U.S. Senate Jeff Bingaman: Democrat from New Mexico

Bingaman Working to Pass Health Care Reform

The health care debate has just begun in the Senate Health, Labor and Pensions Committee, and will soon follow in the Senate Finance Committee. As a member of both committees, I will be pushing hard for a bill that deals with three key areas: containing health care costs, ensuring that every American has access to affordable health insurance, and improving the quality of care. I outlined this process and a few of my priorities at a recent health care reform press conference and on my PolicyCast on Beginning the Debate on Health Care Reform.

Much attention has been given to whether the bill we send to the president should have a “public option.” I strongly support a public option. [Read more]

(Watch more on Senator Bingaman's YouTube channel)

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News as of July 02, 2009

Bingaman: Key Committee Unveils Plan for Strong Public Option in Health Care Reform Bill

SANTA FE – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today praised the health insurance coverage proposal unveiled by the Senate Health Education Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee aimed at helping containing health care costs and expanding coverage to uninsured Americans.

The HELP Committee is in the process of writing health care reform legislation. Next week, it will consider the full coverage proposal including the "public plan” health insurance option. The public plan would be established and overseen by the federal government, and made available to all Americans.

The primary purpose of a public plan is to ensure that there is at least one health insurance option for Americans that is affordable and that would provide meaningful care. By leveraging competition, the public plan would also serve as another safeguard against unscrupulous insurance practices.

"This strong public option proposal will ensure that there is real competition between public and private insurance plans. It is an important safeguard, the goal of which is controlling escalating health care costs and extending coverage to millions of Americans for whom health insurance has been out of reach," Bingaman said.

Details of the plan and explanation of why it is an importing cost savings tool follow: [MORE]