When is a public option not a public option?

[rhett o rick]

When Sen Bubkis writes the bill. See page 27

"The Exchange would also include a new public plan option, similar to Medicare…
A number of options could be considered to determine who runs the plan,..”

So he supports a public option. But I am guessing it wont be administered "similar to Medicare" by the government. I am guessing it will be administered by a private insurance company that is one of Sen Bubkis's masters.

I got suspicious when my senator Cantwell, after a long period of not committing to supporting a public option, decided to get on board. I'm thinkin how can Congress critters say they support a public option while really not. The answer is when they think like Bubkis. I am hoping Sen Cantwell supports a true public option that includes a plan run by the government, similar to Medicare, but she hasn't answered my inquiries to such.

The new public option: Either jump off the cliff or be pushed. Your option.

[rhett o rick]

1. Any comments? nm

[rhett o rick]

2. This is embarrassing. nm

[ihavenobias]

3. Do you have a link?

So we can check out page 27 I mean.

[slipslidingaway]

6. Links to proposed Senate bill...

but it appears that this language is not in the prposed bill, instead it appeared in the Baucus white paper on reform.

http://help.senate.gov/BAI09A84_xml.pdf
http://help.senate.gov/BAI09F54_xml.pdf


http://pnhp.org/blog/2009/08/14/the-senate-help-committee-%E2%80%9Cpublic-option%E2%80%9D-will-be-multiple-%E2%80%9Coptions%E2%80%9D-and-these-will-be-run-by-insurance-companies/

"Finding the HELP Committee bill

To determine what the HELP Committee “public option” proposal is, one must first find a final version of the legislation that came out of the committee. Ordinarily, that is not a difficult process. But for some reason, the HELP Committee bill still has no bill number and, three weeks after it was voted out of the HELP committee, still is not available for the public to read. That might sound like a sloppy way to run a Senate committee, but I have confirmed with two sources that there is no final bill available. An aide in the Washington office of Senator Al Franken (D-MN), with whom I spoke on August 7, referred me to the draft bill posted at the HELP Committee’s Website. At this Website, the draft bill appears in two pieces, one labeled “the Affordable Health Choices Act” and the other labeled “the additional Chairman’s mark on coverage.” It is in the “Chairman’s mark” segment of the bill, beginning at page 77, that we find “Section 3106: Community health insurance option.”

[rhett o rick]

9. Thanks for this. Looks like I didnt do my homework. I was too anxious to condemn. nm

[slipslidingaway]

14. You're welcome n/t

[rhett o rick]

8. My mistake. It was in his white paper. Link below.

http://finance.senate.gov/healthreform2009/finalwhitepaper.pdf

Havent found the bill.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

4. I think you've misunderstood something

the page 27 you are referring to with Baucus does not come from any current bill. It is from his very own white paper that was put out in November of 2008 that was discussed in this thread in which you posted. But it is not from any current bill that I am aware of.

But you did just make me think of something I want to ask the person who posted the original OP we both responded to. Stand by.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6360226#6362239

[slipslidingaway]

5. Thanks for clarifying...Baucus White paper and the proposed bill...

Kip Sullivan is suspicious about the "public option" being multiple options and also being run by insurance companies.

http://pnhp.org/blog/2009/08/14/the-senate-help-committee-%E2%80%9Cpublic-option%E2%80%9D-will-be-multiple-%E2%80%9Coptions%E2%80%9D-and-these-will-be-run-by-insurance-companies/

"Finding the HELP Committee bill

To determine what the HELP Committee “public option” proposal is, one must first find a final version of the legislation that came out of the committee. Ordinarily, that is not a difficult process. But for some reason, the HELP Committee bill still has no bill number and, three weeks after it was voted out of the HELP committee, still is not available for the public to read. That might sound like a sloppy way to run a Senate committee, but I have confirmed with two sources that there is no final bill available. An aide in the Washington office of Senator Al Franken (D-MN), with whom I spoke on August 7, referred me to the draft bill posted at the HELP Committee’s Website. At this Website, the draft bill appears in two pieces, one labeled “the Affordable Health Choices Act” and the other labeled “the additional Chairman’s mark on coverage.” It is in the “Chairman’s mark” segment of the bill, beginning at page 77, that we find “Section 3106: Community health insurance option.”

[rhett o rick]

7. You are right. It is in his white paper. My mistake. It still shows intent to have a public option

that isn't government run.

[dflprincess]

10. It's also not an "option" when most people won't be able

to opt into for years.

[quiller4]

11. She has answered mine and she supports a public option that

is not run by insurance companies. In her letter to me, she said a public option would have to be run by the government and that she would be loath to vote for a reform bill that did not contain such an option.

When Dean was in Seattle he said that he had obtained her pledge to support a true public option. That was in the KOMO coverage of the event and reported in the Times but not reported on KIRO.

[rhett o rick]

13. That's very good news. I am surprised. nm

[upi402]

12. Cantwell is a Republican who knows she will not hold power if she doesn't

reluctantly throw us a crumb to silence our growling grubby bellies.
I hope she takes a different track, but not holding my breath.