Reply #2: Honest truth [View All]

[zipplewrath]

The honest truth is that the right is scared to death that a public plan will be successful. Of course, that's for various values of successful for which they would not all agree. But they don't want to get a plan in place that will become the new "third rail". A public option, almost ANY public option could quickly become very popular, and not just with the insured, but with employers. Truth is that right now, today, alot of employers would be glad to pay the government for a medicare like plan at the rate it costs the government. There will be alot of grumbling from people on the fringe who don't qualify for all the assistance they would want, but currently don't have insurance. And folks will always complain about change in general if their companies force them to switch from their private plans to a public option.

The biggest "problem" and really for both sides of the aisle, is that because it will be popular, it will be difficult to manage in a political sense. Folks will quickly forget the days when insurance was expensive, when it was available at all. There will be political pressure to keep costs to the consumers down, but keep service very "high" resulting occasionally wasteful or inefficient service delivery. The temptation to separate the cost to the consumer from the actual costs of delivery will be intense.