The "Public Option" portion of U.S. President Obama's health care bill, has been reportedly given the boot, as it was a sticking point for Republicans in Congress.

The "Public Option" would have given citizens and permanent residents the opportunity to purchase government insurance. However, Democrat, Senator Harry Reid, insists the current bill will still give "insurance companies more competition" in a bid at driving down costs. Medicare will also be expanded to cover Americans at age 55.

This is a start and one that can always be amended and expanded as the nation's financial outlook improves, provided the government makes the right choices regarding a potential economic recovery.

Democrats Said to Agree to Drop Public Option

(Bloomberg) — Senate Democrats tentatively agreed to abandon plans to set up a full government-run insurance program in a bid to remove one of the biggest obstacles to health legislation, a person familiar with negotiations said.

The lawmakers instead backed a proposal to establish a program modeled on the U.S. government employee-insurance system that would have private companies provide coverage under federal oversight to millions of uninsured Americans, the person said. They also want to expand eligibility for the federal Medicare program for the elderly.

The deal was negotiated by 10 Senate Democrats seeking an alternative to the government-run program. While most Democrats support the so-called public option, the idea has drawn fire from party members in the Senate and all Republicans. It needs backing by 60 senators to get into the final bill... 

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