Reply #2: I think the biggest fear is

[Yupster]

the public option will quickly drive the other options out of busieness so we will have socialized medicine.

I agree with the complaint, but believe single payer is the only long-term way to go.

It's not possible for insurance companies to compete with the government for a couple of reasons.

1. The government will write the rules. That's umfair at a basic level if two people are competing in anything and one of them gets to write the rules they will compete by and can change them at any time.

2. The private companies will have to make profits while the public option can run continuous and growing deficits year after year. Just as an example, how is Ford's R & D budget supposed to compete with GM's when GM now has the US treasury to call on to fund researching new ideas.

3. The government option will add new benefits to its plan every time congress meets and votes in an enlarged benefit, without any concern with cost. The private companies won't be able to compete with that.

4. Finally, companies will kick out their private insurers and just go with the government option because it's such a pain for employers to currently deal with all the insurance choices and changes. Easier and cheaper to just go along with the government option.

So, I think people who don't want single payer health care have much to fear from the government opton.