President Obama wants Congress to “revisit” a public option for Obamacare

Sarah Kliff · Monday, July 11, 2016, 5:42 pm

President Obama is calling on Congress to "revisit" a public option for Obamacare, citing the lack of health insurance options in some of the law’s marketplaces.

"Based on experience with the [Affordable Care Act], I think Congress should revisit a public plan to compete alongside private insurers in areas of the country where competition is limited," Obama wrote in an article for the Journal of the American Medical Association published Monday.

The article marks the first time a sitting president has written for the medical journal, which is considered one of the country’s most prestigious.

The public option push is part of a larger suite of changes that Obama is suggesting legislators and health advocates pursue during his final months in office. And it is one Democrats have increasingly gravitated toward heading into the election. Over the weekend, Hillary Clinton promised to push for a public option if elected — a position that Sen. Bernie Sanders enthusiastically endorsed.

The public option proposal is meant to address one of the ways the president sees his signature legislative accomplishment falling short. It is the result of White House staff taking a six-month deep dive into how the law is working.

The White House does not plan to send any legislative language to Congress; the president understands quite well that the Republican-controlled body will not move forward on his ideas.

Instead, Obama is taking a much longer view of his health care law — offering a guide for future elected officials who might wish to improve on his work.

"What the president has offered here is his best assessment, informed by seven and a half years of working to make health reform a reality, of the right path and trajectory for future policymakers," says Kristie Canegallo, White House deputy chief of staff for implementation.

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http://www.vox.com/2016/7/11/12123492/obama-obamacare-public-option