Specter Now Supports a Public Option

Senator Specter has been traveling the state of Pennsylvania these past few weeks.  He has taken the time to meet with his constituents.  This past weekend, he attended the Berks County Democratic Committee Meeting and spoke with precinct leaders from Berks County.  Yesterday, he met with a group of health reform advocates from Pennsylvania.  He now supports a public option.

Speaking moments ago to a large and animated crowd of union organizers and health reform advocates in a brewing house just North of the Capitol, Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) said he supports a public insurance option.

“Schumer has it right about having a public component,” Specter said.

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has taken a lead role on negotiations over the public option in the Senate Finance Committee, and earlier this year proposed a compromise: the committee’s health care bill should include a public plan, he said, but one that competes on a level playing field with other insurers. Such an entity wouldn’t be able to use its sheer size to set prices the way Medicare does–but it could nonetheless incur savings in a host of other ways, and in so doing drive down the cost of health insurance in the private market.

Perhaps more importantly, though, the Schumer proposal is in line with the principles of the major reform campaign Health Care for America Now–and, as such, just about every major health care and labor organization in the country.

Sounds like Senator Specter may be listening to the voters of Pennsylvania.

“Health care is a right,” Specter said. “Your presence here has a big effect. You will get health care this year.”

I’ll still be watching his voting record.