House Nears Vote on Letting People Keep Their Health Plans

The House [U.S. House of Representatives] is preparing to vote on Friday on a Republican proposal that would allow Americans to keep their existing health coverage through 2014 without penalties — as well as allow new people to continue to buy the plans, something the Obama administration has said would gut the health care law.The vote comes a day after President Obama announced that insurance companies will be allowed to keep people on health care plans that don’t meet new minimum standards.

The measure, drafted by Representative Fred Upton, the Michigan Republican who is the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, is expected to pass easily, and could garner support from a number of Democrats, who have been clamoring for a fix that goes beyond what the president is offering.

Mr. Obama and his top aides will meet with insurance company chief executives at the White House on Friday, in an effort to quell concerns about the implications of the president’s plan.