Will the Senate consider a Public Health Option?

This is where the rubber meets the road. After months of delay, the full Senate is about to debate and vote on landmark health care legislation. But first, Senator Harry Reid and Democratic leaders have a big decision to make:

Will the Senate consider real health care reform with a public health insurance option, or a watered-down compromise full of giveaways to Big Insurance?

This is a hugely important decision. Progressive champions in Congress are standing strong for the public option and Sen. Reid himself has expressed support—but he’s under immense pressure from a few conservative obstructionists who oppose it.

We need to send a loud signal: If Sen. Reid leads on the public option, we’ll be there to get his back. Can you sign our petition asking him to include a strong public health insurance option in the Senate’s bill?

Clicking here will add your name:

http://pol.moveon.org/harryreid/o.pl?id=17554-11381997-ilUAiGx&t=3

The petition reads: “Senator Reid, real health care reform must include a strong public health insurance option. Please include the public option in the bill you bring to the Senate floor.”

The headlines today are about a flawed bill without a public option that a few conservative Democrats managed to push through the Senate Finance Committee.

But the overwhelming majority of Democrats in Congress continue to support the public option—as does President Obama, and two-thirds of the American public.1 And just last week 30 Democratic senators wrote to Sen. Reid urging him to include the public option.2

Reid has been supportive: earlier this month, he said “I believe the public option is so vitally important to create a level playing field and prevent the insurance companies from taking advantage of us.”3

In other words, we’re closer than ever to winning real health care reform. But we’ve got to raise our voices now to make sure the public option gets through the Senate.

Click here to add your name to the petition:

http://pol.moveon.org/harryreid/o.pl?id=17554-11381997-ilUAiGx&t=4

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