(Host) Senator Bernie Sanders says it will be very difficult to pass a meaningful health care reform bill this summer unless President Obama becomes a "forceful advocate" for the legislation.
Sanders says it’s critical that the bill include a new public health plan that will compete with private insurance companies.
VPR’s Bob Kinzel reports
(Kinzel) This is expected to an important week for health care reform legislation in the United States Senate. That’s because the Senate Health and Education committee is scheduled to finalize the details of its reform bill.
The proposed legislation creates a new public program that would be modeled after Medicare and it will provide subsidies for low and middle income people to purchase either the public policy or a private insurance plan.
The proposal also contains funding for new prevention programs and it includes a $750 per worker annual fee for companies that don’t offer coverage to their employees.
Senator Bernie Sanders is a member of the Health and Education committee and he says the time has come for the President to become a strong advocate for this legislation:
(Sanders) "Ideally, of course, I would like to see him come out for a single payer. He’s not going to do that. But at the very least, I want him to say as forcefully as he can that every American in every part of this country is entitled to a Medicare-like program, with strong benefits that is affordable, that will not deny people because of their medical condition. That’s the role that I would like to see him play."
(Kinzel) The Senate Finance committee will recommend ways to pay for the bill. Some senators are looking at a plan to raise new revenue by taxing expensive health care policies. Sanders wants the President to strongly oppose this approach.
(Sanders) "Because these programs are going to cost money, I would like to see him fight for progressive funding of health care reform rather than any suggestion that we’re going to tax health care benefits."
(Kinzel) And Sanders says the health care debate will be a defining issue for Senate Democrats and the president.
(Sanders) "I think the political question is with 59 – soon to be 60 votes – in the Senate, a strong majority in the House, with a Democratic president, Obama’s got to be there to say, `Yup, we were all elected to bring about real change; to provide quality health care to all people at an affordable cost. And, you know what? We’re going to do it. And we’re going to do it if the Republicans don’t want to come on board. We’d love to have Republicans coming on board, but what is most important is to pass something that really changes the health care system.’"
(Kinzel) Senate leaders are hoping to bring their bill to the floor for a vote by the end of this month.
For VPR News, I’m Bob Kinzel in Montpelier