Originally Posted By: ISO Chrome
Originally Posted By: Kaiser D.

The public option is IMPERATIVE for real change. Without it, the insurance companies aren't competing against anything except their greedy buddies in the same industry.


Ok...for the sake of discussion lets say you are correct.

Now...

Please enlighten us (KK or ???...).....How are WE going to pay for it?

Mike



The way it is SUPPOSED to work is that people PAY into the public option, just like they pay into their current private insurance. The difference is that the public option is a not-for-profit option. So, that removes things like shareholder dividends and CEO salaries. It ISN'T "free" insurance for everyone that is just going to be given away.

The argument against such a plan is that "this is the first step in killing the insurance industry". If the system was subsidized (which it shouldn't be), then maybe that is a fair argument. If the private sector is capable of doing things so much more efficiently than the public sector, as is often repeated, then they shouldn't fear the competition. No one will WANT the public option if it is a worse choice. And the public option is not being forced on anyone.