Health Care Public Option Dropped - Bill Losing Support

The government-run health care system died Wednesday as the public option (The public option as proposed in the House health care bill, is a government-run health insurance plan, like Medicare, that would compete along side private insurers in a new Health Insurance Exchange that the bill would set up.) was removed in the Senate.  It failed when Senate Democratic leaders sought agreement with Sen. Ben Nelson, to become the 60th supporter of health care overhaul -- the number needed to overcome a Republican filibuster.

Senator Bernie Sanders, said that he will NOT vote for the health care bill as it stands, now that the public option has been removed.

“I’m struggling with this. As of this point, I’m not voting for the bill. … I’m going to do my best to make this bill a better bill, a bill that I can vote for, but I’ve indicated both to the White House and the Democratic leadership that my vote is not secure at this point. And here is the reason. When the public option was withdrawn, because of Lieberman’s action, what I worry about is how do you control escalating health care costs?”