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Tony Ondrusek is founder and publisher of Insurance & Financial Advisor and IFAwebnews.com.

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Could Republicans actually side with Ted Kennedy in the “public health insurance option” debate? I wrote months ago on this blog that I would be willing to bet the house that Kennedy wanted HIS brand on any health care reform, and that anything that President Obama floated would be met with a separate plan from Kennedy.

According to IFAwebnews, Kennedy has put out his own plan, which surprisingly has no mention at all of a public health insurance option, which is the centerpiece of the Obama reform proposal. Republicans have come out against a public health insurance ooption. Although Kennedy is a Democrat, he is a huge egomaniac first, and does not want all of his efforts to “reform” health care over the years to be in vain; any legislation will bear his name. Even if the plan ultimately is 100% Obama’s, Kennedy has shrewdly positioned himself in opposition to Obama, which will allow for compromise and then Kennedy graciously deferring to Obama’s plan in return for his name at the top of the bill. Mark my words.

(Here is a link to a page on the NAHU site that addresses concerns the organization has to Kennedy’s “American Health Choices Act”,” along with a request for action on the part of agents.)

Interestingly, in another articleNew Ginrich said that a public health insurance option would be the demise of private insurers. So will Newt (and the Republicans) and Uncle Teddy be allies? This could prove an entertaining “battle royale.”