Opinion : Public option shouldn’t be dead for health reform : Sidney Herald, Sidney, Montana

Public option shouldn’t be dead for health reform

Published on Tuesday, November 24, 2009 3:07 PM MST

Bradley Seaman

Missoula

I am concerned about the ability of Americans to get access to quality health care that people can afford to pay for. As a young American who recently graduated from college, I am realizing quickly what my degree will and won’t do and the value of the money I earn and spend. I feel strongly as a Montanan the obligation to pay the debts I incur. I am currently working on paying off my student loans. With the low salaries available to me because of my desire to live in Montana, I am simply not able to afford to purchase private health insurance.

While I understand the importance of health care reform, I also understand the complexities and limitations to what we are able to do. I see health care reform without a public option as being even harder on my, and many others in similar positions, fiscal situation. The bill presented by our senator Max Baucus basically equates to a mandate that I purchase insurance that I currently cannot afford. There are measures in state to ease the burden of this mandate, tax rebates and insurance co-ops, but the bottom line is that I could not afford to pay for the insurance. Would that be breaking the law?

In order to provide a plan that is viable for me and many others, we need a public option. This public option would basically equate to me being able to pay to be covered by benefits similar to Medicare or Medicaid. This system would provide some actual competition to the insurance companies which would only stand to gain record setting profits by the plan suggested by Max Baucus.

I would like to reiterate that the plan presented by Max Baucus is only one of many different options that are currently being considered in Congress. Most of the plans considered contain this public option. We, as Montanans, need to let our senators know that, as their bosses, we demand that they support a public option in their final legislation.

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Comments

The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of the Sidney Herald.

C wrote on Nov 25, 2009 11:43 AM:

" Why have a public option? Just combine the best of Canada, England and Germany and we might have something that could work for Americans, no matter what your status is.
The only thing i don't like about that plan is that moneys paid into that account would probably be ripped off by congress for something other than health care, like they did to Social Security and never paid it back.
I also think that had there been some honest people overlooking the Medicare and Medicaid program it would not be in the trouble it's in.This includes the hospitals and doctors submitting claims to those places. Greed is a terrible thing and it is just getting worse.
Health care should be available to any that need it, but just because you sneeze or get a hangnail, don't be running to the doctor because government is paying the tab.
Also, do not believe that if care is given to you, that it is the best care. It won't be. Doctors will have to take a pay cut and they in turn will do less, prescribe more pills, it's easier and cheaper for them. Also, with the government telling them what treatment you qualify for is not going to make you healthier, you have to do a lot of that on your own.
If you are in an accident, you MUST be given care. Depending on how serious it is, the ratio between care given and chances of survival will have to be considered. Think about it! "

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