Reply #76: That's kind of my point.

[Ms. Toad]

"Bernie Sanders was very firm in making that point. In order for it to be universal, there will have to be subsidies for those who can't contribute to the program."

A proposal to have a public health option is not a proposal for universal coverage with subsidies. It is merely a public administered alternative to compete with the private system, for those who can afford to purchase health insurance.

Give me a comprehensive plan that provides realistic subsidies and I'll support it, even if it isn't the ideal single payer option. Just making an alternative plan run by the government isn't any closer to providing access to the people who need it most.

You are correct that true single payer isn't subsidized - but a step toward single payer would be to have something closer to the Medicare system (expanded to cover everyone) - which is a blend of subsidized coverage (meaning the covered individual still pays something, but not the open market cost) and single payer (for the fully covered parts of Medicare). Heck - I'd even go for a Medicare like option open to everyone with a chronic illness that routinely costs more than a certain amount every year or everyone who is rejected by private insurers who is not covered through employment (there are a variety of ways of capturing this option, but the idea is to ensure that poor health is not a barrier to access to coverage for individuals who do not have employment based access to health insurance), and people below a certain income level (regardless of health)