The Rebirth of the Public Option

So what once seemed improbably seems quite possible today, as news reports that the Senate health care bill that will come out for a vote on the floor will include some form of a public option.

Finally!

The House side has been on this bandwagon of sorts – they did also have  close to the projected numbers to pass the bill without much bipartisan support.  The Senate has a little bit more work to do to in the numbers department.

I am a firm opposer of “party politics”.  But I have to admit that a lot of what I have seen GOP leaders and representatives do during the 21st century has been down right frustrating.

I have wrote quite a number of posts about the health care debate; however, my entire premise has been that there is nothing quite like a government sponsored health care option that will do the trick of reducing health care costs.

And now that the Senate Democratic leaders are at least taking some form of public option to the floor, I believe the best option now is hitting the ground to be debated.  So far, this discussion has seemed more like a refusal to face the music on behalf of the GOP, but I believe that credible concerns about costs and businesses can be ironed out while still creating some form of government option.

I will tell you what won’t work and it is ludicrous that it  is continually brought up:

1) A Trigger Option – Why would you say we will give health care providers a chance to reduce their costs over a certain period of time, and if not we will then implement a public option?  Haven’t we been trying to get health care providers to take responsibility for reducing health care costs since like 1950 or something?  At what point will the final chance come?  A trigger option is just a euphemism for “public option 6 feet under”.

2) State Opt-In – I do think that one of the best ways to sale this public option would be to give the states the choice to include the public option within their state.  However, if that is going to be the most credible option for gaining support, I would say the power needs to be in the hands of the people.  The power to opt-in to the plan should not be decided by a state legislature politicizing this, and a governor signing it into law.  Put it on a ballot, and have the people vote, because they are the ones that will be benefiting.

3) No public option – why is this even a debate!?  We can talk semantics about businesses being threatened, unfair competition, blah blah blah.  But let’s keep it real.  There has been countless studies and all types of research in the past months that refute many of the fears that the public option will be this earth-shattering.  Too many.  It is clear that while public option would have a strong impact, it would level the playing field.  

And now that the public is coming back around to liking the sound of  a government-run option, the ball is in the legislators’ courts.  In the same way that GOP was slick arguing that the majority of public was against a government program and that should be reason enough to put that aside, I expect them to argue in favor of what the public wants once again, and get on board with making this option work.

Contributor, Young Writer’s Block
Contributor, The Carmon Report

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