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Legislation > Passed > Federal > 2010 Health Care Reform Act > Forum > Thread

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Displaying all 2 Forum Posts for the Thread:

Will the Public Option Survive?

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2009-12-24 12:37 AM

Pulkit
Coppell, TX
Posts: 31

The public option is in the House bill and not in the Senate Bill. The time has come for Congress to reconcile the two bills. Does that spell doom for the public option?

Many have said that the public option in indispensable, that it's power to hold down costs and keep health insurance companies in check is crucially important. On the other hand, just today President Obama said that even without the public option health care reform has "95% of the elements" he desires. According to him, several of the insurance reforms that are in both House and Senate bills, such as increases to the medical loss ratio and making rescissions illegal, will be enough to keep insurance companies honest.

What do you people think? Do you think that the public option is a necessary part of health care reform, or can we do without it?

2010-01-07 09:06 AM

Schmidt
Colorado Springs, CO
Posts: 854

I don't think the public option will survive because Joseph Lieberman and maybe a few others will scuttle it. In any case, there are many different versions of the public option, and most of them would not provide the intended reform that progressives would like to see.

I was a supporter of a single payer system (Medicare for all) but recognize the reality of how Congress and lobbyists work. The insurance companies are just too powerful. Nevertheless, there are provisions in the bill that all progressives should be able to support this time, and maybe improve upon if they can get a Democratic majority of 60 votes or more again, not counting the Blue Dogs and Lieberman. Ha! In my dreams.

Regarding provisions that could "keep insurance companies honest," I remain doubtful. Somehow the language of the bills will be twisted to allow loopholes. However, one of the most important aspects in this respect would be to remove the insurance companies' anti-trust exemption. There is no reason in the world for them to have that exemption, other then effective lobbying by insurance companies. They have exploited it to its fullest. If removal of that exemption is not in the final bill, then I will be really disappointed. It is the one provision that could in the long term keep insurance companies more honest than they are now.

There is no such thing as an "honest" insurance company.

Displaying all 2 Forum Posts for the Thread:

Will the Public Option Survive?

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