Dive Brief:
- With Hillary Clinton now the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee and Bernie Sanders likely out, their differing views on healthcare may be arriving at a broadly appealing middle ground in the concept of state-sponsored public health insurance options that would compete with private plans, The Associated Press reported.
- Democrats who previously supported Sanders' "Medicare for all" plan may be willing to get behind Clinton for the cause, and those against a single-payer solution may be more willing to accept such a compromise.
- The concept could particularly rise in the national discourse if ACA plans finalize high premium increases later this year for 2017, as expected.
Dive Insight:
Clinton has already stated she would work with state governors to help implement federal legislation that already exists -- partly thanks to Sanders -- that would allow states to take such a step. The ACA's waivers for state innovation would make it possible for states to take federal money for coverage expansion but use it in a different way that achieves the same goals.
It's unknown how many state governors might explore the option, but they would be able to apply for waivers beginning January 1, close to when a new administration will be taking over, the AP noted.
Experts added since the concept is ideologically neutral, Republican and Democratic governors could potentially both seek waivers to try out competing solutions.
Though some see the public option as an ideal compromise, there are also opponents. Pushback is likely to come from private insurers, as well as single-payer proponents concerned that private insurers will be able "shunt more of their sick, expensive patients onto the public plan," the AP reported.