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HEALTH CARE

GOP offers other health care bills

Republicans rolled out two health care bills Wednesday, both of which avoid a public insurance plan favored by many Democrats.

The Patients Choice Act, sponsored by a group of conservative Republicans in the House and Senate, would allow each state to set up health insurance exchanges made up of private health insurers. Consumers could purchase insurance through the exchange with a tax credit of $2,200 for individuals and $5,700 for families.

The plan would be funded by taxing employer-provided health care plans, an idea that has generated controversy.

The current system was set up for people who stayed with one job - and one health insurance benefit - most of their lives, which isn't the case today, said Rep. Paul D. Ryan, Wisconsin Republican, and one of the bill's sponsors.

"As a practicing physician, I have seen firsthand how giving government more control over health care has failed to make health care more affordable and accessible," said Sen. Tom Coburn, Oklahoma Republican and one of the bill's sponsors.

Sen. Max Baucus, Montana Democrat and chairman of the Senate Finance Committee that's writing a health care bill, said the tax on employer-provided plans would ruin private insurers.

"It's basically what we're doing," Mr. Baucus said. "The only difference - the big difference - is he wants to repeal the employer [tax benefits]. It would destroy the insurance system in America as you know it. Otherwise, most of it is areas of reform that we've already provided for."

Another group of Republicans took a more contrarian approach, introducing a bill that would in essence ban Democrats' plans. Republican Reps. Mark Steven Kirk of Illinois and Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania announced a bill that would simply ban federal interference with private health insurance except in cases of existing Medicaid, Medicare, veterans or military health care.