From the Washington Examiner

The newest bargain being proposed on health care in the Senate would give liberals a major expansion of Medicare by making more than 30 million Americans between the ages of 55 and 65 eligible for the financially exhausted program, previously just for senior citizens.

But by expanding an existing government-run insurance program (while cutting it by $500 billion?) Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid hopes to avoid defeat of his bill because of moderate member’s concerns over his plan to create a whole new health entitlement.

Writers Greg Hitt and Janet Adamy tell us that what’s being offered as the alternative to the government plan approved in the House is a non-profit, national private plan regulated by the federal government.

Liberals in the Senate are trying hard not to look too happy. The bill would ultimately make the government responsible for the new health plan and would create a genuine public option if the non-profit/private/public lash-up goes bust.

Reid was crowing again last night, but as Examiner colleague Susan Ferrechio points out, there is still no certainty that a bill will pass.

Read the rest of the column.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 9th, 2009 at 4:05 pm and is filed under Failed Policy, Public Option, Senior Citizens, Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.