It does appear lately that some type of public option to some of the health insurance reform bills working their way through Congress is gaining more support than previously thought. Just today, 10 Democrats voted to add a public option to one of the more conservative of the five reform bills , this was basically two votes short of passage.
Now the big bad wolf insurance companies certainly don’t want any changes or reform in health care for the obvious reasons of money, money and oh yes, money. Can you imagine how it would be if we could flip-the-bird to the big insurance giants as we tell them “Sorry we don’t like your high premiums and exclusions”. The same way they tell us “Sorry that is not covered”. Or, “sorry, your premium went up because you actually put in a claim.”
For months now big business types, mostly Republicans, have been telling us that a single payer option was dead. But, as it turns out they just wanted it to be dead. Some recent polls have even shown that up to 65% of the general public wants it included in a health care reform bill. I mean, what the heck would the big insurance companies do if they had to actually compete with non-profits for our dollars? What if they would have to woo us? Or take less than 400% in profits or lighten the load of those fat bonuses? What if they didn’t have us under their thumb?
For those of us in favor of a public option it would be like a dream come true. But so far all bills contain a mandate that states everyone must buy health insurance, if this is to be then the only way to mandate is to make it affordable. You cannot have a mandate without a public option, period. And for the poor souls who worry that insurance companies would go out of business if we in fact got a choice, give me a break. People want choice, and the insurance companies will just have to compete. It’s called Capitalism not monopoly.
For myself, after years of bad experiences with the greedy, insensitive, and in many cases unethical private insurance companies, I would take any “option” but them. I hope to leave them behind eating my dust!
P.S. To all you Congressman and Senators out there, this is an issue of utmost importance to many Americans. We are watching you, and for once in your life, think of us not yourselves. Because this time we will remember who voted against this and we will then be voting against you.
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