I believe in the public option.  My coworker is having to buy meds from Canada, she does not have insurance, if she bought her meds here it would cost over $200.00 where in Canada she pays $30.00.  I don't understand why this is. Somebody is making monies and it sure is not us.

I don't want health care reform without a public option.  They can just skip it for another 20 years as far as I'm concerned  because anything less than a public option will just enrich the insurance companies.

Maybe next time around, poor conservatives won't be so willing to do the dirty work for the insurance companies.   Maybe they'll wise up!

this health care bill, the way Pelosi has it written, isnt gonna pass ANYTHING until all the government waste is taken out..

We need the public option, we may not get it this time, but we will get something to build on.

until big pharma regulation and tort reform are put into the health bill....it aint gonna pass...and the clock is ticking on the super majority....who still cant pass crap
 

the libs on capital hill are like the boys that arent good enough to start on the football team.  they sit on the sideline whining and complaining about how much better they are than the players out on the field, yet, when they get their chance....THEY GET AN OFFSIDES PENALTY, AN UNSPORTSMAN-LIKE CONDUCT PENALTY, AND THEN FUMBLE AND LOSE THE BALL

until big pharma regulation and tort reform are put into the health bill....

Tort reform ain't gonna help.  It's a minuscule part of the health-care cost issue.

And the Republicans (and sadly, too many Democrats) are *OWNED* by Big Pharma.

Actually, a reported profit by the large insurers in the 3 to 4% range is a testimate to raging private sector inefficiency in medical insurance

The average medical loss ratio of the big boyz is around 75%. This means that 75 percent of gross revenues are actually spent on medical services for plan subscribers. The other 25% is “overhead”.

Considering that any insurance company represents a money pool, a 25% overhead is outrageously inefficient, particularly at the scale of these large firms. 

Large salaries and bonuses for top exects, along with huge perks can eat up “profit margin” very quickly. 

And worse still, they *ONLY* make that margin by denying coverage. 

They're nowhere near as efficient as Medicare.

Really Nancy, it is not about having more of the same choices in the marketplace to spur competition and theoretically drive down prices. There needs to be a real alternative to the cartel operating as the health care insurance industry. The rise in premiums coupled with the rise in out of pocket expenses has occurred with all these 1,300 companies operating in the USA.  

I find it sad that the link provided to AHIP by Mr. Jacoby does not list the 1,300 separate private companies offering health care coverage. There are links to providers but look at all the Blue Shield/Blue Cross companies that are listed as well as the parent company Wellpoint. The major conglomerates have shell companies in various states selling the same over priced and under serviced health care packages. Not to actually list all the companies and what competitive elements they bring is disingenuous at best from the writer of this op-ed piece. 

One important thing today that is dramatically different from 1993 and 1994 when Democrats tried to bring universal coverage to America is that the prices in the early 1990s were far lower than today's bloated cost figures for health care service. There also was not the high percentage of people uninsured and under insured at that point in time. The old arguments against socialized medicine and rationed care had much more sway in a world where health care costs were affordable and nearly all people were getting reasonable care. 

The private market has been on its own these past two decades and has once again failed the American public in the area of providing a vital service at a reasonable price. Premiums are set to rise 20% for people next year. And why? because so many people cannot afford the current rates that the private insurers have dictated must be paid. Our current system does not and will not work. The higher rates force more people out of the market and as a consequence you get even higher rates to pay for those left playing this stupid game.

Don't have a public option then. Throw the idea out and replace it with government price controls like the Japanese do. No service, product or medicine comes to market until it goes through the government and has its price set based on its cost and the margin allowed by the agency we the people control.

adam right on. We have been taking advantage of for to long.The people who are against the health reform are the ones who have a decent health care provider. My family and I have a great health plan that covers just about everything as long as i work 200hrs in a quarter ,were good. But it  can back fire on me in this recession with lack of work. I don't understand why we let big business( healthcare, pill makers) tell us  they need to raise our premiums so the top mangement get bigger bonus and pay checks. No company should make a these kind of profits on the hurt and sick people.Just remember we already give alot of tax dollars for there research and developement  of new pills.They just turn around and charge us through the roof when we need it.Let's keep them honest with public option.