A friend of mine pay's 1000.00 per month for her company insurance

[trumad]

for her family of 4.

I'm pretty lucky in that I pay 200 per month for a family of 5. I work for a very large company---she works for a small company.

So---as I read the current bill being floated around--- my friend cannot opt out of her expensive insurance and go to a cheaper public option plan?

If the public option plan runs about 300-500 bucks per month... I don't mine keeping my current insurance.

I'm good--- my friend---she's screwed.

on edit: If my friend could opt out for the cheaper plan---wouldn't her current insurance company drop the price to try and keep her---hence creating competition?

[slackmaster]

1. So does my manager

He has four children, one of whom has congenital heart problems and has already had millions of dollars worth of treatments including two open-heart surgeries.

[Oregone]

2. Who knows about opting out

I thought Obama said last night it was only for those who didn't have insurance. If you are allowed to opt out, it would appear to negate that.

Anyway, no one knows to the final bill is produced. The legislative process seems less than benevolent thus far

[trumad]

3. I was listening to Thom Hartman this morning...

And he knows the bill being passed around pretty good. He explained that if you have insurance of any kind---you can't drop it for the Public option.

[Oregone]

5. Then its not really an "option" now, is it?

[trumad]

7. Exactly

[lapfog_1]

4. Correct, we are all pretty much screwed.

Not to mention that while you can't be dropped for "pre-existing conditions" or rescinded... there is any as yet specified way to keep your current insurance company from jacking your rates up. Absent the ability to switch to a "basic plan public option", there will be no reason for insurance companies to keep your premiums at a their present level of rip off... and there will be pressure on congress to allow them to stick it to us even more.

[trumad]

6. Wow---

There's no way that they can pass that....what a backlash if this is the final bill.

[lapfog_1]

8. Even worse, this is now our "starting postion" on the negoiation

with the repukes. Not the "compromise". The compromise has yet to be done.

It's like we keep moving our goal line up the field, even before the kickoff.

Right now, our goal line (where THEY have to reach to score) is mid field, but when WE are on offense, we have to play the entire 100 yards.

[Dappleganger]

9. $1700/month for a family of 6 here.

[trumad]

10. Ouch

[sinkingfeeling]

11. Two words: Insurance exchange

…creating a new insurance exchange – a marketplace where individuals and small businesses will be able to shop for health insurance at competitive prices.