CBO: Public health plan would enroll less than 5% of Americans

The House healthcare reform bill introduced this week includes a public option, and it would pay hospitals and physicians at rates 5% higher than Medicare. Rates for hospitals and others would be the same as Medicare under the bill. The public plan would have premiums on average around 10% lower than private plans because of factors including the lower rates it would pay to doctors and hospitals, according to the Congressional Budget Office.