Brown won’t turn against health bill despite lack of public option
The Columbus Dispatch – WASHINGTON—Sen. Sherrod Brown acknowledged tonight that he is "disappointed" that the compromise health-care package does not include a federal plan or expand Medicare, but he said he will support the current version because it would extend insurance to 30 million more Americans.
Brown, one of the leading congressional advocates of including a federal option in a health-care bill, dismissed complaints from progressives who say Senate Democrats should have stood firm on either a public plan or allowing people age 55 or older the chance to buy into Medicare.
Instead, Brown said if the bill is scuttled, "we're not going to get another chance" to expand health coverage any time soon.
"The bill is still very good," the Ohio Democrat said. "It covers 30 million people. The insurance reforms are really important."
He pointed to a section that would prohibit insurance companies from denying policies to people because of a pre-existing health condition.
