Florida Sen. Bill Nelson and four other Democrats dealt the proposed public health care option a blow Tuesday when they voted against an amendment that would have included it.
After a summer of spirited town hall meetings, Tuesday's Senate Finance Committee debate advanced Congress closer to a vote on legislation aimed to reform the country's health care system.
A bill approved by the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions and three bills approved by the House included a public option, but the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., has been a vocal opponent to a government-run plan.
Nelson, who voted with all of the committee's Republicans to defeat the amendment in a 15-8 vote, had been quiet on the issue until he wrote an editorial for USA Today before the vote.
He voiced his concern that health care reform could come at a cost for seniors if cuts are made in Medicare.
The country needs health care reform, Nelson wrote, "but we can't reach these goals on the backs of seniors."
After voting against the amendment, Nelson voted in favor of another amendment sponsored by Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., which provided for a less-robust public option plan that would negotiate rates and not be tied to Medicare.
Despite Nelson's support, the Schumer amendment failed 10-13.
Bryan Griffin, chairman of the UF College Republicans, said he isn't surprised by Nelson's votes.
Griffin said Nelson needs to portray himself as a moderate in order to win re-election.
"Nelson understands he represents a swing state," he said.
Griffin, who represented the UF College Republicans in a health care debate on campus last week, said he agrees the country needs reform. However, instead of a public option, he'd like the government to supplement health by supporting private charitable organizations.
But the public option isn't dead yet, according to Florida College Democrats president and UF College Democrats vice president Ben Cavataro.
"I definitely supported the Rockefeller proposal, but I'm glad [Nelson] voted for the Schumer amendment," said Cavataro, who argued for the public option in last week's debate.
"Nelson has shown that he'll support a public option to compete on a level playing field with private insurers to make health care accessible to every American," he said.
Nearly two-thirds of the country backs a proposal to establish a government insurance plan as an alternative to private companies, according to a New York Times/CBS News poll released last week.
The fate of a public option now rests in the hands of the majority leader, Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., who will consolidate the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, and Finance committees' proposals into one bill to be voted on by the full Senate.
