SHOULD HEALTH CARE reform legislation being drafted by federal lawmakers establish a public health insurance plan to give individuals and perhaps employers an alternative to buying coverage from private insurers?

That issue has triggered a war of words between the Obama administration and the health insurance industry and could undermine the ability of lawmakers to reach an agreement on reform legislation.

While President Obama noted he is careful not to draw a line in the sand on the issue, he said a public plan option would be an important tool to “discipline insurance companies.” Without it, he suggested, there would be no check on the ability of insurers to keep raising rates.

For their part, health insurers say a public plan would have certain advantages and eventually would drive them out of business.

We're not sure which side is right, but that isn't the point. The point is that legislators don't need to address that issue now.

What is important is finding ways to expand coverage and make other changes that will enable medical providers to reduce the cost of care they provide.

Those objectives could be accomplished by establishing a public plan. However, enacting comprehensive health care reform legislation will be challenging enough without adding needless controversy, and lawmakers would be wise to discard the public plan option for now.

If it turns out, after reform legislation is enacted and the evidence justifies that a public health care plan is necessary, lawmakers can take action then.