Unions say public plan is needed

Labor groups criticized the Senate Finance Committee's healthcare plan as "deeply flawed" for its lack of a government-run option and its tax on expensive health-insurance plans. In ads in major newspapers, unions said a government-run plan is needed to provide competition for big insurers and keep costs down. The unions oppose taxing healthcare benefits because they fear the expense will be passed on to members who have forgone higher wages in return for richer healthcare packages.