurance option for the middle class. In a letter to Obama released Monday, all but one of the Republican senators on the Finance Committee reaffirmed their opposition to a public plan, suggesting that differences on the issue could doom chances for a bipartisan bill.