The sad truth about the Public Option

[PHIMG]

From PNHP's Blog:
http://www.pnhp.org/blog/2009/06/17/sebelius-flat-out-never-single-payer/

The proposal to provide a government-run Medicare-like program as an option for purchase within an insurance exchange of private health plans is vehemently opposed by the insurance industry, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the AMA, all Republicans, a large bloc of conservative Democrats, and many others. No amount of negotiation can resuscitate a Medicare-like option. It’s dead.

To avoid losing the support of the progressives and many of the moderates in Congress, efforts are being made to create a new private program that has distinguishing features, primarily cosmetic, that will allow them to mislabel it as a public option. The fear of opponents is that this pseudo-public option could later be transformed into a government-run program. Thus it is imperative that the design of the option would lock it up as a private sector model with no possibility of transformation. Without that assurance, the pseudo-public option will have to be eliminated during markup in order to salvage other reform policies. The opponents will never ever sign on to single-payer-in-waiting.

Those in the progressive community who abandoned single payer to support a public Medicare-like option, believing that this was the politically feasible strategy for success, simply haven’t been paying attention if they still really believe that a government-run public option can survive. They can keep on wishing, but they would be wise to back up their position by signing Sen. Bernie Sanders’ Petition to Congress:

http://sanders.senate.gov/petitions/index.cfm?uid=7fd59f2e-88e1-477a-8eaf-762a5b050809

[sandnsea]

1. If the left is sabatoging and the right is outright fighting

well no shit we aren't going to get it.

Some of us have been saying this for quite some time now.

[madfloridian]

2. Sounds like that PNHP is going to put blame on Dean and those of us

who have supported the public option as the most logical way.

You quote:

"Those in the progressive community who abandoned single payer to support a public Medicare-like option, believing that this was the politically feasible strategy for success, simply haven’t been paying attention if they still really believe that a government-run public option can survive. They can keep on wishing, but they would be wise to back up their position by signing Sen. Bernie Sanders’ Petition to Congress."

Setting up to blame is not wise.

Another quote:

"The proposal to provide a government-run Medicare-like program as an option for purchase within an insurance exchange of private health plans is vehemently opposed by the insurance industry, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the AMA, all Republicans, a large bloc of conservative Democrats, and many others. No amount of negotiation can resuscitate a Medicare-like option. It’s dead."

Okay let's look at this sensibly. You say public option is dead because of those of us who supported it....but you think you can still get the single payer which kicks out the insurance companies.

This is getting ridiculous.

[PHIMG]

3. The point here is we won't get meaningful reform until

there is a CIVIL-RIGHTS LEVEL demand from the people.

YES WE CAN!

[DJ13]

4. Agreed, but thats why I think any "reform" proposed now needs to be voted down

If this kind of "reform" passes this year the bought and paid for politicians will claim "we cant afford single payer now" in the coming years when the crisis gets worse.

We'll be stuck with a bastardized expensive system with no chance to truly reform it later.

[kath]

6. Absolutely right - the type of bullshit "reform" being talked about now needs to be voted DOWN!

[kath]

5. WHen's the March on Washington? Hubby and I are IN, 'cuz that's what it's going to take - millions

of people in the streets.

[dorkulon]

8. Yup, it's the only way.

Million of pissed off people in the streets. The sooner the better.

[ColbertWatcher]

7. Why can't we frame the public option as a bailout for doctors and nurses? n/t

[Strong Atheist]

9. Welcome to DU!

:toast: