After All the Fuss, Public Option to Cover Few

[debbierlus]

2% of the population. And, it will be MORE expensive then PRIVATE insurance because the pool is so small and the risk pool of enrollees so HIGH.

This plan SUCKS. It should be nicknamed 'The Private Insurance Corporation Government Mandate Wetdream Bill'.

This is a sell out. The corporations invested their 1/2 billion wisely, as they will profit a thousand fold for their investment.

WASHINGTON – What's all the fuss about? After all the noise over Democrats' push for a government insurance plan to compete with private carriers, coverage numbers are finally in: Two percent.

That's the estimated share of Americans younger than 65 who'd sign up for the public option plan under the health care bill that Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is steering toward House approval.

The underwhelming statistic is raising questions about whether the government plan will be the iron-fisted competitor that private insurers warn will shut them down or a niche operator that becomes a haven for patients with health insurance horror stories.

Some experts are wondering if lawmakers have wasted too much time arguing about the public plan, giving short shrift to basics such as ensuring that new coverage will be affordable.

"The public option is a significant issue, but its place in the debate is completely out of proportion to its actual importance to consumers," said Drew Altman, president of the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation. "It has sucked all the oxygen out of the room and diverted attention from bread-and-butter consumer issues, such as affordable coverage and comprehensive benefits."

The Democratic health care bills would extend coverage to the uninsured by providing government help with premiums and prohibiting insurers from excluding people in poor health or charging them more. But to keep from piling more on the federal deficit, most of the uninsured will have to wait until 2013 for help. Even then, many will have to pay a significant share of their own health care costs.

The latest look at the public option comes from the Congressional Budget Office, the nonpartisan economic analysts for lawmakers.

It found that the scaled back government plan in the House bill wouldn't overtake private health insurance. To the contrary, it might help the insurers a little.

The budget office estimated that about 6 million people would sign up for the public option in 2019, when the House bill is fully phased in. That represents about 2 percent of a total of 282 million Americans under age 65. (Older people are covered through Medicare.)

The overwhelming majority of the population would remain in private health insurance plans sponsored by employers. Others, mainly low-income people, would be covered through an expanded Medicaid program.

To be fair, most people would not have access to the new public plan. Under the House bill, it would be offered through new insurance exchanges open only to those who buy coverage on their own or work for small companies. Yet even within that pool of 30 million people, only 1-in-5 would take the public option.

Who's likely to sign up?

The budget office said "a less healthy pool of enrollees" would probably be attracted to the public option, drawn by the prospect of looser rules on access to specialists and medical services.

As a result, premiums in the public plan would be higher than the average for private plans. That could nudge healthy middle-class workers and their families to sign up for private plans.

"The concern was that the public option would destabilize the bulk of private insurance, but in fact what Congress has fashioned is very targeted," said economist Karen Davis, president of the Commonwealth Fund. "It's not going to be taking away the insurance industry's core business."

It's unclear whether there are enough votes in the Senate for a public plan. The version that Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has offered would let states opt out, probably leaving a smaller plan than the House would want.

Insurers aren't buying the budget office analysis. Asked if it might soften that opposition, industry spokesman Robert Zirkelbach of America's Health Insurance Plans responded with a curt "No."

More here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091031/ap_on_bi_ge/us_heal...

[SPedigrees]

1. Once a public option is in, it can grow. It is an important start, providing it gets the votes. nt

[saracat]

2. Not in this atmostphere and not without any real Democrats. This is just a sham.

[HughMoran]

10. It WILL grow

Many will not offer insurance and thus the option will necessarily expand.

[Nikki Stone1]

33. And the Messiah will return this Tuesday

[bobbolink]

34. What time, please, and will the press corps be there?

[Fumesucker]

42. No, but the lynch mob *will* be there..

And I'm only being half facetious.

[HughMoran]

36. Cool

I wonder if he'll be like super snarky

[NoUsername]

39. Dammit.

I had 50 down on Wednesday.

[eridani]

37. Yeah, right. Just like we "improved" NAFTA and welfare "reform" n/t

[NYC_SKP]

3. I see that you copied and pasted ALL but the last FOUR paragraphs.

IIRC, DU rules allow posters to cut and past UP TO four paragraphs.

Hell, here are the last four:

-snip-

While a government plan might start out modestly, insurers fear that Congress could change the rules later, opening it up to all people and setting take-it-or-leave payments for hospitals and medical providers, instead of negotiating, as the House bill calls for.

For the same reason, employer groups also remain wary. Big companies don't want to lose control of their health care budgets and instead have the government send them a tax bill.

"That cost is going to come back to you one way or another ... and it's coming back in the way of taxes and liabilities," said Eastman Kodak's chief executive, Antonio M. Perez, speaking for the Business Roundtable. "We just don't believe that there are miracles out there."

If Congress passes a public plan that's not much of a sensation, Democrats might have reason to regret all the time and energy they invested in it.

-end snip-

[debbierlus]

5. Yes. They are going to fix it later with the health giants even more powerful

Swimming in more money....

This bill SUCKS. You want legislation passed because when it doesn't work and it is horrible, they MIGHT fix it on down the line.

Just like with Nafta...

Just like with every other fucking policy that has broken the working people.

They just take more and more and more.

So, you want them to pass suck ass unaffordable private insurance mandates in the hope that someday they will do it right?

That is pathetic.

[NoUsername]

41. Hey, C'mon now.

Remember how they used that same argument when passing the Military Commissions Act and then later repealed it...oh shit...they never did squat about that. But hey, I'm sure they meant to so that's gotta count for something, right?

You got a problem with "suck ass unaffordable private insurance mandates?" I'll have you know that our bought-and-paid-for Congress-bastards have worked very hard to provide us with those suck-ass mandates. Can't you at least show some appreciation fer cryin' out loud?. After all, selling out to the highest bidder is hard work. You sometimes have to have your aides make phone calls and stuff.


Fucking bunch of corporate sellouts the lot of 'em, D and R. Take your pick. They all suck,

Pathetic? Hell, DC is WAY beyond pathetic. What this country needs is a second party. The corporate party (which exists under the guise of two parties in order to keep the "us vs them" pretense alive) needs to be done away with. Long ago.

[napi21]

7. From everything I've read, opening it up to everyone after

it gets established and running IS the plan. I still think it's a decent plan. I would have preferred a single payer like Canada has, but there's no way they could have EVER gotten that to pass!

Read the bill. I've only gotten through the first 100 pages, but there really is a lot of good stuff in there.

[HughMoran]

20. Yeah, there is a TON of good stuff in this bill

Too many of the purists are missing the forest for the trees - it's a shame actually.

[Kansas Wyatt]

23. Have the Democrats "corrected" Bush's Giveaway to the Pharmaceutical Industry

With his Medicare Prescription Plan yet?

Then what makes you think they are EVER going to 'open it up to everyone' in the future?

The only opening up that will be done in the future, is the Republicans are going to screw us harder in the future with a Insurance Industry / Government Plan to maximize profit and oppress the customers (subjects) even more.

Oh, and when the American People gives President Obama a mandate, along with a large majority in Congress, don't be surprised at the backlash coming, because it's the alleged 'best' they could get. You don't start off conceding what is best for the American People, when you hold all the power.

[napi21]

25. It makes sense that they start out with this a bit smaller...

work out the problems, THEN open it up to more. If too many are enroled initially, the problems that always happen in a startup will kill the program.

[Kansas Wyatt]

NAFTA - Just minor bugs to get worked out.

This SHIT is a sellout, just like NAFTA was and still is.

The Insurance Industry hits the jackpot, just like the Pharmaceutical Industry hit the jackpot with Bush's Prescription Medicare Plan.

By the way, the Democrats still have NOT fixed that, and they will NOT ever offer the American 'SUBJECTS' any more.

Get used to scratching your head in bewilderment, because you'll find yourself there after the 2010 & 2012 Elections.

[jgraz]

44. Hell, they haven't even rolled back the tax cuts.

It might be time to start a third second party.

[flyarm]

12. or it could shrink even more if or when repugs get a majority or the White House in the future!

and don't be so sure that won't happen , because many dems i know say if the Public Option is not robust..they will not vote next time..nor may I.

[kenny blankenship]

26. Just project onto it whatever optimistic pie-in-the-sky hallucinated fantasy you want to see

that's how you should judge legislation and elect Presidents. The placebo effect will take care of all your medical, or financial or political complaints. Placebo is strong medicine! (And if that doesn't work we have some burning tires you can wear like a poultice.)

and always remember to HOPE.

[flyarm]

29. Gee I was in a test program at UCLA Med For Immitrex for migraines, Most of the time

I got the real stuff most of the time, but 2 times I got the placebo..and got no relief from the meds on my migraine..but at least they had a 2 hour time frame of a ( ESCAPE) fall back medicine to end the pain..

I became part of the testing so no one else would ever have to suffer like I had for most of my life with those horrible headaches.

Sorry to say but the placebo of hope and change doesn't have a ( ESCAPE) fall back medicine..we are stuck with this bullshit and when our nation is totally destroyed, there won't be any medicines strong enough to help any of us!!

Oh and I have the Rolls Royce of insurance coverage..I guess i could just say..fuck it..but it is for those less fortunate than I, that don't have the health coverage that I and my family have..I will continue to fight to stop this crap and make sure everyone has the opportunity to get proper health care..I believe it is a civil right..a born right , to decent health care for each and every human being.

Oh and I lived parts of 22 years in Canada..I know FIRST HAND how health care should be for every citizen!!

[sam sarrha]

4. this simply shows who is a Fascist and who isnt....

[stray cat]

6. Yes - this is what all the crying has been about - people should know what they are demanding

[AllentownJake]

8. It isn't meant to be succesful

It is meant to fail.

[superduperfarleft]

11. You got it.

Deliberately limiting yourself to covering the sickest and most desperate people is a great way to bankrupt any insurance plan.

And when this becomes a disaster, the right will scream, "See! See! Told ya so!"

So long single-payer...

[flyarm]

21. absolutely!! 100% CORRECT!

[bobbolink]

35. What I don't understand is why we haven't been hearing any discussion on this.

Even Kucinich, from the speech I heard, hasn't said this.

Schultz, Hartmann, Maddow, Olbermann.... all are very smart, and should be seeing through this, but I haven't heard ONE of them even whisper this....

What gives?

[glitch]

45. I believe the ultimate goal is to privatize Medicare completely.

Apparently an easier target than Social Security. For now.

http://www.truthout.org/030509HA

[HughMoran]

9. debbie downer

[inna]

14. how old are you, 12?...

[Jkid]

18. It could have been worse.

He could have said "I'm 12 and what is this".

But to be on topic: The public option is just a bloddy joke. We already bailed out the banks, I don't want my tax dollars funding health insurance companies.

[HughMoran]

15. Ignored is 12?

fool

[katandmoon]

13. And Obama told the liberals to chalk it up as a win. So when it fails, he can blame them.

[necso]

16. "It {that is, the public option} has sucked

all the oxygen out of the room and diverted attention from bread-and-butter consumer issues, such as affordable coverage and comprehensive benefits."

Nice line of attack (and wedge). But it's also a tipping of the hand. (That is, the so-called public option (and those gosh-darn liberals, progressives, commies, pinkos, infidels, what-have you, behind it) -- whether it's in the final bill or not -- will be blamed for any and all failures of the coming legislation.)

This would be laughable, except that it just might work, given (apparent) growing divisions.

[kenny blankenship]

17. They deliberately took the moment of reform & fucked it through the eyesockets as hard as they could

There is no ambiguity about this. It was corporatist sabotage from the TOP, on down.

They can all eat shit and die.

[avaistheone1]

27. Yup. Fucked up from the top down.

[johnaries]

19. Spin and distortion.

http://www.centerforpolicyanalysis.org/id57.html

http://www.scribd.com/doc/21849473/CBO-House-Health-Car...

Read for yourself. Don't trust the AP.

[KharmaTrain]

22. So The Status Quo Is Just Fine For You?

Hey, that's fine with me...I'm self-insured and can afford my rates to go up...just like everything else these days. But that's not my concern...it's for those who have NO insurance and those with "pre-existing conditions" who can have their coverage pulled or not issued at all. It's already been proposed that the government plan will have subsidies for those who can't meet the premiums.

No, it's not a perfect bill...too many hands in this pie, but it's the first significant move in the direction of a government insurance program and sets in place the mechanisms to expand.

2% at the outset are at least 6,000,000 people who have no options today. So would you prefer they have nothing cause you didn't get exactly what you wanted?

[depakid]

30. There ARE worse things than the status quo

Like the Baucus bill for example- or the Enzi bill on the other side.

[kenny blankenship]

31. The status quo plus armed robbery

is worse than just the status quo.

Good point, Depakid.

[KharmaTrain]

32. So The Senate Is Gonna Vote On The Enzi Bill?

Or the Baucus one? That's sure news to me.

So letting millions go without any hopes of coverage and allowing the insurance corporates continue to deny coverage or cancel it is better than a bill that will remove their anti-trust exemptions and prevent them from cancelling policies to those with "pre-existing" conditions?

So what's your solution? One that will garner 219 House and 60 Senate votes...not a pipe dream, time to live in the real world.

[eridani]

38. No. But the status gquo plus thetf at gunpoint is much worse. n/t

[ProleNoMore]

24. Can You Say Congressional And Obama Sell Out Boys And Girls?

eom

[shintao]

28. Obama did us no favors

There have been many social issues laying around Congress for years. Obama knew how the system works and talked about how you have to get the legislation passed quickly, so what happened? IMO, Obama should have had the Health Program, National Oil, and Environmental bills ready to shove through congress on the first day, with or without the Republicans. Instead Congress has wasted $2.8 Billion to play this plan every which way. It is best to have left the Republicans whining and crying about how unfair we are.

[Contrary1]

40. Yep, we are screwn.

It's too bad Obama ran on this, if we are going to end up with something this pitiful. I'm no longer willing to sacrifice so much for a president's "report card".

Really, what's the point? Just dump the whole thing. In a few years I will qualify for Medicare, unless they decide to change that too.

Looks like it's every man for himself; business as usual.

[ProleNoMore]

43. Yep - Obama Will Loose Much Support Over This Change We Can Believe In

eom