On Health Care - the Public Option. Many wealthy companies/people stand to lose their bounty.

[NRaleighLiberal]

This is not about what is good for Americans. It is not really about politics. It is about corporate and personal greed - therefore this will be an intense battle. In a way, it may be the most important battle of many of our lives.

I sincerely hope that this is the kind of change that Obama believes in. Everyone needs to make the calls and keep the pressure on.

Wealthy, greedy people and companies will not give up this gravy train easily!!!!

Stating the obvious, I know....but the challenge of this cannot be overstated.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

1. The USA has a capitalist greed system making money out of the people's sickness

It is a disgrace!

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. Absolutely!

[NRaleighLiberal]

3. Yipee! My first unrecommend!

[FiveGoodMen]

5. Care to say why?

Oops. Took a minute to notice that it was your thread and someone ELSE unrec'd.

[Oregone]

4. Will the "public option" be affordable?

[Rosa Luxemburg]

6. not using the emergency room and unecessary procedures will save

a whole restructure will cut costs. This process won't happen overnight as a hybrid structure insurance companies/public will exist for some time.

[Oregone]

7. So it will be affordable for families to purchase and use? Yes?

[Rosa Luxemburg]

8. of course it should

in the UK it is very affordable! I don't see why it can't be here. In fact we pay more here for poor health care.

[Oregone]

13. Ever check which quintiles are paying what there?

That would be your answer.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

15. reform is needed

[Oregone]

16. The type of reform is more important than the presence of reform itself

[Rosa Luxemburg]

17. We have a very bad health system here and

it will be a long road to reform. Health care must be free at the point of use and be availalbe to all.

[redqueen]

9. Yes.

For low-income families, it will be subsidized.

[RowdyRacer]

10. Health Care Talking Points

Those who support the single payer public option would be much more effective if they got their talking points honed a coordinated...

Here are my suggestions.

1) If the money that insurance companies spend on advertising, executive perks and bonuses, and the salaries of people whose only job is to find reasons to REJECT CLAIMS was put toward HELPING SICK PEOPLE, we probably wouldn't even need to raise taxes to finance universal coverage.
We are ALREADY paying enough in premiums to finance a public program.

2) If my neighbor is a customer of Acme Insurance Company and I am a STOCKHOLDER in AIC, when my neighbor goes to the hospital with chest pains, I am hoping that they get him out of there ASAP, with minimum tests or procedures. Don't cost me money just because you are sick!!!
That is just WRONG...it is IMMORAL!!

3) How many people could be helped with the millions upon millions that are being spent on anti-public option television ads???

[Oregone]

14. So for a family with 3 dependents making $60K, how affordable will it be?

[subterranean]

11. I've never heard any clear definition of "affordable."

Here's how I would define it: Premiums no higher than 10% of income (or less depending on family size, and subsidized below a certain income level); a low deductible, or better yet, no deductible, as in public systems in other countries; low co-payments (no more than 20%); and a yearly out-of-pocket maximum. The premiums would be the same regardless of health status or gender, and there would be no pre-existing conditions clauses.

[Oregone]

12. Precisely, no one has defined it. In fact, its not really definable (or achievable) in this system

[maryf]

18. Single Payer is the only viable "public" option!!

to even consider maintaining a private option is to consider a path to failure... Rally for single payer in DC on July 30th http://www.healthcare-now.org