The Many Public Option Compromises

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Ezra Klein, WaPo

This is all getting a bit hard to keep track of. First there was Olympia Snowe's trigger. You remember. "This amendment establishes a non-profit government corporation through which a ‘safety net’ plan would be provided in any state in which affordable coverage was not available in the Exchange to at least 95% of state residents." Yeah? Yeah.

But then the Finance Committee voted down both the Schumer and Rockefeller public options. And so the Democrats began developing their own compromises.

Maria Cantwell is advocating a plan that allows states to negotiate with insurers on behalf of people between 133 percent and 200 percent of the poverty line (interview here). This seems like a perfectly fine policy idea. But it's entirely orthogonal to the public option debate. It doesn't create competition or transparency or experimentation. It makes health-care insurance cheaper for a small slice of people, but that's really it. Worth doing, but not an answer for those who want to see a public competitor.

Tom Carper's proposal is more interesting. It's gone through a couple twists in the past 24 hours (including the addition, and then welcome removal, of a trigger), but in its current form, each state would have the option to:

1) Participate as grantees in the CO-OP program and apply for seed funding.

2) Open up that state’s employee benefits plan.

3) Create a state administered health insurance plan with the option of banding together with other states to create a regional insurance compact.

Each state would, in other words, be allowed to create a public option. And states could band together to give their public options more bargaining power and efficiencies of scale. This would do a couple of things. First, it would give residents access to a public competitor. Second, it would provide an acid test of whether a public competitor substantially changes an insurance market. Does it force private insurers to bring their prices down? Does it create more competition and transparency? Are consumers more satisfied? And if all that happens, will other states really resist adopting the public option?

The problem with it is that it is, at best, regional. It doesn't have the buying power of a national public option. But that's a question of votes. If Schumer's proposal doesn't have 60 votes, which is what he's currently saying, this might well be a better option than Snowe's trigger.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klei...on_comprom.html

[SMR 368]

Ezra Klein, WaPo

This is all getting a bit hard to keep track of. First there was Olympia Snowe's trigger. You remember. "This amendment establishes a non-profit government corporation through which a ‘safety net’ plan would be provided in any state in which affordable coverage was not available in the Exchange to at least 95% of state residents." Yeah? Yeah.

But then the Finance Committee voted down both the Schumer and Rockefeller public options. And so the Democrats began developing their own compromises.

Maria Cantwell is advocating a plan that allows states to negotiate with insurers on behalf of people between 133 percent and 200 percent of the poverty line (interview here). This seems like a perfectly fine policy idea. But it's entirely orthogonal to the public option debate. It doesn't create competition or transparency or experimentation. It makes health-care insurance cheaper for a small slice of people, but that's really it. Worth doing, but not an answer for those who want to see a public competitor.

Tom Carper's proposal is more interesting. It's gone through a couple twists in the past 24 hours (including the addition, and then welcome removal, of a trigger), but in its current form, each state would have the option to:

1) Participate as grantees in the CO-OP program and apply for seed funding.

2) Open up that state’s employee benefits plan.

3) Create a state administered health insurance plan with the option of banding together with other states to create a regional insurance compact.

Each state would, in other words, be allowed to create a public option. And states could band together to give their public options more bargaining power and efficiencies of scale. This would do a couple of things. First, it would give residents access to a public competitor. Second, it would provide an acid test of whether a public competitor substantially changes an insurance market. Does it force private insurers to bring their prices down? Does it create more competition and transparency? Are consumers more satisfied? And if all that happens, will other states really resist adopting the public option?

The problem with it is that it is, at best, regional. It doesn't have the buying power of a national public option. But that's a question of votes. If Schumer's proposal doesn't have 60 votes, which is what he's currently saying, this might well be a better option than Snowe's trigger.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klei...on_comprom.html

Is there a way that one can read the details of these plans? All the descriptions I have read are too vague to really tell what's going on.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I think if public insurance options are such a bad idea, we ought to really eliminate the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). But Congress actually re-authorized it with broad bi-partisan support including all those Senators that voted down in committee a public option for health insurance. The Senate voted 92-6 to reauthorize the NFIP.

And here in Florida where the GOP rules, we actually have a public home owners insurance option which the state created after private insurance became unaffordable and/or unavailable to too many homeowners following the rough 2004 and 2005 Hurricane seasons. Seeing that the GOP is so opposed to public insurance options, I don't know how they can look at themselves being the creators of the very thing they so vehemently oppose. Hyopcrites.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I think if public insurance options are such a bad idea, we ought to really eliminate the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). But Congress actually re-authorized it with broad bi-partisan support including all those Senators that voted down in committee a public option for health insurance. The Senate voted 92-6 to reauthorize the NFIP.

And here in Florida where the GOP rules, we actually have a public home owners insurance option which the state created after private insurance became unaffordable and/or unavailable to too many homeowners following the rough 2004 and 2005 Hurricane seasons. Seeing that the GOP is so opposed to public insurance options, I don't know how they can look at themselves being the creators of the very thing they so vehemently oppose. Hyopcrites.

Very interesting.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I think if public insurance options are such a bad idea, we ought to really eliminate the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). But Congress actually re-authorized it with broad bi-partisan support including all those Senators that voted down in committee a public option for health insurance. The Senate voted 92-6 to reauthorize the NFIP.

And here in Florida where the GOP rules, we actually have a public home owners insurance option which the state created after private insurance became unaffordable and/or unavailable to too many homeowners following the rough 2004 and 2005 Hurricane seasons. Seeing that the GOP is so opposed to public insurance options, I don't know how they can look at themselves being the creators of the very thing they so vehemently oppose. Hyopcrites.

Very interesting.

Without it, no one would bother living in Florida.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I think if public insurance options are such a bad idea, we ought to really eliminate the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). But Congress actually re-authorized it with broad bi-partisan support including all those Senators that voted down in committee a public option for health insurance. The Senate voted 92-6 to reauthorize the NFIP.

And here in Florida where the GOP rules, we actually have a public home owners insurance option which the state created after private insurance became unaffordable and/or unavailable to too many homeowners following the rough 2004 and 2005 Hurricane seasons. Seeing that the GOP is so opposed to public insurance options, I don't know how they can look at themselves being the creators of the very thing they so vehemently oppose. Hyopcrites.

Very interesting.

Without it, no one would bother living in Florida.

Floridian Socialists.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I think if public insurance options are such a bad idea, we ought to really eliminate the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). But Congress actually re-authorized it with broad bi-partisan support including all those Senators that voted down in committee a public option for health insurance. The Senate voted 92-6 to reauthorize the NFIP.

And here in Florida where the GOP rules, we actually have a public home owners insurance option which the state created after private insurance became unaffordable and/or unavailable to too many homeowners following the rough 2004 and 2005 Hurricane seasons. Seeing that the GOP is so opposed to public insurance options, I don't know how they can look at themselves being the creators of the very thing they so vehemently oppose. Hyopcrites.

Very interesting.

Without it, no one would bother living in Florida.

Floridian Socialists.

We should just give Florida to Cuba, they'll fit in there much better.

[Niels Bohr 72]

When you retire, where do you go? F-L-O-R-I-D-A-!

Donal Trump house that he is selling costs about 125 million dollars.

Edited October 2, 2009 by Niels Bohr

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I think if public insurance options are such a bad idea, we ought to really eliminate the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). But Congress actually re-authorized it with broad bi-partisan support including all those Senators that voted down in committee a public option for health insurance. The Senate voted 92-6 to reauthorize the NFIP.

And here in Florida where the GOP rules, we actually have a public home owners insurance option which the state created after private insurance became unaffordable and/or unavailable to too many homeowners following the rough 2004 and 2005 Hurricane seasons. Seeing that the GOP is so opposed to public insurance options, I don't know how they can look at themselves being the creators of the very thing they so vehemently oppose. Hyopcrites.

Very interesting.

Without it, no one would bother living in Florida.

Floridian Socialists.

Yes, but these are good, God fearing, Republican Socialists.

Oh, but the commie that I am, I actually buy private insurance coverage for my house. And I am not going to jail for opting not to purchase the public option.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I think if public insurance options are such a bad idea, we ought to really eliminate the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). But Congress actually re-authorized it with broad bi-partisan support including all those Senators that voted down in committee a public option for health insurance. The Senate voted 92-6 to reauthorize the NFIP.

And here in Florida where the GOP rules, we actually have a public home owners insurance option which the state created after private insurance became unaffordable and/or unavailable to too many homeowners following the rough 2004 and 2005 Hurricane seasons. Seeing that the GOP is so opposed to public insurance options, I don't know how they can look at themselves being the creators of the very thing they so vehemently oppose. Hyopcrites.

Very interesting.

Without it, no one would bother living in Florida.

Floridian Socialists.

Yes, but these are good, God fearing, Republican Socialists.

Oh, but the commie that I am, I actually buy private insurance coverage for my house. And I am not going to jail for opting not to purchase the public option.

Wait...what? Private insurance hasn't gone out of business because of the public option? That's impossible.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I think if public insurance options are such a bad idea, we ought to really eliminate the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). But Congress actually re-authorized it with broad bi-partisan support including all those Senators that voted down in committee a public option for health insurance. The Senate voted 92-6 to reauthorize the NFIP.

And here in Florida where the GOP rules, we actually have a public home owners insurance option which the state created after private insurance became unaffordable and/or unavailable to too many homeowners following the rough 2004 and 2005 Hurricane seasons. Seeing that the GOP is so opposed to public insurance options, I don't know how they can look at themselves being the creators of the very thing they so vehemently oppose. Hyopcrites.

Very interesting.

Without it, no one would bother living in Florida.

Floridian Socialists.

Yes, but these are good, God fearing, Republican Socialists.

Oh, but the commie that I am, I actually buy private insurance coverage for my house. And I am not going to jail for opting not to purchase the public option.

Wait...what? Private insurance hasn't gone out of business because of the public option? That's impossible.

No, they haven't gone out of business because of the public option. Private homeowners insurance is alive and well in Florida. What has happened since the public option came about, however, is that my private insurance premiums have dropped significantly - roughly 30%. And those that live in places that the private insurance companies decided are too risky to offer coverage - those "uninsurable" with properties that have "pre-existing conditions", if you will - now have an affordable public insurance option available to them. Well, it's available to all residents, really. More choice and more competition. And prices have come down.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I think if public insurance options are such a bad idea, we ought to really eliminate the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). But Congress actually re-authorized it with broad bi-partisan support including all those Senators that voted down in committee a public option for health insurance. The Senate voted 92-6 to reauthorize the NFIP.

And here in Florida where the GOP rules, we actually have a public home owners insurance option which the state created after private insurance became unaffordable and/or unavailable to too many homeowners following the rough 2004 and 2005 Hurricane seasons. Seeing that the GOP is so opposed to public insurance options, I don't know how they can look at themselves being the creators of the very thing they so vehemently oppose. Hyopcrites.

Very interesting.

Without it, no one would bother living in Florida.

Floridian Socialists.

Yes, but these are good, God fearing, Republican Socialists.

Oh, but the commie that I am, I actually buy private insurance coverage for my house. And I am not going to jail for opting not to purchase the public option.

Wait...what? Private insurance hasn't gone out of business because of the public option? That's impossible.

No, they haven't gone out of business because of the public option. Private homeowners insurance is alive and well in Florida. What has happened since the public option came about, however, is that my private insurance premiums have dropped significantly - roughly 30%. And those that live in places that the private insurance companies decided are too risky to offer coverage - those "uninsurable" with properties that have "pre-existing conditions", if you will - now have an affordable public insurance option available to them. Well, it's available to all residents, really. More choice and more competition. And prices have come down.

President Obama and the Democrats should be using this as another example of how a public option can and does work, and how much the Republicans like such options when it benefits them.

[Ban Hammer 13,398]

I think if public insurance options are such a bad idea, we ought to really eliminate the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). But Congress actually re-authorized it with broad bi-partisan support including all those Senators that voted down in committee a public option for health insurance. The Senate voted 92-6 to reauthorize the NFIP.

And here in Florida where the GOP rules, we actually have a public home owners insurance option which the state created after private insurance became unaffordable and/or unavailable to too many homeowners following the rough 2004 and 2005 Hurricane seasons. Seeing that the GOP is so opposed to public insurance options, I don't know how they can look at themselves being the creators of the very thing they so vehemently oppose. Hyopcrites.

Very interesting.

Without it, no one would bother living in Florida.

only old people live in florida

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I think if public insurance options are such a bad idea, we ought to really eliminate the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). But Congress actually re-authorized it with broad bi-partisan support including all those Senators that voted down in committee a public option for health insurance. The Senate voted 92-6 to reauthorize the NFIP.

And here in Florida where the GOP rules, we actually have a public home owners insurance option which the state created after private insurance became unaffordable and/or unavailable to too many homeowners following the rough 2004 and 2005 Hurricane seasons. Seeing that the GOP is so opposed to public insurance options, I don't know how they can look at themselves being the creators of the very thing they so vehemently oppose. Hyopcrites.

Very interesting.

Without it, no one would bother living in Florida.

only old people live in florida

Yo, I ain't old.

[britty 1]

I think if public insurance options are such a bad idea, we ought to really eliminate the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). But Congress actually re-authorized it with broad bi-partisan support including all those Senators that voted down in committee a public option for health insurance. The Senate voted 92-6 to reauthorize the NFIP.

And here in Florida where the GOP rules, we actually have a public home owners insurance option which the state created after private insurance became unaffordable and/or unavailable to too many homeowners following the rough 2004 and 2005 Hurricane seasons. Seeing that the GOP is so opposed to public insurance options, I don't know how they can look at themselves being the creators of the very thing they so vehemently oppose. Hyopcrites.

Very interesting.

Without it, no one would bother living in Florida.

only old people live in florida

I got my credit card ripped off in Florida on the first visit, and got food poisoning on the second. ####### hole.