Reply #3: My crystal ball sez:

[NYC_SKP]

We will pass a decent bill with a public option, however the PO won't be as widely available as we'd like.

Providing coverage to few, only the worst cases and most poverty striken, will doom the public option because it will be used mostly by people who qualify for subsidies. How can a public service be competitive if it doesn't take more of the mainstream population and is mostly subsidized policies??? :shrug:

I think the various progressive caucuses, with the President's tacit support, will push for making the PO more widely available.

There will be an unworkable mandate, and this will bring more business to private insurers, good for them. :eyes:

Private insurers, however, will have to play by new rules. If these are well enforced, they will offset some of the new profit they're seeing from having new mandated clients.

So, an exchange will be created with PO available to few at first but designed to grow to become more widely available.

And the Private insurers will have to change their practices but will write more policies and remain profitable.