Grassley: 'Public option' a 'deal-breaker'

Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-IA) said yesterday that he hopes he and Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) can introduce a health bill to congress by the summer that would allow congress to set minimum standards for every insurance plan. While President Obama has been vocal about his desire to see a "public option" of healthcare insurance--one that individuals can purchase through the government--Grassley told the Kaiser Foundation such a thing is a "deal-breaker," whether it's in or out. 

Grassley and most Republicans oppose a public option for healthcare insurance. They believe that it would severely weaken and "eventually eliminate" private insurance, and ultimately lead to only one, government-run healthcare option. 

"I don't see a compromise in that area," Grassley said. 

Grassley also would like to start paying doctors based on quality, not quantity. He believes that specialists are overpaid and overused, while family doctors are underpaid and underutilized.

For more:
- here's the Modern Healthcare article

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