What does a "Public Option" mean to you?

[Postman]

To me it means I could buy into a government administered plan without restrictions.

Is that what our President and Congress are talking about? Or are they intent on giving us a Massachusetts style plan with the addition of a Public Option for those who can't get insurance?

[Echo In Light]

1. A cheaper HC plan offered to ALL that would help keep private ins costs in check

[derby378]

2. That sounds right to me

Blue Cross/Blue Shield won't let me choose my own doctor? Tenet won't approve my meds unless I get another pointless test? United HealthGroup threatening to drop my coverage if my BMI climbs another point? Screw them all - public option, here I come!

[slackmaster]

3. Higher taxes in exchange for assurance that I won't be left uncovered if I lose my job

Before I am old enough for Medicare.

[Postman]

4. I'm not sure what you mean....

a Public Option, in your opinion, means higher taxes? That's how you view a Public Option - as higher taxes?

[slackmaster]

10. If you are going to repeat what I wrote, at least make an honest effort to repeat the whole thing

:nuke:

Any public health insurance option is sure to raise taxes on the working middle class. In exchange for that, we get some kind of safety net for people who under the present system are going uninsured.

[eleny]

5. It means a first step in loosening the grip of health care away from insurance companies

I understand what you're really asking. I'm a Medicare for all advocate. But whatever we get, it will be the first time the insurance companies lose a fight over who controls health care - them or we the people. So, bottom line is that anything we get will be a foot in the door waiting for further improvements.

[RKP5637]

13. I think you are so very correct, Medicare for all.

To me, Medicare works well and is established. I think all of these different options for health care are making it all too confusing. There could still be a private insurance aspect to Medicare for all. It seems to me in the US, anymore, we make everything far too complicated and we still don't end up with institutions that work well. I agree, as you said, "So, bottom line is that anything we get will be a foot in the door waiting for further improvements."

[KittyWampus]

6. Being able to opt into a health insurance plan that is price-controlled by the govt.

[guitar man]

7. To me it means

It would be a non-profit entity to provide coverage to those of us who do not have the luxury of paying to support massive profits, stockholder dividends, $102k per hour CEO salaries, bonuses, comissions, junkets to Vegas and all other manner of shit that the malicious greed mindset brings with it. Those of us working and earning on the lower rungs just need our healthcare needs met and cannot afford to pay for their excesses anymore.

How's that? :shrug:

[RKP5637]

9. This is what I think too!

Today (a majority I believe) have no leverage in this country for health care and many things. I feel the system is constantly rigged against most of us by greedy dishonest manipulative corporations and the like... the Public Option would give us a chance to get health coverage without the insurance companies manipulating everything against us. I will never understand why so many appear against a Public Option. Most seem completely uninformed. Although, I just quickly searched whitehouse.gov for a definition and could not easily find one. I think that might be what is driving all of the confusion and allowing misinformation to be spread against Obama. The definitions need to be absolutely defined soon... then, hopefully, the controversies might go away.

[KansDem]

8. It means to me that I could have a six-month checkup after a heart attack...

...and not be prevented from seeing my doctor because the fucking front office couldn't break the bill I was using for my copay!*
________
*True story...

[enlightenment]

11. Definitely not that.

To me, a public option is a government sponsored, privately run health insurance scheme that will be open to some (who is unclear) but not all; will offer reduced or subsidized premiums to the most needy who qualify (questionable how low those premiums will be or how low they will stay, since it will not receive government funding); will offer some sort of coverage to said needy people (what it will cover is also unclear).

But hey! American Exceptionalism must be protected at all costs.

[KG]

12. rearranging the deck chairs.

fuck a bunch public option.