Thank you for contacting me about the health plans available to other federal employees and me. I appreciate hearing from you.
Senators have the same health insurance options as other federal employees. The Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) offers a menu of health insurance plans, and federal employees can choose the plan that is best for them. Senators have the same choices and pay the same premiums and co-payments as any other federal employee.
I have been working to give all Americans a similar opportunity. Two years ago, I introduced legislation that offers small businesses the same range of choices available to me and other federal employees. President Obama has proposed to extend the choice of private health insurance plans to millions of individuals who have few options today.
Too many Americans cannot afford the health plans offered by today's for-profit insurance companies. A public option will provide competition that will hold private plans accountable and help moderate the price of health insurance. No one will be forced to join a public option - it will be a voluntary choice available in addition to existing plans.
If health care reform gives Americans a chance to choose the public option, I believe federal employees also should be given that option. Since the public option is intended to be a voluntary choice, no one should be forced into it. Any federal employee who does not want to choose the public option should have the right to remain in the private plan of his or her choice.
Thank you again for contacting me. Please feel free to keep in touch.
Sincerely,
Richard J. Durbin
United States Senator
RJD/kg
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Durbin's Reply to 11-8-09 post on Health Care
His reply to my email about how our interns could put together better proposals than congress can. I don't think he really addressed that concern, but here is his response anyway:
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