What is going on with the public option?
So much of the debate on the heath care bill is about the public option. There is a “deal” being made in congress about the public option. Ten liberal and moderate democrat senators have gotten together and have negotiated a deal that could possibly bring the public option debate to a close. This deal would include a Medicare buy-in for workers over 55, a network of national non-profit insurers administered through the federal Office of Personnel Management, and insurance reforms that would force insurers to spend more money on actual medical care. These changes need to be passed through the Congressional Budget Office and if the numbers look good than the group will most likely agree and present it. Notice the if.
Let’s look at some of the questions being asked:
- Will funds for the younger workers coming into Medicare will be separate from the traditional Medicare pool?
- Which older workers get to buy in and when?
- Will there be subsidies available?
- There are already Medicare supplements available. Would they be available to the younger workers be able to purchase these policies?
- Is someone going to restructure the Office of Personal Management?
These are all valid concerns that need to be evaluated before a final decision can be made. It certainly will not be the public option that liberals were hoping for, but it also is not what conservatives wanted either. Congress is making compromises on the public option left and right which shows me that they are at least willing to talk about the options. For example, Senator Liberman said a couple weeks ago that he absolutely would not vote for a bill that had any sort of public option. Now he has stated that he is opposed strongly to any sort of trigger, but the other compromises are ok. Slowly, but surely a bill is being formed that will be acceptable enough to at least pass.
