I Support The Public Option - by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand

[kpete]

I Support The Public Option
by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand
Digg this! Share this on Twitter - I Support The Public OptionTweet this submit to reddit Share This
Mon May 11, 2009 at 12:03:25 PM PDT

Last Tuesday, I stopped by to announce my new website, ConversationsWithKirsten.com. We've already received hundreds of questions through the website, and I was excited to see that my post spurred a lot of discussion. We're still sorting through the questions to find the most asked questions, and I have posted some of my initial answers today.

During this process, it became clear that one topic was far and away the most discussed in this community and among the questions that I received through my website, and so I wanted to post here to make my views as clear as possible:

A not-for-profit public plan option must be included in any discussion about comprehensive health reform.

I believe that by opening up a not-for-profit public health plan like a "Medicare for all," we can ensure that every American has access to quality, affordable healthcare regardless of his or her income. In the world's wealthiest nation, it's unconscionable that people are turned away from coverage because of a pre-existing condition and that families are just one illness away from bankruptcy.

more:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/5/11/730233/-I-Support-The-Public-Option

[Zynx]

1. But DU tells me she is the devil and slightly to the right of Francisco Franco.

[Oregone]

2. How would that contradict her support for this abomination?

[DireStrike]

3. The public option is an abomination?

[Oregone]

4. Yes

But as long as it pacifies you, mission accomplished!

[DireStrike]

5. Looks to me like the choice we have is between public option or forced insurance

One of those is an abomination. The other is a foot in the door.

[Oregone]

7. The door is already slammed shut, in case you didn't notice

This is shaping up to be an anemic mess. Especially if it looks anything like what Schumer laid out. The Democrats should be ashamed.

[annabanana]

6. It might be if her version is the same as Schumer's:

¶The public plan must be self-sustaining. It should pay claims with money raised from premiums and co-payments. It should not receive tax revenue or appropriations from the government.

¶The public plan should pay doctors and hospitals more than what Medicare pays. Medicare rates, set by law and regulation, are often lower than what private insurers pay.

¶The government should not compel doctors and hospitals to participate in a public plan just because they participate in Medicare.

¶To prevent the government from serving as both "player and umpire," the officials who manage a public plan should be different from those who regulate the insurance market.

[DireStrike]

8. :O

How the hell is that a public option? Why is it even given that name? That's disgusting!

[Oregone]

9. Precisely what I am referring to

And you know, its no wonder why the health insurance industry is playing ball, if this is in fact what is in the cooker. In many ways, it could save the health insurance companies trillions! Yes, by "shifting" their expensive clients off their rolls and onto the non-funded public option, its all profits.

With higher risk patients, the "public option" would either go bankrupt or have to increase premiums well above private insurance (even without making a profit). What a damn joke.

[DireStrike]

10. I'm sorry, you are right. This is an abomination.

From the people who brought you the "clear skies" and "patriot" acts... we now have "public health coverage", every word a lie!

[Oregone]

11. Well it certainly sounds good

Makes me wonder if politicians are merely salesmen of the elite, and nothing else. If this is true, what does that say of Obama?

Hopefully Chuck's plan will be tossed, but I doubt it at this point.

[DireStrike]

12. Why are they allowed to mislabel things like this?

It's like the constant arms race in the food industries. People wanting to eat clean and fresh food come up with a new label, fight like hell to get it placed on foods that are better, and occasionally succeed. When they do, agribiz storms in and waters down the name until it means nothing anymore.

We can't even get together a term for what we want in the legislature without it being stolen and trampled into the semantic graveyard. Salesmen indeed... this is pure marketing.

[Raineyb]

13. OMG! That IS an abomination

:grr:

There are times when I really can't stand my Senators. Those points illustrate why.

Regards

[TheWraith]

14. Dunno about Schumer, but she originally campaigned on Medicare-for-all. nt

[Winterblues]

15. There is a public option?

I thought the big stink here was them allowing ONLY a Private Insurance option...