A Public Mandate WITHOUT a Public Option is NOT Going to Work....

[Blackhatjack]

No further explanation is required.

However, it just might drive people into the streets given most polls show 60-70% of respondents favor a public option.

[Oregone]

1. With a firewalled public option, it won't work either

CBO scored the "public option" as only covering 10 million in a decade.

Thats not choice. Thats not competing with insurers, keeping them honest. That is not driving down prices.

[Tim01]

2. Amereicans taking to the streets? I doubt it.

Americans have become very accomplished complainers.

[havocmom]

3. Making it mandatory to eat vegetables without providing the means to purchase vegetables

We know veggies are good for us and will help us live a healthier life, but if the guys selling them price them too high, and the guys paying most workers pay them too little, all the laws in the world won't put vegetables on every plate.

Insert health insurance in the place of 'eat vegetables' and the truth remains.

[redqueen]

4. That would be corporate welfare. (nt)

[hedgehog]

5. How many people are aware that health insurance is a skimming operation?

LIfe insurance works this way: the company knows that for a given group of people, so many people will die at age 30, so many at 40 , so many at 70 ,etc. The company collects premiums from a large group, then turns around and invests the money. Over time, the investments generate profits. The company takes a cut of the investment profits and uses the rest to pay off the customers. Auto and fire insurance work on a similar plan; invest the premiums and pay claims out of the proceeds, then use the rest as profit.

Health insurance may have started out this way. It used to be you went to the doctor when you were having a baby or broke a leg. Today we treat all kinds of chronic diseases. Medical expenses are an on-going item. In any case, today health insurance companies take in premiums, pay out some for medical expenses and profit from what they keep.

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/jul/27/us-earns-aetna-072709/

If all we're doing is pooling our money so all of us can pay our bills, why do we need to give a 20% or 30% cut to the insurance companies?

[Spike from MN]

6. Sure it is. It's going to work VERY well

for the insurance companies. Plus it's going to be a great tool to screw over the poor and middle class so it's really a two-fer. What more can you ask for?