called the budget office’s report a “death blow” to what he characterized as “a government-run health plan.” Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, “said it may be time to scale back the most ambitious plans,” while appearing on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “So we’re in the position of dialing down some of our expectations to get the costs down so that it’s affordable and, most importantly, so that it’s paid for. … Because we can’t go to the point where we are now of not paying for something when we have trillions of dollars of debt,” Grassley said. Also on CNN, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., “said she wasn’t sure there were enough votes among President Obama’s fellow Democrats to pass a plan at...

called the budget office’s report a “death blow” to what he characterized as “a government-run health plan.” Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, “said it may be time to scale back the most ambitious plans,” while appearing on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “So we’re in the position of dialing down some of our expectations to get the costs down so that it’s affordable and, most importantly, so that it’s paid for. … Because we can’t go to the point where we are now of not paying for something when we have trillions of dollars of debt,” Grassley said. Also on CNN, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., “said she wasn’t sure there were enough votes among President Obama’s fellow Democrats to pass a plan at the moment.” She “called the question of cost ‘a very major and difficult subject,’” and said she thinks “there’s a lot of concern in the Democratic caucus” (Parsons, 6/22).

The Christian Science Monitor adds that Graham’s statement is “a typical inside-the-Beltway flourish of partisan rhetoric. But it hints at the Republicans’ increasingly hardening line and the enormity of Mr. Obama’s task.” Health reform on the Hill is “still in its formative stages,” but the “urgency Obama is placing on reform suggests that, sooner rather than later, he might have to give some greater guidance as to what he wants—or might be willing to accept” (Sappenfield, 6/21).

The New York Times: “Senator Richard Lugar, Republican of Indiana, appearing with Ms. Feinstein, said that overhauling the health care system should be done slowly and not this year, as Mr. Obama has insisted. ‘I think it should be incremental steps,’ Mr. Lugar said. Mr. Lugar also suggested a period of study to find and consider alternatives.”

But a New York Times/CBS News poll released Sunday found popular support for a government-sponsored public insurance option. ”The national telephone survey, which was conducted from June 12 to 16, found that 72 percent of those questioned supported a government-administered insurance plan — something like Medicare for those under 65 — that would comp...

The New York Times: “Senator Richard Lugar, Republican of Indiana, appearing with Ms. Feinstein, said that overhauling the health care system should be done slowly and not this year, as Mr. Obama has insisted. ‘I think it should be incremental steps,’ Mr. Lugar said. Mr. Lugar also suggested a period of study to find and consider alternatives.”

But a New York Times/CBS News poll released Sunday found popular support for a government-sponsored public insurance option. ”The national telephone survey, which was conducted from June 12 to 16, found that 72 percent of those questioned supported a government-administered insurance plan — something like Medicare for those under 65 — that would compete for customers with private insurers. Twenty percent said they were opposed” (Henry, 6/21).

http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Daily-Reports/2009/June/22/Sticker-Shock.aspx