Take health care reform off the table if single payer is off the table

[emsimon33]

As the health care reform initiative is unfolding, it appears that we may not even get a public option to buy into Medicare. The result will be touted as a win for all of us (much like the recent credit card reform, which did noting to stop usury, has been touted as a huge win). However, if there is no public option, then our tax money will be used to pay for the insurance of those who can't pay and the result will be another debacle like the Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.

Anything less than a public option will be a huge win for the insurance companies who will be able to drain public money to fund their excesses just as the banks and Wall Street have.

Over the next few weeks as the media revs up the hype for one more raid on our future, we must fight to end health care reform. The result will send a powerful message to the Obama administration that they can't make promises and then cave into special interest groups. Further, it will guarantee that the current system will implode, making a single payer system the only logical option.

In the short term many may suffer but under health care non-reform that does not provide a public option to all who want it, we will suffer for decades to come. This may be the best opportunity in years to pass health care reform, but if it isn't real reform, then we all lose.

Clarification: Single payer national health care would mean that the private sector insurance companies would be out of the health care business other than perhaps offering supplemental contracts as they now do with Medicare. Everyone would be on a Medicare-type plan.

Public option would give those who choose to do so the option to buy into Medicare (or a government managed Medicare-like plan) while letting those who want to purchase private insurance to have the option to do so.

[Captain Hilts]

1. So long as insurance companies, etc. are at the table, that is exactly right. nt

[Hannah Bell]

2. yep. just forced rent collection by the medical/pharma sector.

[Oregone]

3. Confused. You are using the terms "public option" and "single payer" interchangeably...

What the hell do you really mean?

[emsimon33]

4. I want national single-payer, but would settle for the choice to buy into

Medicare--a public option.

[Oregone]

5. Sort of contradicts the title, which suggests a single-payer litmus test on reform...

Rather than a public option compromise.

Or maybe I misread.

[FiveGoodMen]

6. Agreed.

[L0oniX]

7. I'll tell ya who's gonna pay for my health care ...all of you!

I am going to run up all my credit cards for my medical bills and then declare bankruptcy. Guess who pays for bankruptcies? You do!
http://www.firstfinancial.org/tax/whopays.html

[rucky]

8. You have a point. The decision to keep private at the helm...

leads to them going over a Superbill line by line with legislators over what's covered and when, and somehow healthcare professionals won't be in the debate.