One Last Chance

Whether the health care "summit" at Blair House this Thursday amounts to little more than political theater, you have to give President Barack Obama credit for perseverance. In this volatile political climate, it would have been easy to walk away.

Instead, Obama on Monday offered his own proposal that attempts to thread the needle between competing House and Senate plans and adds a couple of new wrinkles. The most notable: Obama would give the federal government the power to limit increases in health care premiums, an idea that is sure to raise howls of protest from some on the right but one that just might be essential to protect consumers in light of the outrageous increases announced last week in California. Anthem Blue Cross said rates might rise up to 39 percent.

Though Obama has repeatedly said he is open to Republican ideas, his plan doesn't include two that have promise: instituting a robust system of selling health insurance across state lines and tort reform. Not including them is a mistake.

Republicans reacted icily to the president's proposal, with House Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio saying the meeting this week "had all the makings of a Democratic infomercial."

Actually, it's a chance for any lawmaker who cares more about policy than politics to reset the debate on one of the nation's most pressing issues.

Republicans should counter with their own ideas and let the public decide.

We think the Obama plan starts at the right place — with the more reasonable approach taken by the Senate.

The White House says its plan would insure 31 million more people at a cost of $950 billion over 10 years — splitting the difference between the House and Senate bills.

The plan retains the tax on high-end health care plans, though that tax is delayed until 2018 and the threshold rises. The Obama plan cuts out special Medicaid deals made to legislators but offers increased aid to all the states. It leaves intact abortion language in the Senate bill, which was less restrictive than that in the House measure. It closes the "doughnut hole" in the Medicare prescription drug program. It boosts subsidies for low-income families. It does not include a public option.

In all, the Obama plan is a good-faith attempt at reconciling the competing Democratic plans. If as they say, Democrats really want to pass a reform bill yet this year, this might be their last chance.

REPRINTED FROM THE MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL.

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