Harkin sees broad congressional support for public option

By James Q. Lynch Des Moines Bureau

Sen. Tom Harkin won't say he will vote against any health-care reform legislation that doesn't include a public option, but he thinks government-backed competition to private insurance has deep support in Congress.

“I'm very much for a public option,” Harkin said, but “I'm not at the point of saying that I'm going to withhold my vote” if it's not part of the final bill.

Harkin sees “powerful reasons” that health-care reform should be enacted this year, so he's not ready to say what conditions must be met before he'll support a bill.

“Well, it's like this, I want to get a good health-care reform bill … but I'm not going to say if one thing in missing I'm going to vote against the whole thing,” Harkin said in a conference call Thursday. “I won't say if one thing is missing I will vote against whole thing.”

He pointed out two House committees and the Senate Health Committee have reported out bills that include a public option. Action on reform is waiting on the Senate Finance Committee, which reportedly is near a bipartisan deal that may or may not include a public option.

“I don't know what they're going to do, but if they report out a bill without a public option, well, it's kind of like 4-1,” Harkin said. “It seems to me the bulk of the support here is for a public option and I think that's what will be in final bill.”

Republicans and the insurance industry oppose the public option, which President Barack Obama and Democrats say is needed to lower the cost of private insurance. Republicans have characterized a public option not as competitive, but as predatory and a step toward socialized medicine.

Among the alternatives to a government-run public health insurance option is one by Senate Budget Chairman Kent Conrad, D-N.D., for regional insurance co-ops operated by non-profits.

His preference is for a public option, but said it's possible an alternative would be palatable.

“The public option could be a little different than what we've been talking about,” he said. “Let's wait and see what the final version is before I make any decision on that. I'm not at the point of saying that I'm going to withhold my vote.”