WASHINGTON, Oct 5, 2009 (UPI via COMTEX) -- U.S. President Barack Obama Monday
meets with doctors from around the country to push for healthcare reform, the
White House said.
Even as his focus shifted to the U.S. strategy in Afghanistan and trying to win
the 2016 Summer Olympics for Chicago last week, Obama campaigned behind the
scenes to shore up Senate support for a public, government-run health insurance
option. the Los Angeles Times reported.
Obama, who backs a government-run public option, has expressed a willingness to
consider alternatives, such as health cooperatives in the Senate Finance
Committee version, to private health plans.
Last week, senior administration officials met privately at the Capitol with
senior Democratic staff to discuss ways to include a version of the public plan
in the healthcare bill expected to reach the floor this month, senior
congressional aides told the Times. Obama called rank-and-file Democrats,
calling more than a dozen last week.
The measure that goes to the floor will be meld of two committees' bills,
fashioned by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and key Democrats. The Senate
health committee bill has a public option while the finance panel's version does
not.
URL: www.upi.com
Copyright 2009 by United Press International