Thirty Senators Thursday urged Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to include a public insurance option in health reform legislation. In a letter to Reid organized by Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), 29 Democrats and one Independent wrote, "Opponents of health reform argue that a public option presents unfair competition to the private insurance companies. However, it is possible to create a public health insurance option that is modeled after private insurance - rates are negotiated and providers are not required to participate in the plan. As you know, this is the Senate HELP Committee's approach." The Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee bill would offer a government-run, or public health insurance option that would compete alongside private health plans in a state-based insurance marketplace or "Gateway." The Health and Human Services Secretary would negotiate the public plan's reimbursement rates with health care providers. The AHA favors the Senate Finance Committee's approach, which would create non-government, non-profit health care co-ops instead of a public plan option to compete with private insurance plans in state-based exchanges. The co-ops would negotiate payment rates with providers. The Finance Committee is expected to report out its health reform bill tomorrow, which then will be merged with the HELP Committee bill and taken to the Senate floor for a full vote, perhaps later this month.