Sebelius Says Public Option Not Essential for Reform

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius indicated today that a government-run alternative to private health insurance may not be critical to health care reform for President Obama. "I think what's important is choice and competition, and I'm convinced at the end of the day, the plan will have both of those," she said on CNN's State of the Union program. Her comments seem to leave the door open for nonprofit cooperatives such as those being considered by the Senate Finance Committee as an alternative to a government-run plan. You can read more about Secretary Sebelius's comments here.