The Public Plan, Continued

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In the debate over health care reform, no issue has produced more fury and sound bites than the question of whether to include a government-run insurance plan. It is not indispensable, and its role would be limited. Even so, we strongly support inclusion of a public option — the bigger and stronger the better. That is the best way to give consumers more choices, inject more competition into insurance markets, hold down the cost of insurance policies, and save money for the federal budget.

Here are some of the basic issues to consider, and the current legislative state of play:
more at link: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/18/opinion/18sun1.html?ref=opinion

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A PUBLIC PLAN FOR EVERYBODY? Too often insurance markets are dominated by one or two big companies. We believe that, after a break-in period, the insurance exchanges, with a public option, should be opened to virtually everyone covered by large employer-based plans.

That would give the vast majority of Americans a bigger choice of insurance options than they now have at most workplaces — and a greater stake in pushing Congress to approve a strong public plan.