I think Kathleen Sebelius needs to hear from us...

[Emit]

Transcript: Sebelius on "State of the Union"

KING: Now, some, Madam Secretary, take that as a simple statement of fact, because you don't have the votes right now in the Senate for the public option. But some in this town in Washington, especially House Democrats, more liberal Democrats who have said that is critical. That they will not support health care without a public option. They take that as a message from the president that the votes aren't there, it's time to come up with a plan B.

SEBELIUS: Well, I think, John, that the president is absolutely right. This piece of the puzzle has had enormous focus and the president continues to believe that it's good to have consumer choice, let people choose an option in the new marketplace. And it's good to have competition for the private insurers who will inherit a lot of new customers and without competition, costs could skyrocket.

In a monopoly system, it's not a great way to hold down costs. So he continues to be very supportive of some options for consumers. What we don't know is exactly what the Senate Finance Committee is likely to come up. They've been more focused on a co-op, not-for- profit co-op as a competitor as opposed to a straight government-run program.

And I think what's important is choice and competition. And I'm convinced at the end of the day, the plan will have both of those. But that is not the essential element.

KING: So is the president trying to say to -- you know that the votes in the House and you know the support among liberals and they're angry. They think they're being sold out in the Senate. Is the president trying to say, I'm sorry, the votes aren't there, be prepared to embrace a co-op instead of a more robust public option?

SEBELIUS: Well, the way that the process works, the Senate will have a version, the HELP Committee has already come out in the Senate with a version that has a very robust public option. It's the same version that's in the House-passed bills. What we don't know is the final committee structure.

And I think the president is just continuing to say, let's not have this be the only focus of the conversation. Coverage for all Americans, lowering the crushing cost for everyone, making sure that we have new rules for insurance companies, that they can't dump people out of the marketplace if you get sick, that they can't drop your coverage based on a pre-existing condition, that you can't be priced out because you're a woman instead of a man, and gender discrimination won't be allowed to continue anymore.

Those are really essential parts of the program, along with choice and competition, which I think we'll have at the end of the day.

KING: So I want to get some of the president's travels this week, so I've moved over to our magic wall here in Washington. But let me just quite simply -- so the public option is not a deal-breaker from the president's standpoint?

SEBELIUS: Well, I think there will be a competitor to private insurers. That's really the essential part, is you don't turn over the whole new marketplace to private insurance companies and trust them to do the right thing. We need some choices, we need some competition. http://thepage.time.com/transcript-sebelius-on-state-of-the-union/

Let's help Sebelius out here!

Let them ALL know we want a public option or single payer. Or just let them know what YOU want...

Make your voice heard...

Kathleen Sebelius:
http://www.hhs.gov/ContactUs.html
http://ds1.psc.dhhs.gov/hhsdir/eeKey.asp?Key=109372
[email protected]

Obama:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
http://www.healthreform.gov/contact/index.html



Congress: https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

Senate: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

[Why Syzygy]

1. This is really the most outrageous

thing I have yet heard coming from the plan. COMPETITION! :wtf:

Wall Street showed us how well COMPETITION works out!

[valerief]

2. Thanks!

Did senate and house early (a few times)

Whitehouse today.

Mr. President, America needs either a *strong* public option or single payer. Please don't let Congress let the insurance companies price more of us into early coffins. In the next few weeks, please preempt primetime network teevee for this healthcare crisis to explain the Senate and House bills. We could do another million-plus-person march on Washington but that would get the same media blackout the antiwar protests got. America needs you to be *our* bully against the Fox News-ABC-CBS-NBC bullies. Thanks for all you do.

Hhs today.

Madam Secretary, America needs either a *strong* public option or single payer. We can't let Congress let the insurance companies price more of us into early coffins. We could do another million-plus-person march on Washington but that would get the same media blackout the antiwar protests got. America needs your support for Americans not for insurance companies. Please don't contribute to the The Healthy Insurance Company Act. Instead contribute to healthcare reform for the American unprivileged class. Thank you.

[lib_wit_it]

5. Demand Single Payer! Settle, grudgingly, for a robust Public Option! Stop asking for less than we

need and have it bargained down from there!

This weak-ass, "Oh please could you consider giving us less than we want and we'll settle for even less than that" bargaining from Democrats and progressives is pathetic! It is why Rethugs run this country.

[Faryn Balyncd]

3. K & R

[Kingofalldems]

4. I'm looking at it like this---If repubs don't vote for this

the GOP will be exposed for the liars they are. Although I am in favor of the PO, this is a brilliant move by Obama.

[Emit]

6. kick