Senator Tom Carper (D-DE), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, has been discussing a possible alternative to the public option described in the House health care reform bill.  The proposal is designed to leave more control in the hands of the states than the House Democrats’ health care bill.  To paraphrase Mike Littwin of the Denver Post, the proposal would give “red” health care reform to the “red” states and “blue” health care reform to the “blue” states.

The proposal is a more conservative variation of Senator Olympia Snowe’s “trigger” amendment.  While her plan would require states to act, Carper’s plan would give states the option of creating a public option plan, a public/private co-op, or other solutions – or not act at all. 

He has not yet written an official amendment, but his idea may have a big impact in the Senate’s attempts to produce a “compromise” health care bill that will win the support of Republicans and fiscally conservative Democrats. 

Sources:

WashingtonPost – The Public Option Compromises: An Interview With Sen. Tom Carper

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2009/10/the_public_option_compromises_1.html

DenverPost – Senator states his case for health care reform

http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_13467085

Filed under: health care reform, News by admin