Reply #21: You are mistaken,. The CBO didn't estimate eligibility for the PO, they estimated utilization.

[John Q. Citizen]

Since the PO was constructed as a level playing field, it won't have a cost advantage.

Since it's starting from scratch it won't have any care providers and it won't have any patients to offer care providers so coverage will be more expensive than private plans.

Since coverage will be more expensive, not many people will want to pay more money for less coverage.

Which is why the CBO estimates that the PO will have a utilization rate of from zero to 2%, or 10 million people at best, by 2010.