House OKs Coverage Plans Short Of Obamacare Rules

WASHINGTON (AP) — It isn't just Republicans who are defying a presidential veto threat.

Thirty-nine House Democrats today joined Republicans in approving a measure that would let insurance companies sell individual health coverage to anyone, even if it falls short of the required standards in the new health care law.

Supporters of the measure say it would ease the plight of millions of consumers who've received notices that their insurance is being canceled.

It goes a step further than the plan announced yesterday by President Barack Obama. Obama's plan is to let insurance companies keep offering -- for one year, to existing customers -- plans that don't meet the standards of the new health care law. The House measure would let those policies be offered to everyone.

The legislation isn't expected to get anywhere in the Senate.