Sen. Ben Nelson (NE) is a fiscally conservative Democrat who has remained one of the stauchest independent voices on the healthcare reform bill, objecting strongly when Nebraskans were bombarded with media ads supporting the legislation paid for from outside the state.

Nelson Open to Trimmed-Down Public Option Approach

Sunday, October 25, 2009 10:25 AM

A key Democratic senator says he may be open to a government-run insurance program that allows states to participate only if they ask to participate.

Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska says he is not ready to commit definitively on the most controversial issue surrounding healthcare overhaul legislation, whether to set up a nationwide public health insurance program to compete with private insurers.

Nelson says he is not excited about a public insurance plan in which states would be able to "opt out." Instead, the Nebraska senator says he is more interested in a program in which states "opt in."

Democrats need 60 votes to advance the healthcare bill in the Senate.

Nelson appeared Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union."

Source: Associated Press

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