I wish Obama would not mention requiring individuals to have insurance.

[LiberalFighter]

Rather that everyone that is employed or producing income along with employers will be paying into a fund.

[deaniac21]

1. That sounds too much like a tax.

[LiberalFighter]

2. What is the difference between it being a tax to a government run fund

and to the insurance companies as a premium?

Would you rather continue paying the amount you and/or your employer currently pay for premiums or 20-30% less when the insurance company is taken out of the equation? And if nearly 100% of all Americans are covered it may be even more than 20-30% reduction in taxes (premiums).

[deaniac21]

3. or not

[LiberalFighter]

4. The cost of health care sure as hell will be less under a government run plan

than by for-profit insurance companies.

[Better Believe It]

6. Far less than 10% will be covered by public insurance .... and that's in 2019!!

People need to read the details of what the House and Senate plans actually propose. Some think almost anyone, including employers, will be able to ditch private insurance companies and join a public plan.

That won't happen unless President Obama intervenes and demands the House and Senate re-write their plans so that a strong and viable public option will be available from year one of the plan.

And why do you think public insurance will cost less than private insurance? That would not be a "level playing field".

Perhaps you can cite something from the Senate or House bills that will back up that belief.

[Connie_Corleone]

5. According to Matthews and Fineman Obama never mentioned it.

Sometimes I wonder if these idiot pundits are living in an alternate universe or something. :eyes:

[Bluenorthwest]

9. Tonight he did not mention a public option

And he called the process "Health Insurance Reform" so there you have it.

[Fire1]

10. Yes he did. He said it will reduce health care costs,

regulations for insurance companies will be in place, we would be allowed to select the kind of coverage that meets our needs and we would have the same kind of coverage options available that are currently available to congress.

[Connie_Corleone]

11. He mentioned a public option. In fact he went into detail about it.

[dysfunctional press]

7. that's what a mandate is- and there will be a mandate.

after watching him tonite, i am pretty sure that the bill he signs will have a mandate to buy insurance, and that there will be NO public option offered.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

14. What makes you think THAT?

He actually seemed to be backing away from the whole "mandate" idea from what I could tell. He brought it up as an example of one way we could get everybody covered but he didn't talk about it like he was seriously supportive of it. He also did discuss the public option towards the end and did not seem to be backing away from it, so..............? :shrug:

[dysfunctional press]

15. the only reason he was discussing a public option was because the cleveland guy brought it up...

in his opening speech- he said absolutely NOTHING about a public option or about wanting one as part of the final package.
and he used the term mandate several times at least while answering questions- in a way that hinted to me that it will be part of the package.

[stray cat]

8. What about the independently wealthy. Or those between jobs who are well off financially?

[masuki bance]

12. "..everyone that is employed or producing income along with employers will be paying into a fund"

Voluntarily?

[Rosa Luxemburg]

13. Americans are used to insurance - you have to wean them off it