Public Option Fades From Debate Over Health Care

[NeoConsSuck]

Source: NYTimes.com

WASHINGTON — It was just one line in a campaign manifesto, and it hardly seemed the most significant or contentious. As a presidential candidate, Barack Obama said he would “establish a new public insurance program” alongside private health care plans.

That proposal took on a life of its own, but it now appears to be dying, a victim of an ineffectual White House strategy, the president’s failure to argue passionately for the “public option” and all-out opposition by the insurance industry and much of the health care industry.

In the campaign, Mr. Obama said the public plan would compete with private insurers on the price and quality of care, thus benefiting consumers. What Mr. Obama did not foresee is that, to some people on the right and the left, it would become the most important issue in the debate over health care, touching off a battle over the role of government in one of the nation’s biggest, fastest-growing industries.

<snip>
Conservatives have another concern. They see the public option as a step toward a single-payer system in which the government would pay most of the nation’s health care bill and could supplant private insurers.

“A public plan is essentially a stalking horse for a single-payer plan,” said Senator Judd Gregg, Republican of New Hampshire. “It is more than the camel’s nose under the tent. It is the camel’s neck, and probably front legs, under the tent. There is no way the private sector will be able to compete.”


Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/13/health/policy/13plan.html?_r=1&hp

---

Hey Judd Gregg: Sure the private sector could still compete. They would have to cut the pay of the CEO's and other top management, and probably cut the money paid to their lobbyists, but they could compete. But if they cut the payouts to their lobbyists, I guess that means less money that goes to you.

Yes, we do have the best government money can buy.

[and-justice-for-all]

1. When addressing the concerns of the citizenary...

the concerns of the insurance industry should not be heard; it defeats the purpose of real health care reform. If the Government(the people) want to have a national health care system, they should have to ask permission from the problem.

[emulatorloo]

2. Axelrod: Obama Firm on Public Option-"not willing to accept that it's not going to be final package"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6539535

[ChiciB1]

3. When I See It, I'll Believe It... Don't Think I'll Be Seeing It Though! I Will

GLADLY eat my words, with a good dose of vinegar IF I'm wrong!! But for now... I don't even see DEMOCRATS willing to stand up for much of ANYTHING!!!

[emulatorloo]

4. Vinegar is tasty on just about anything! n/t

[creeksneakers2]

14. There is something they will call a public option that is not

a public option. It will be 50 co-ops with no ability to take on private insurance companies. The president said as much at his speech Wednesday night when he called it a NOT-FOR-PROFIT public option. It won't even be run by the government. How can that be a PUBLIC option?

[lapfog_1]

5. "There is no way the private sector will be able to compete.”

while at the very same time they argue that the government "can't get anything right."

So, make up your minds... is it that an effectively run government health insurance program would be so popular that private plans couldn't compete OR is it that the government can't do anything efficiently and the public plan would suck?

Pick one, because both can't be true at the same time.

[NeoConsSuck]

6. That's why I snipped in those two paragraphs

The Republican's mantra has always been private industry is more efficient and cost effective than government. Well, if that is true, why are they so worried?

[Aramchek]

7. yet another attempt to mislead the public on where Obama stands on the Public Option

[ArcticFox]

8. It was clear from Obama's speach

Public option in four years simply means Obama wants four years to figure out how to tell us we're not going to get it. It's a reverse trigger. I'm sure the insurance companies will play nice for a few years and politicians will say: "I guess we don't need a public option." Then, when we've all forgotten how close we came, four years will pass with nothing and nobody will say a word.

IF the democrats are ACTUALLY serious, then does anyone REALLY THINK that the insurance companies won't just throw billions of dollars to the republicans in order to change the law before those four years are up?

The alternatives are therefore:

EITHER Obama and Pelosi, et al. sold out

OR Obama and Pelosa, et al. have ensured a republican rout in 2012.

This could have been used to energize the democratic base. Instead, the dems have lost all the momentum they had after the election. I do believe it will end in utter failure. For the democratic party and, even worse, for the country.

[Iowa]

10. Well said. I agree.

[ChiciB1]

13. Sadly, I Too Agree With You ArticFox! I Want To Rise Up & Say...

well shout out some things in a vulgar way, but what good does it do me anyway! Ulcers? Depressions? Anxiety Attacks??

I know all of these well... it eats away at my very soul!

[emilyg]

16. +1

[pattmarty]

9. No public option (AND important regulations), then NO BILL!!!!!!

[theophilus]

11. It should have never caused the uproar that we have seen. n/t

[Nicephorus]

12. Public option dead

Even with a Democratic super majority in congress, the support of much of the population, and high approval ratings, Obama still couldn't get the job done with Health Care reform.

If this were the t.v. show "The Apprentice," the words "you're fired" would be uttered right about now.

Even if he gets something passed, it won't be until 2013 that it begins to be implemented, and the insurance companies have a 5 year "grace period" to comply with regulations. To make matters worse, only those who cannot get insurance through their employer are entitled to go to the new "exchange" he wants to set up.

Therefore, if you have a crappy plan through work that does not cover maternity, has a $10,000 deductible, a 500k lifetime benefit maximum, no drug coverage, etc. you won't be able to go to the exchange.

The plan that might make it through does absolutely nothing for the 47 million without insurance, and will likely lead to even more people becoming uninsured.

Good job Obama. Even with my low expectations, you have surprised me with your cynical politics and used-car salesman approach. Where is "Hope" now, with people going bankrupt and dying?

[burning rain]

15. One has to doubt Judd Gregg is hysterical despite how it sounds.

He's a sober guy--most likely it's phony alarm, and he's using it to try and gin up more opposition to any bill on the part of the public, and intimidate other senators. He can't possibly be worried about the puny 5% public option the prez outlined in his joint session speech, particularly as enrollment is so severely restricted. Such a public option would after all have only negligible power to compete with private insurance.

[wordpix]

17. call Sen. Reid re: supporting public option on Senate floor! Info here:

Dear MoveOn member,

After months of delay, the Senate Finance Committee will finally release its health care bill this week. As has long been expected, it'll be a weak bill with no public option1—and it's got little support, drawing fire from both Republicans and Democrats.2

The pundits will probably make a big deal when the bill drops. But we've all known what was coming for months.

The real news will be what comes next: Majority Leader Harry Reid will decide which bill to bring to a full Senate vote—the weak Finance bill with little support, or the strong bill passed with unanimous Democratic support by Sen. Ted Kennedy's committee in July.

Can you call Senate Majority Leader Reid right away? Urge him to make sure the bill that goes to the floor for a vote is the one passed by Sen. Kennedy's committee—with a public health insurance option.

Here's where to call:

Majority Leader Harry Reid
202-224-3542

Then, click the link below to let us know how it went:

http://pol.moveon.org/reidcalls/index.html?id=17230-3325316-pOFXBix&t=3

Ironically, the bill that Baucus delayed so long in the hopes of garnering bipartisan support has the least support of any of the five bills out there. Republicans have already denounced it,3 and a bloc of progressive Democrats have pledged to only vote for a bill with a strong public health insurance option.

The bill passed by Sen. Kennedy's committee, however, won unanimous Democratic support. And with its good public health insurance option, it's similar to House legislation that's received widespread praise among Democrats.

And Senator Tom Harkin, who recently replaced Sen. Kennedy as committee chair, is coming out fighting, saying this weekend " now falls to me to pick up the torch...mark my word—I'm the chairman— going to have a strong public option."4

Can you call Harry Reid right away? Make sure he knows we're counting on him to support real reform with a public health insurance option, like the plan passed by Sen. Kennedy's committee.

Here's where to call:

Majority Leader Harry Reid
202-224-3542

Then, please report your call by clicking here:

http://pol.moveon.org/reidcalls/index.html?id=17230-3325316-pOFXBix&t=4

Thanks for all you do.

–Nita, Joan, Kat, Peter, and the rest of the team

1. "A look at Baucus health care plan," The Associated Press, September 14, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51970&id=17230-3325316-pOFXBix&t=5

2. "Hatch Says Republicans Won't Back Finance Panel Health Bill," Bloomberg News, September 13, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51980&id=17230-3325316-pOFXBix&t=6

"Grijalva: Baucus Bill Has No Legitimacy" Firedoglake, September 12, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=52000&id=17230-3325316-pOFXBix&t=7
"Bipartisan Baucus plan may leave Democrats cold," The Associated Press, September 15, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=52041&id=17230-3325316-pOFXBix&t=8

3. "Hatch Says Republicans Won't Back Finance Panel Health Bill," Bloomberg News, September 13, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51980&id=17230-3325316-pOFXBix&t=9

4. "New Sen. Health Panel Chair Endorses Public Option," CBS News, September 14, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=52001&id=17230-3325316-pOFXBix&t=10