Schumer Promises Public Option In Health Care Bill

The Hill:

The healthcare reform bill that emerges from Congress this year will include a government-run public health insurance option, regardless of the bipartisan negotiations seeking a compromise in the Senate, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Sunday.

"Make no mistake about it, the president is for this strongly. There will be a public option in the final bill," Schumer said on CBS News's "Face the Nation."

Read the whole story: The Hill

Comments

[whoknew42]

I'd prefer going full Single Payer - but this'll do...for now

[ChampLessFuzzy]

Thank you. We're working on single payer; it's not done, just second part of reform.

[Chernynkaya]

Who is the "we" who are working on single payer? How do you know that this will only be a first step and not the only step?

[pissedmichael]

It's interesting. I worked my butt off for over 30 years and accepted that I had to pay someone I didn't even know a hefty percentage of every paycheck for health insurance--without giving it too much thought--like death and taxes. This ignorance, this complacency, was inexcusable. Crap, I didn't even know about public single payer systems in other countries for most of the time I was employed.
Then Bush was elected. I still find it hard to look in the mirror when I know I voted for him the second time around. My reasoning was that I didn't think it was a good idea to change the 'leadership' while we were in Iraq and Afghanistan. Of course, this was not a view based on any research, other than the nightly news (and I barely paid attention). Now, I curse my laziness. Then Obama ran. Somehow I was stirred. Started paying attention and listened to all the arguments for and against. This time I based my vote on something more substantial and with some degree of intelligent reasoning--voted for Obama and haven't been sorry.
Now I realize that vote wasn't enough. 'Talking' on this site and seeing how many people share my view and I theirs, is rewarding and reassuring. A lot of us care enough to write our congressman and I believe we are in numbers they've never seen before. Let's hope they're paying attention for once.

[zakon]

I feel like you, thanks for posting. This is what I wrote my 2 Senators and Congressman today. I hope other can cut and paste and make parts of it their own.

Dear Honorable XYZ:

Thank you for your service and for representing my fellow New York constituents and me. National health care reform is underway and I hope you will please support a single-payer, not-for-profit system for delivering health care to all U.S. residents.

I kindly request that you advocate and vote for universal single-payer legislation that provides all individuals residing in the United States with free health care that includes all medically necessary care, such as primary care and prevention, prescription drugs, emergency care, and mental health services. Importantly, legislation needs to prohibit an institution from participating in the program unless it is a public or nonprofit institution. Legislation also needs to give patients the freedom to choose from participating physicians and institutions.

Though America has the best healthcare in the world, for those who can afford it, we also have the national shame of millions being either uninsured or underinsured. Please bring reform that will make us feel proud that America has the most humane healthcare in the world.

It is my hope that you will please consider my opinion as you continue in your honorable role of representing New York.

Sincerely,

[pissedmichael]

Well done. Keep it up.

[sviolette]

The honorable part is a bit of a stretch but otherwise a good post.

[miriamfl]

Thank you for being so honest. We all have to become aware and pay attention and also get involved. I have also sent emails to the Dems, Blue Dogs, and even the Repubs. Let them know exactly how we are feeling out here in the real world. This country can no longer depend on jobs where we work 20,30 40 years retire and go on Medicare those jobs don't exist anymore primarily because of the decisions that these clowns have made throughout the years and those jobs will not be coming back any time soon.

[Benton]

This is the problem. You bytch and cry and whine when you get a whiff that somebody might not do exactly as you want them too but there are dam near zero posts for a statement that may reflect what you want to become a reality.

[OB-GYN]

US government provided public option/single payer health care competition with the current big health insurers and the pharmaceutical industry.

[pissedmichael]

This is why we don't want the 'big health insurers and the pharmaceutical industry' involved at all. There would be no competition. They would simply buy the legislation they want that will always overwhelmingly favor their interest over the publics'. They're already allowed life or death decisions over our treatment, up to more than 1000% mark up on drugs, and the right to deny coverage for preexisting conditions. Do you really think they deserve a 'seat at the table?' Just by virtue of these abuses, indifference to suffering, and absolutely no conscience--they have proven we cannot trust them to abide by the law and engage in fair and balanced competition. Their mission statement is and always will be, profit. No, we've had enough. Fire the CEO's and tap the remaining 'blue collar' work force to staff the government run system. From what I hear, we may even wind up with more doctors who care about their patients, and less of those who are profit and personal wealth driven.

[Chernynkaya]

"there are dam near zero posts for a statement that may reflect what you want to become a reality."

What are you reading? Have you visited HP whenever there is a health care discussion? About 90% on this site are screaming for single option- IN CAPITAL LETTERS.

[pissedmichael]

Thank you. I was wondering the same thing.

[Mysticalsister]

yes, but how watered down will it be?

[zakon]

YES WE CAN CHUCK!!

H.R. 676 EVERYBODY IN, NOBODY OUT: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAuwaKl3-nU

Email your House Rep or Senator: http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml

Use my House Rep letter if you want...

Dear Honorable.­..

National health care reform is underway and I hope you will please support a single-payer, not-for-profit system for delivering health care to all U.S. residents.

I kindly request that you co-sponsor and vote for universal single-payer legislation, such as H. R. 676 United States National Health Insurance Act (or the Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act) that Representative Conyers had introduced.

H.R. 676 will provide all individuals residing in the United States with free health care that includes all medically necessary care, such as primary care and prevention, prescription drugs, emergency care, and mental health services. Importantly, it prohibits an institution from participating in the program unless it is a public or nonprofit institution. H.R. 676 gives patients the freedom to choose from participating physicians and institutions.

Though America has the best healthcare in the world, for those who can afford it, we also have the national shame of millions being either uninsured or underinsured. Please bring reform that will make us feel proud that America has the most humane healthcare in the world.

It is my hope that you will please consider my opinion as you continue in your honorable role of representing this district.

[BoThomasReed]

Good, that's why we voted you guys in.

[KQuark]

Why don't progressives who say no public option go to Red State?

You can fight the public option together.

[loudspeaker]

Are you an agent of the insurance industry or a member of Obama's inner circle?

[KQuark]

LOL Just someone without ANY insurance.

But you are on line with trolls on this one for sure fighting the public option.

I favor single payer myself but I love how progressives are making this come kind of ideological litmus test to promote orthodoxy. I thought only right wingers did things like that.

[Chernynkaya]

KQuark, believe me, I have argued against people who complain about long waits or no choice if there is real health reform because I would be grateful for that. I am not opposed to the public option plans I have seen because they are not gold-plated. I am arguing against them because I don't think they will be affordable to me, I don't even know if I'll be eligible, AND they reward insurance companies.

[KQuark]

I'm not ecstatic about what will probably come out of the Senate either. It will be inferior to the House bill for sure. Like I said I'm pushing for the best plan possible because I need coverage.

If you want to look at real costs much can be saved with just universal coverage actually about $1 trillion over 10 years but more can be saved with a strong public option, close to $2 trillion over 10 years.

http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Content/Publications/Fund-Reports/2009/Jun/Fork-in-the-Road.aspx

That would make you premiums more affordable.

People are using scare tactics on both sides now. On side is saying a public plan means no change while the other is say a public plan will ki ll our healthcare quality. The fact is the truth is in the middle.

[jonbw]

When people see the government doing a better job than for-profit business it will destroy conservatism and the republican party as we know it. It undercuts their entire message

[KQuark]

Yup and progressives are still forming a circular firing squad fighting about single payer and the public option. No wonder we never win these debates against the right wing.

[Icantbelieveher]

I agree with you -- We hate it that republicans are saying our way or the highway, yet there are people who would do the same thing if they don't get single payer. If they can't have it their way, then 47 million people won't get insurance, because they don't want anything if it can't be what they want!

[iplaw]

Anyone who doesn't realize the Republican fear of a public option is actually a fear of lost profit. They are afraid that through the realized efficiency of a public option we will see how much money they have been stealing for the last 30 years.

[KQuark]

Exactly. The whole reasoning behind the public plan is totally logical. Keep the private insurers honest and squeeze costs out of the system.

[loudspeaker]

All they want is to save money, i.e., cut down on health care.

[weatherwaxx]

Yes. Health care can be FOR PROFIT or FOR PATIENTS. Not both at once.

[Airmail56]

Somebody bought off Chucky!

[loudspeaker]

I'm afraid you're right.

[iplaw]

Agreed, we need to start calling crooks "crooks".

[KQuark]

Another person who has no clue what this whole debate is about.

[ldjnews]

Here's an example of how Congress loses its way by misunderstanding or even miscontrusing the compromise. The compromise iS NOT someplace between what we have now and a public option. We want a single-payer system. We want Congress to work to get the public option, if that's the reality compromise, as close to a single-payer system as possible. And if we have to settle for a public option, we want a plan to get to universal health care in the shortest amount of time possible. We should be holding peaceful mass rallies to make this happen.

[ldjnews]

Oops: misconstruing the compromise not misconstrusing it. Misconstrusing sounds like a new dance step.

[harriscrl3]

Thank you Chuck. Thank you so much.

[Chaimirija]

read the bill...app­arently, it is just the Feds paying the private insurers..­..and remember, it comes with a mandate for all americans to buy health insurance or face the wrath of the irs

[KQuark]

It has a public option for uninsured and small businesses now.

The house bill will be even stronger.

Then the bills will be reconciled and we need to fight for the best bill.

This all or nothing stuff is just garbage.

[KQuark]

Exactly all these people fighting congresspeople who support a public plan don't have a clue.

[bascombe]

schumer is full of crap, as any corporatist naturally is.

[mrh3]

Sen. Schummer; Say after me. Public national plan, Robust, Available to all without exeption. Not a dumping ground for insurance companies.

[loudspeaker]

Also: No quota on health care. No murderous cost-cutting in the health care for the benefit of the bankrupt Connecticut hedge funds. No denial of health care.