Murray, Pallone Announce Plans to Develop a Public Option Proposal to Lower Health Care Costs
Senate HELP and House Energy and Commerce Committees Issue Request for Information on public option as they work to craft new legislation
Poll shows 7 in 10 Americans support a public health insurance option—including a majority of Republicans
Murray and Pallone: “A federal public option will help guarantee that no matter where you live, who you are, or what your income—if you live in America, you can get the quality health care you need without worrying about cost. ”
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee and Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, announced their plans to develop legislation to establish a public option for health coverage to lower health care costs and help families get quality, affordable health care. The Chairs issued a Request for Information (RFI) today as they begin to work with their colleagues who have put forward public option proposals of their own to craft new comprehensive legislation.
“This pandemic has underscored why it’s so important to patients, families, and communities across the country that health care is truly a right, not a privilege. No one should suffer or die because quality health care was too expensive or too hard to get. We believe we must take bold steps to lower health care costs and move toward universal coverage by creating a federal public option available to everyone—and a clear majority of Americans agree. A federal public option will help guarantee that no matter where you live, who you are, or what your income—if you live in America, you can get the quality health care you need without worrying about cost,” said Murray and Pallone.
“We’re grateful to our colleagues who have already put forward thoughtful proposals on dramatically expanding coverage—and President Biden who has always been clear that this is a priority for his Administration. We look forward to working with everyone in the weeks and months ahead as we work to craft bold legislation and finally getting this done for families across the country.”
Murray and Pallone sent an RFI letter to the public today requesting their input as the Committee leaders begin to draft comprehensive public option legislation. The Committee leaders requested responses by July 31th, 2021.
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