As an American, I want to make my own decisions, for better or for worse ["Democrats Push Public Healthcare Option in House and Senate," usnews.com]. If I make bad decisions I should suffer the consequences. If I make good decisions I should reap the benefits. I don't want the government to do much—if anything for me. I definitely do not want the government controlling my healthcare or taking my hard-earned dollars to provide healthcare or insurance for those who don't want to purchase it for themselves, those who choose not to work, or illegal immigrants. The bloated over-reaching government that Obama is trying to create is not good for America.
Comment by Dan of MI
I strongly support a public insurance option. If the legislation stated that all Americans need to have insurance coverage, but there was no affordable public option (unlike the unaffordable private options we currently face) the legislation would put more money into the insurance industry's already bulging wallets. It is not an option to leave our broken healthcare system the way it is. We as Americans pay several times more than what other countries do for their healthcare coverage and we have much poorer health outcomes. Many uninsured and underinsured people are suffering while the health insurance industry and their shareholders make millions of dollars.
Comment by Christine of WI
This article hits the nail on the head. Consolidation in the health insurance industry has eliminated competition in most areas. So, what does Congress want to do? Have the government take over everything and raise our taxes to pay for it. This won't be enough money to pay for it so they'll go after the insurance companies for their money, and we will end up losing more jobs in the process. And once this government program is in place, there'll be no turning it off. It will drain the nation's economy for every cent it's got. Just as was the case with the financial system, Congress let banks get "too big to fail" instead of regulating their monopolistic tendencies and we the taxpayers are paying for it. The regionally monopolistic health insurance companies should be broken up and better regulated to promote competition and bring prices down. What will the doctors do when they don't get paid what they want by the insurance companies? They will send the rest of the bill to us, the patients.
Comment by Todd of PA
To me the real need for reform is the unethical profit motives of the healthcare insurance industry, and the scale on which they operate with impunity. Denying pre-existing conditions from coverage should be illegal. Selling insurance only to those who don't need it may be good for the bottom line, but in this day and age where everyone seems to be losing or changing jobs, and most likely therefore changing healthcare coverage ... this is not a realistic or ethical business practice. Denying a healthcare claim should be the exception, not the rule, and there needs to be much closer governance before any healthcare claim is denied. Even if you are fortunate enough to have health insurance, and if the claim is not denied, the insurance rarely—if ever—covers the entire cost of any procedure. Every year, my health insurance costs more, and the amount of coverage goes down, and every quarter these health insurance industries post record profits. Reforms can't happen soon enough.
Comment by David Casto of OH
The public option wouldn't truly push prices down. It would just pay doctors less and then go to taxpayers to fund the difference. It's the equivalent of a taxpayer revolt on the prices of stamps. The government lowers the price of stamps and then creates extra taxes to subsidize the cost and to make it more salient to the competition. If they operate like this, they will put the private companies out of business. The government has an unending supply of taxpayer money, the private insurers don't. John McCain had a way better plan. They just need to be able to compete against each other.
Comment by Dave of IL
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Reader Comments Read all comments (11)
t deluca of OH 12:23PM September 15, 2009
phil mccracken of CA 9:47PM July 22, 2009
CARL ANDERSON of MI 4:33PM July 21, 2009