AP Sources: Obama Likes National Health Exchange (& end to antitrust exemption)

[highplainsdem]

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=9542919

President Barack Obama has indicated support for a national clearinghouse where consumers could shop for health coverage and an end to the decades-old antitrust exemption enjoyed by insurance companies, Democratic officials said Tuesday.

In signaling his preferences, Obama is siding with House Democrats over their Senate counterparts on issues crucial to negotiations on his health care overhaul.

House Democrats are pressing for both provisions to be included in the final measure, now that their proposal for a government-run insurance option appears dead due to opposition from key Senate moderates. Obama has sided with the Senate to support a new tax on high-value insurance plans opposed in the House.

Obama met with House Democratic leaders last week as they sought support from the president on other priorities. He is now indicating support for creation of a national exchange rather than the state-based structure in the Senate bill, and for revoking the antitrust exemption, which the Senate bill does not do, the officials said.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the negotiations were private.

The maneuvering came as House Democrats returned Tuesday from their holiday break prepared to step up negotiations with the Senate to get a final health overhaul bill to Obama's desk in time for his State of the Union address sometime early next month.

-snip-

More signs that he's starting to move in the right (more liberal) direction. This is an improvement. I do want to know more about this "national clearinghouse where consumers could shop for health coverage."

But I think the WH is getting the message that simply backing the Senate bill is NOT acceptable.

[shopgreen]

1. its straight from Tom Dashel's book--it was the plan before he

got dropped out as HSS sec.

I am sure you can find it on the net. I read it last year. remember it is still insurance companies we are looking at.

[ddeclue]

2. corporate sellout!