By John Lyon
Arkansas News Bureau
LITTLE ROCK — U.S. Sen. Blanche Lincoln said today she opposes a public health insurance option because it would be too expensive.
“For some in my caucus, when they talk about a public option they’re talking about another entitlement program, and we can’t afford that right now as a nation,” Lincoln said in a speech to the Elder Law Task Force at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
Lincoln has said previously she would support whatever health care plan worked, but she indicated Tuesday that a plan including an expensive, government-funded health insurance program would not get her vote.
“I’m not going to vote for a bill that’s not deficit-neutral, and I’m not going to vote for a bill that doesn’t do something about curbing the cost in the out years, because it would be pointless … I would not support a solely government-funded public option. We can’t afford that,” Lincoln told reporters before her speech.
Several other members of Arkansas’ congressional delegation have recently expressed doubts about a public option, which proponents say is necessary to extend coverage to the uninsured and drive insurance companies to lower costs.
U.S. Rep. Vic Snyder, D-Little Rock, said last month he was not a fan of a public option, though he would not vote against a bill that contained a government-run option. U.S. Rep. Mike Ross, D-Prescott, said Monday he expects a health care reform bill to pass before the end of the year, but without a public option.
U.S. Rep. John Boozman, R-Rogers, strongly opposes a public option and has filed a resolution that would call on all members of Congress who vote for a public option to relinquish their entitlement to the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program and enroll in the public plan.
During her speech today, Lincoln also discussed her proposed Elder Justice Act, which she said would help protect the elderly from abuse and exploitation. Financial abuse of the elderly is becoming increasingly common in these tough economic times, she said.
Lincoln was scheduled to participate in a question-and-answer session on health care with AARP members tonight. She has also announced plans to hold a town hall meeting on health care at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday and additional town hall meetings on Thursday in Pine Bluff and Friday in Jonesboro.
