Obama’s Health Care Reform Plan to Be Revealed

Next week, President Obama will finally release his own health care reform plan — one that the Democrats promise will be specific, ending speculation about exactly what kinds of reforms Mr. Obama — and the Democrats — support.

He plans to list specific goals that any health insurance reform plan that arrives at his desk must achieve, according to Democratic strategists familiar with the plan. Some of these “goals” have already been agreed to, including new anti-discrimination restrictions on insurance companies. Others will be new, including the level of subsidies he expects to give the uninsured so they can buy into the system.

Obama will also specify a “pay for” mechanism he prefers, and will specify an income level below which he does not want to see taxed.

It’s rumored that the president’s plan will still advocate a heavy public presence, whether it’s the public plan or not, to “promote competition” in the insurance market. The plan may also require insurance companies to lower costs by a certain percentage.

We’ll also — finally — see how the president plans to pay for all of this.

It’s good to see that the president will finally end speculation regarding exactly what kind of plan he wants to see implemented, but it’s disappointing that it seems many of the weakest elements of proposed reforms — such as  greater government intervention in Americans’ health care and measures that would drive up the cost of insurance — continue to enjoy his support.

h/t: Healthcare Horserace.

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