A Public Health Insurance Trigger Compromise May Work Despite Protests

A Public Health Insurance Trigger Compromise May Work Despite Protests in Politics and Legislation

We’ve blogged about this before, but it’s presently coming into sharp relief: A “trigger” may be just the right compromise to pass health insurance reform this year.

The idea is that a public plan would exist purely as a back-up measure, to be triggered only if the legislation fails to provide affordable health coverage for enough Americans.

It also has the potential to keep pressure on the health insurance industry and still hit policy objectives like insurance-market reform, competition and cost management.

At the very least, this idea might have the power to win over the only Republican in reach, Senator Olympia Snowe. It would not only score the 60th vote necessary to send the bill to the president, it would also technically make the bill bipartisan.

And from what we can tell, it’s as close as you can get to (somewhat) appeasing both sides of the public option debate.

The problem is, well, there’s no public option guarantee, which is a major issue for many on the left. To prove their seriousness, over 150 rallies are scheduled to protest the health insurance industry and voice support for a public option nationwide today.

But the trigger idea does actually have a shot at passing a Congressional vote. The way we see it, it’s the left’s time for compromise.

So, what happens next? Senator Snowe is expected to propose the trigger in an amendment, though it remains to be seen if it’s in the Finance Committee or when a bill reaches the Senate floor.

What do you think about the public plan as a trigger back-up? Tweet it or comment below.

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