One of the most contentious issues facing Congress as it crafts legislation to reform health care is whether a government-run healthcare plan will be an option offered to uninsured Americans, reports The Wall Street Journal. The House of Representatives is expected to include a public plan in its bill, which is slated for late spring or early summer, whereas the concept isn’t likely to gain traction in the Senate, with influential Republicans like Charles Grassley opposing it.
Proponents of a public plan envision either a structure that enables the government to establish benefits and prices, like Medicare, or a plan that is managed by a private contractor with the government shouldering the risk. And while a public health plan would provide the necessary competition to private plans to force them to contain costs, its sheer size could also push down payment to providers according to sources consulted for the article.
