Sen. Ben Nelson (D., Neb.) thinks the time has come to get rid of the individual mandate in the Democratic health-care law. Politico reports:
Speaking to more than 150 insurance brokers, Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) called the individual mandate “the biggest sticking point” in the health reform law.
“It’s time to change the mandate,” Nelson told members of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA), gathered in Washington for their “Day on the Hill” event. “People don’t like mandates. I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
Nelson supports the health reform law but has also emerged as a leader in exploring options to the individual mandate, a health reform provision now ruled unconstitutional by two federal judges.
Nelson, who is up for reelection in 2012 (and polling rather poorly at the moment), will likely come under a lot of pressure to support legislation introduced by Sens. Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.) and John Barrasso (R., Wyo.) that would allow states to ‘opt out’ of reform provisions like the individual mandate — even though Graham has clearly stated that the bill’s ultimate goal is to undo Obamacare.