I would prefer single payer, but I think I'm ok with the insurance

[Thickasabrick]

companies and co-ops. Co-ops would definitely need to happen and the insurance companies couldn't deny people coverage for existing conditions. I think once the insurance companies have to actually pay up and not wriggle out of claims, their profit margins will shrivel up and eventually - they will go away. No profits, no business.

The republican strategy to destroy/downsize the government has always been "starve the beast" through lowering taxes. It's almost as if the democrats are using the same strategy, but it will be the insurance companies.

This may be wishful thinking on my part, but I do not see how insurance companies can survive when they actually have to take everyone and pay claims.

I'm really starting to feel better about all this.

[valerief]

1. There's no headway without at least a public option. Medical coverage for profit

needs to be phased out.

[Thickasabrick]

4. I agree but I also think that the phase out cannot possibly be done

in a quick manner without it being political suicide for our party.

I think we are witnessing the birth of phase 1.

[valerief]

5. The public option needs to be in place. Phase out of for-profit care can occur over

a few decades.

[Oregone]

2. Kiss $400 billion of instant savings away without it

As well as guaranteed affordable access to care for everyone regardless of employment and marital status

[Sebastian Doyle]

3. Anything short of a True Public Option

is simply not. fucking. acceptable.

[Thickasabrick]

8. A public option would be the only way to compete with the insurance

companies to starve the profits, so I absolutely agree we must have one.

[John Q. Citizen]

6. i'm not OK with bribing the insurance industry to do the right thing. I think it is very bad

government policy.

The insurance companies will be richer than they are now. They are 100% behind Obama's plan. His plan is use tax dollars to buy private insurance.

It's so sad. It's wrong.

[sandnsea]

7. If every person can see a doctor

Then I am okay with whatever gets us there. If it bankrupts us in five years and we have to start over, fine. But at least every person will have had a chance to get to the doctor in the meantime.

[valerief]

12. There will be no starting over. Many more people will die. We need it now

when there's a glimmer of hope.

[sandnsea]

21. Need what now? We'll get a plan passed

And lots of people will get health care that don't have it now. We'll probably have to redo it, but I'd rather save lives in the short term than have nothing passed at all.

[valerief]

24. Public Option. nt

[sandnsea]

25. And we'll probably get it

But why would you say people will die if we only get subsidized insurance? More people will die if we don't get a generous subsidy, whether it subsidized private insurance or a public premium. The amount of the subsidy is actually the most important part.

[valerief]

28. Because insurance reform *only* now will result in deregulation down the road.

That's when more people will die. When another Bush gets in office.

If the public option is inserted *now*, it will be as tough to remove as Medicare.

[Sebastian Doyle]

13. I'm George Halvorson, and I approve the preceding message

Sandnsea, you're doing a heckuva job! If we get the kind of bill I want, I'm doubling your bonus!

[sandnsea]

22. Are you going to pay for my health care?

There's a very real chance I would lose my care if something doesn't pass that will help this state continue its health subsidies.

[rwheeler31]

9. Health care must pass get it started.

[Thickasabrick]

10. I agree - there must be something put in place this year. The window

of opportunity is really small.

[mdmc]

11. me too. but i'll still un recommend this thread.

it just breaks my heart. i want a public option, but i'll settle with lower co-pays.
I'll be supporting Obama.

[Thickasabrick]

14. LOL...I'm pretty sure it's about -100 right now but I think it's something

we all need to talk about. Single payer is not going to happen no matter how bad we all want it this time around. It may not happen in my lifetime, but we have to start chipping away at the "insurance beast" and we need to start now.

With co-ops and possibly a public option, there is no way insurance companies will be able to compete and they will eventually go the way of the dinosaurs but it's going to take longer than 4 years.

[mdmc]

23. A public option would be gravy.

hope it happens this time around.:toast:

[NC_Nurse]

15. It's a start, and judging by the amount of hysteria and ignorance at this point

it may be all we can get. I haven't given up hope on a public option yet, but I'm going to be happy if we get solid regulations on insurance
companies and a national co-op exchange. It's still a HUGE improvement over what we have now.

[Laelth]

16. You're right. That is wishful thinking.

Current plans being considered by Congress will massively enrich insurance companies, not starve or bankrupt them.

I'd rather do nothing than to pass any of the bills currently being considered by Congress.

:dem:

-Laelth

[Eric J in MN]

17. The insurance companies can keep raising premiums faster than inflation...

...if we don't have a public option with Medicare rates to compete.

[bkkyosemite]

18. co-ops will have no competition with the insurance companies. not good enough.

[DireStrike]

19. Meh. Corporations like that exist only because they find ways to steal

They'll steal from their workers, increase their rates, or do something else to make up the "shortfall", aka "not drinking in blood fast enough".

They'll pass some stealth bill afterwards that makes it legal to harvest the organs of the people they covered who have died, or something like that.

[dhpgetsit]

20. I'm really not OK with anything short of single-payer.

I know it won't happen anytime soon unless...

We get about 100 times more active. We could have huge marches and general strikes and really make a big stink about it. HR 676 is still out there sitting on the sidelines. It just need some love.

But I just don't see it happening. We just sit at our computers and throw spit-balls, and maybe make a phone call or two.

[mwooldri]

26. OK with the status quo?

Co-ops will just mean an extension of the status quo, adding lots of little non-profit insurance companies to the mix, which may get gobbled up into a handful of non-profit insurance companies.

Co-ops won't drastically alter the playing field as we speak at all.

Personally I don't care how it is done but I'm for healthcare for everyone that's free at the point of delivery that's affordable by everyone by assessing means tested premiums.

[stray cat]

27. A public option and true regulation of insurance companies - everyone must enroll

I think thats as good as its likely to get - and I am afraid we won't get there. Single payer will not happen this year - we can't even get dem support for the public option.