Reply #45: You are confusing a public option plan

[Ms. Toad]

- meaning one administered by the government - with a quasi single payer plan. The intent if a public option plan is to drive costs down by competition. To the extent

Who pays the premium (or pays directly for the care) is an entirely different matter - and that is what is currently off the table (the single payer plan). Even if we don't go all the way to single payer, I have not even heard any discussion of expanding Medicare/Medicaid beyond the current population - or of any other plan to subsidize premiums for people who cannot afford it - or who are uninsurable for a variety of reasons(either to purchase private insurance or the presumably cheaper public option).