Obama Signals Public Option Could Be Dropped
Some argue that healthcare cooperatives are better than a public option
Fueling the latest debate today over the Obama administration's proposed healthcare reform is whether the president would forgo a government-sponsored public insurance option to push his deal through Congress.
Called a public option, the idea is backed by some liberals as a way to keep private insurance companies honest on price and quality.
The Obama administration signaled over the weekend that the option could be dropped.
"The public option, whether we have it or we don't have it, is not the entirety of healthcare reform. This is just one sliver of it. One aspect of it," President Barack Obama said in a town hall meeting Saturday in Colorado.
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Sunday that the government alternative to private health insurance is "not the essential element" of healthcare reform. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, sent a similar message on CBS's Face the Nation, saying that the president "will be satisfied" if the private insurance market has "choice and competition."
The possible concession to Republican critics could garner more support from the right but could alienate some of Obama's liberal supporters.
Former Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean said this morning that the healthcare bill isn't worth passing without the public option. "There are too many people who understand, including the president himself, the public option is absolutely linked to reform," Dean said on CBS's This Morning.
He cited two public health programs, Medicare and the Veterans Health Administration system, in defense of the idea.
But the Obama administration hinted this weekend that it is considering an alternative to the public option: nonprofit health cooperatives.
Proposed by Democratic Sen. Kent Conrad of North Dakota, the consumer-owned nonprofit health cooperatives would sell insurance to compete with the private industry, similar to the way electric and agriculture co-ops operate. The co-ops would operate under a national structure with state affiliates, independent of the government, although plan would get $3 billion to $4 billion in initial support from the government.
Supporters of the alternative argue that it would provide the same kind of competition as the public option without the stigma of a government takeover of healthcare.
"The fact of the matter is there are not the votes in the United States Senate for the public option," Conrad said on Fox News Sunday. "There never have been. So to continue to chase that rabbit, I think, is just a wasted effort."
- See photos of healthcare town hall meetings.
- Read Senate Considers Healthcare Co-ops.
Reader Comments
HEALTHCARE - ETC.
REFERENCE - GLORIA FROM CALIFORNIA
COULDN'T AGREE WITH YOU MORE,IT IS SUCH A - shame - OUR 'REPRESENTATIVES' HAVE PRIORITIES THAT COME BEFORE THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE PEOPLE THEY WERE ELECTED TO REPRESENT , OH DEAR WHAT A TERRIBLE SHAME .
CONSEQUENTLY THESE MATTERS SHOULD BE PUT TO THE VOTE OF THE PEOPLE THEMSELVES , AND NOT LEFT UP TO THEIR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE .
YOU MENTIONED THE IRAQ WAR , I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SEEN THE RESULT OF A 'PEOPLES VOTE' ON THAT ONE , INSTEAD OF THE TERRIBLE DECISION THAT WAS MADE , ALL THOSE POOR PEOPLE AND WHOSE RELATIVES , PAY THE PRICE.
Health Care Reform
Since the Senators say there are not enough senate votes to pass a public option, let the people decide. I understand that the insurance interests and lobbyists have promised that any senator who votes for a public option will not receive the usual campaign contributions from the insurance interests. Furthermore, the insurance interests will donate generously to that senator's opponent in the next election and will work for the defeat of any senator who votes for a public option.
Okay, then let the people vote on it. Just back off on any legislation for now and in November 2010, put this on the ballot in every state. Something to the effect of...
"Regarding health care reform, the option I most strongly prefer is:
Option 1. Do nothing. Leave the insurance coverage as is and make no changes.
Option 2. Extend medicare to all U.S. citizens.
Option 3. Do not change medicare, but extend to all U.S. citizens below the age of 65 the same insurance that is now provided for all federal employees.
Option 4. Do not change medicare, but extend to all U.S. citizens below the age of 65 the same insurance that is now provided for the members of congress, the senate and the president.
Option 5. The congress, the senate and the president shall prepare a final version of health care reform legislation and shall submit it to the general public for a vote."
I remember during the campaign that candidate Obama said if he were elected president, he would make sure all Americans had access to health insurance that was affordable and was as good as the insurance provided to the congress and senate and president. When questioned about how he would pay for such a plan, he responded that he would pay for it by eliminating much of the waste and inefficiency in government, he would streamline the health care administration and go to electronic record keeping and eliminate fraud and waste, and he would also provide additional federal funds by bringing the troops home from Iraq within six months of taking office.
I have read in my local newspaper that one of the generals in Iraq has recommended that the troops be brought home from Iraq in August 2010 instead of later, as the administration currently plans. I hope that President Obama follows that general's recommendation. Personally, I don't know why the troops aren't being brought home from Iraq NOW!
We the people should decide this issue. We the people do not depend on campaign contributions from lobbyists and special interests. We the people are not beholden to the insurance interests. Since the president and the senate seem unwilling or unable to put the interests of the public ahead of their own personal interests, give the matter over to the public for a vote. We will tell the politicians what we want.
All in the rules
So much depends on the rules established to govern a co-op and how they compare to the rules governing other members of the healthcare system. More at http://www.healthcaretownhall.com/?p=1288#more-1288
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