Who wouldnt switch to Fed run insurance if given the choice?

[lxlxlxl]

Open the door...we're ready to go in...Get us any public option and I will buy in. There are more of us than 'them'

[Maru Kitteh]

1. In a heartbeat.

[AllyCat]

2. I'd do it in a heartbeat and we have GOOD insurance.

[bermudat]

3. I would switch in a NY second.

So many of the American sheeple don't realize that because you have insurance

doesn't mean all your medical charges will be automatically paid. If that

happened, insurance companies wouldn't be so profitable.

[lapfog_1]

4. Only you won't be allowed...

President Obama:

Now, I have no interest in putting insurance companies out of business. They provide a legitimate service, and employ a lot of our friends and neighbors. I just want to hold them accountable. (Applause.) And the insurance reforms that I've already mentioned would do just that. But an additional step we can take to keep insurance companies honest is by making a not-for-profit public option available in the insurance exchange. (Applause.) Now, let me be clear. Let me be clear. It would only be an option for those who don't have insurance. No one would be forced to choose it, and it would not impact those of you who already have insurance. In fact, based on Congressional Budget Office estimates, we believe that less than 5 percent of Americans would sign up.


Note the important part : "It would only be an option for those who don't have insurance."

[andym]

6. So couldn't we just decline our insurance

If one works for a large business, couldn't one just ask to not receive the company insurance?

In the HELP and House bills, small businesses are allowed to join the public plan, so that won't be a problem, unless it's eliminated in the final bill. But, just like for big business, couldn't one just ask one's employer to not receive health care (but instead get the money (if any) that would have gone to health care up front.

Wouldn't we then be eligible?

[lapfog_1]

7. From my understanding, no.

If the employer contributes to the health plan (or choice of health plans), then you must go with the employers choice. Now, I don't know how they enforce this, but the details will be important.

[Ms. Toad]

9. That's not how I read that comment, or his proposal

I read it as saying even if you don't have insurance you won't be forced into the public option (i.e. it will only be an option - not a mandate). That is consistent with the next sentence.

The exchange, which includes the public option, will be open to some employers starting in 2013 and to all employers four years later. Nothing I have seen excludes employers from selecting the public option for their employees (or permitting it to be one of several choices offered to them).

[lapfog_1]

13. In that same follow on sentence...

"and it would not impact those of you who already have insurance."

So, if it's even a possible choice, wouldn't that impact me?

The only way it doesn't impact me is if I can't choose it.

And let's face it, if President Obama expects that ONLY 5 % of all Americans get the public option, and we know that MORE than 10% currently have NO insurance, how is it that this program ends up with only 5% if all Americans can choose it (because you know that the vast majority of us WOULD if we COULD... only those with the "gold plated" insurance programs would not choose it... it's portable from employer to unemployed to next employer, without disruption in your medical treatment).

[Ms. Toad]

17. I don't know that I would choose it.

It depends on the relative price and benefits. It has nothing to do with having a gold plate insurance program - it has to do with looking at all the available options and picking what best serves my needs and my family's needs both at the time of the selection and for the future, to the extent it is foreseeable.

Right now, high on my priority list is having access to the Cleveland Clinic and the Mayo Clinic, since my daughter will likely need a transplant and the former is the local transplant site. The latter is the only entity in the country where aggressive early testing is done for a very deadly cancer my daughter has a 10% chance of acquiring. If I had to choose today, it would be the plan that covered one or both of those - regardless of who offered it, and to some extent regardless of the price tag.

Who the insurance company is (government or private) is really far less important to me.

As to which reading of the sentence is correct - I've read the bill and the presidential detailed summary. It's pretty clear to me that the public option will be available at least to employers to offer to their employees. It may be that the employee does not have the ultimate choice - so you lobby your employer.

[lapfog_1]

21. The big advantage to the Public Option is portability... - n/t

[Ms. Toad]

25. Not necessarily

As far as being geographically portable:

The public option may not be portable if it is structured as a geographically based HMO.

Private insurance may be if it is a nation-wide plan, as some of the big ones are.

As far as being portable from job to job: That will depend on whether health care is offered, and on what options are offered at the old and new places of employment, as well as on how far apart geographically they are.

It isn't a black and white issue - a lot will depend on the details of the ultimate legislation, as well as on the details of the plans offered.

[wroberts189]

15. Thats easy I stop paying -self insured - pre-existing conditions - no mo INS. nt

[lapfog_1]

16. pre-existing conditions will no longer be a reason to be denied

And, if I read it correctly, only people without insurance will be allowed to choose the "public" option.

Otherwise, why wouldn't the CBO numbers on the participation be much higher than 5%???

[wroberts189]

19. I am self employed....

Every month I wonder if we can continue to pay the premiums. Fortunately I have had a choice until they make it MANDATORY.

Many times I say ..lets just quit it and save the premium in a HSA.


But they mucked that all up as well.. you still need a policy to have an hsa.

[shimmergal]

30. Actually, I don't think either the CBO or

Obama himself knows what they're talking about on the 5%. Obama, however, MAY be lowballing it to persuade a few Blue Dogs that it's not worth opposing. At least I hope that's his plan.

If we get it, nine chances out of ten it'll be larger than 5% within a year. If nothing else, with a "pay or play" mandate for employers, increasing number of them will decide it's cheaper to just pay the fine, putting more people into the category of "uninsured" and hence eligible for the public option.

[valerief]

5. I'm right there! nt

[Xicano]

8. Currently I have first rate insurance, so, no I wouldn't switch

However, if providing a federally ran insurance at a none profit level effected my insurance. I'd take that risk in order to insure everyone had access to receive what I see as a basic right.

Like I said in another thread. In a civilized society people don't allow others to starve, or die, or suffer from a medical condition that can be treated.

I just can't understand the level of greed some people (right-wingers) have displayed over this issue. What happened to their so-called values they like to tout.

[dana_b]

10. yep!

raise my taxes and lets go!

[Nederland]

11. Obviously that depends

I'd have to see what the government plan looks like. Right now I have excellent insurance, so it's not very likely that I'd switch.

[smoogatz]

12. It would depend

on factors like cost and flexibility. But if I ever decided to quit my job, I'd be on it like a cheap suit.

[DevonRex]

23. That depends on whether they covered my treatment, which is astronomically

expensive. If not, then no. If so, then yes.

[wroberts189]

14. I will sign up the same day its offered - right now self insured. nt

[Libertas1776]

18. Sign me up!

[seabeyond]

20. i would have to read it. but i am ready to go.... barring any issues. nt

[stray cat]

22. I pay almost nothing for a good insurance plan - I'll let my employer keep paying

[jtrockville]

24. I'll be lobbying my employer to drop us. BUT what if my spouse

can get insurance from his employer? Could I still get the not-so-public option for us?

Or, what if I were unemployed and on the not-so-public option, then got a job where the employer offered an insurance scam? Could I keep the not-so-public option?

[Bigmack]

26. I'm ON federal run insurance - it's called

medicare. Lowest overhead of ANY system in the country. If "they" raised my taxes $5,000 a year for a single payer system, and I didn't have to buy the damned supplemental stuff, I'd STILL save money. I WANT a single payer system. Ms Bigmack

[lostnfound]

27. That's WHY they aren't giving us the option.

Many would. I would, in a heartbeat. I'd even be satisfied with a non-profit co-op if it was large enough to ensure its stability. But I doubt that anything will be allowed to grow that will reduce the insurance companies' current market.

[Swamp Rat]

28. in a nanosecond

I'd like to see GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED auto insurance, and homeowner's insurance too.

Then maybe I could afford to BUY STUFF, thereby helping PRIVATE BUSINESSES WHO MAKE AND SELL COOL STUFF to flourish.

[WillowTree]

29. Senators and Congresspersons, that's who.