My angle: The way the 'public option' may become de facto single payer..

[Edweird]

This occurred to me today: we all know that health care costs (read: insurance cos) are killing American competitiveness. Obviously major corporations know this as well. Corporations are required to do what is best for the corporate bottom line. When the bean counters realize how much they could save by dropping ALL INSURANCE ALTOGETHER - without leaving the employees uninsured, why wouldn't they? All the employees would legitimately be qualified for the public option. Once one corporation does it, the others will follow, because they have to compete and pursue any advantage available. As long as the 'public option' doesn't suck ass, I think this would be a back door into single payer.

[mike_c]

1. this is actually the scenario I fear the most...

...or at least one of them. The problem is that the public option will not be funded by taxes, but will be pay as you go. Now I fully expect it will be less expensive than the best quality private plans available, but it certainly will not be free, and it will cost thousands of dollars for most middle class Americans.

Right now my insurance, which is not especially good but not the worst and I expect it's probably about what the public option will offer, more or less, is free. If my employer drops insurance coverage to save money, and I have to buy insurance myself-- I won't qualify for any subsidies-- it will break me. I just don't have ten or twelve thousand extra dollars each year, or even half that. Many folks are in the same boat-- we've got middle of the road group plans that our employers offer but would love to be rid of, and cannot afford to buy insurance ourselves.

That's one reason the public option is not single payer universal health care. It will be a nonprofit alternative to commercial insurance, likely less expensive on an plan-for-plan basis but I expect it will still be out of my reach, or buying it will further erode my security and quality of life.

[Edweird]

3. Nothing is 'free' no matter how you look at it. Canada has serious taxes,

but it pays for their health care. One way or the other you're going to pay for it. I want medicare for all, but that isn't looking particularly likely right now.

If the public option is equivalent to what you have at work, but non-profit, how is that worse?

FWIW, I'm in deep shit financially myself - my suburban will become 'home sweet home' in less than two weeks. I've been uninsured for years, and just signed up today for some crappy aetna HMO at work - it's open enrollment. I understand exactly what it's like to be broke and uninsured. I'm just trying to find a bright side to all of this.

[valerief]

2. That's what I'm hoping for. If the public option looks like it can't bear the weight,

Medicare for All!!!!

:woohoo:

[Edweird]

4. That's what I'm thinking. It gets overwhelmed and voters get active.

Plus it puts 'for profit' insurance out of business.