Freshman Sen. Kay Hagan (D-NC) told reporters today she will be “looking very closely” at the health care bill as proposed by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
On a conference call with Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius about rural health care, Hagan reiterated she supports “a backstop option for people that don’t have access to employer-sponsored health care.”
“I’m going to definitely be looking very closely at this bill to see exactly what’s in it,” Hagan said. “I am committed to working with my colleagues on a final reform bill that hopefully is going to bring stability and security to American families and is not going to add one dime to our federal deficit.”
Reporters also asked about the TPMMuckraker scoop yesterday about Blue Cross mailers asking customers to lobby Hagan to oppose the public option.
Transcript after the jump.
QUESTION: Blue Cross of North Carolina has asked some of its customers to return postcards lobbying you to oppose the public option. I’m wondering if you have noticed that some of the Blue Cross have oppose crossed out and say they want you to support the public option. Have you noticed that?
HAGAN: Yes, I have noticed that, and I’ve seen different articles about that also.
QUESTION: OK. Do you know what the breakdown is between support and oppose?
HAGAN: You know, I certainly don’t.
