So I have a question...

[hypocrisyandlies]

Did we get a public option or not? I am so confused as to what is actually in this bill and what isn't. No two sources have the same information.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. No, we did not.

[Uben]

2. No, there is nopublic option

There is legislation in progress to address that issue. Whether or not it passes really depends on how the republicans respond to this bitter defeat. If they hold fast, it will be a tough row to hoe.
If they wise up and see the errors of their antics, maybe we'll see in a year or two. I have seen claims from that side that state they will offer their own version of a public option to counter the defeat they just experienced. IF not, they are going to have a rough go of it in 2012.

[hypocrisyandlies]

3. This is just so frustrating.

We got nothing we wanted out of this whole thing. Republicans got everything they wanted. And yet, they are still crying "Socialism!"
Thanks for the info.

[Uben]

4. I know it's frustrating......

...but we did come away with some very good things, and the republicans certainly did not get everything they wanted. I was so hoping for a public option or a medicare buy in because I'm paying over $18K/yr in premiums for a catastrophic policy. The pre-existing clause for adults does not kick in till 2014, so I'll have to get by until then. In the mean time, I'm hoping we can get a public option amendment passed and implemented.

The republicans made a very big blunder by refusing to negotiate in earnest. They will feel the repercussions this fall and in 2012. They decided to just appease their base by just saying no to everything, and completely alienated the independents, moderates, and those who really needed help in their party.

They like to call attention to the costs of the bill, but refuse to say that when they were in power, they paid for nothing! The economic conditions were much better then, too. They spent money like water on the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and the tax cuts for the rich was all put on the nations deficit, with no plan to repay any of it. Oh, they told us the oil from Iraq would pay for the war, but as we know, that never happened. So, any claims by them about spending falls on deaf ears.

I sure hope we get some more relief on insurance costs, and it looks like it will have to come from market driven forces when the exchanges are up and running. I'm not holding my breath. I just hope I can make it till the wife is eligible for medicare in seven years, and that she does not have a recurrence of her breast cancer in the interim.