2 Main Issues

According to the New York Times, there are two key issues that are going to key the final outcome of the new health care legislation; “provisions related to insurance coverage for abortion and to a proposed government-run health insurance plan, or public option.”  Both of these have obviously been huge factors in this debate so far, and they are finally going to have to be agreed upon in some form or fashion.  Ben Nelson, a democratic senator of Nebraska is an opposer of abortion rights and is preparing an amendment that will be a big test factor on how the issue of abortion will actually be handled.  Nelson would like to see the language in the amendment clarify something to the effect that the coverage of abortion by any insurance plan purchased even partly with federal subsidies would be barred.  This amendment is supposed to hit the Senate floor next week.  On the other hand, the public option is being pushed very hard by liberal senators who emphasize the fact that the public option is necessary in order to compete with private insurers.  Both of these are very crucial to the new health care legislation and I guess we will be left waiting to figure out what’s going to happen.  What do you think?  Until next time…