A lot of negative things have been said about healthcare reform recently. Much of it is genuine concern from people who are worried about theirs and their children's futures. And some if it is downright untrue, like Sarah Palin and "death panels" and Congressman John Shadegg's conspiracy for the government to have access to personal checking accounts.
However, there is one constant that has always been brought up by both Republicans conservative Democrats alike, and that is the ability of the private insurance industry to compete with a government run healthcare plan. It is not difficult to imagine a scenario in which the private healthcare industry may be destroyed by a system backed by taxpayers. In a recent town hall event in Grand Junction, Colorado, President Obama was asked this very question, and had a difficult time answering.
If the question of "how can private healthcare not be obliterated by a private option' can be answered clearly and concisely, then healthcare reform can be passed with the public option intact.
Why a public option?
If we accept the premise that everyone in America deserves healthcare, that medical care is a human right, then we must have a method of insuring the millions of uninsured Americans. Increasingly, the idea of public co-ops is gaining ground.
However, a series of such co-ops would certainly be too small to negotiate low premiums and bargain for cheaper pharmaceuticals. Worse yet, the insurance premiums and co-pays may not even be able to bring down the cost of insurance for those who need it.
Instead, America needs a nationwide system, similar to Medicare, one that can provide inexpensive medical care and the kinds of costs consumers are used to dealing with through employer based HMOs and PPOs.
The Solution
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