Really? Can you provide a link to one? If so, something must have changed because the last time I checked (about a month ago), approx. 2/3 of Americans
wanted a public option.

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2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

Public option yes, thats only one peace of the plan.

But most people don't want the government trying to run Health care or Coverage.

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KLK, MCSE

1990 500SL

I was always taught to respect my elders.
I don't have to respect too many people anymore.

So one more yoke on us.

True. But not that many people are "one item voters".

I would think profit is a huge incentive.

But with govt, there will be NO competition.

I don't think there is that little competition. Even in WI, there are quite a few formularies which tells me there are quite a few plans out there.

Yes you can. Buy a different insurance.

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In principle, true. However, in practice, as you have noted with the current congress, they all have their agendas which are, quite often at odds with the stated goals of the party.

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Sounds like a contradiction to me. The public option is precisely the govt running coverage. To my knowledge, nowhere in the bill calls for the nationalization of private hospitals or removal/restriction of your doctor.

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Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

Profit is the problem. It works great as an incentive for most products and services, but not for health insurance. Don't you get it? They want only healthy people and those who have few claims. Paying for health care and making profits are two very conflicting interests for them.

How would there be no competition with govt? The private insurance companies are free to try to compete with the govt's plan. If they can't, that's their problem.

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2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

That is the fantasy. Realitiy will be that a lot of their patients will be sick and they should charge accordingly.

And you are free to play against the casino. If you can't win since the house stacks the rules against you, that's your problem. Govt can stack rules left and right. You know that as well as I do.

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That's a lame analogy. The reality will be that the govt plan will be non-profit whereas insurance companies have no reason to exist if they can't make a profit. That's the only thing that will be stacked against them. They will have to compete by offering a superior benefits package, not on price. They'll never beat the govt on price, but they do have a chance to beat the govt on the benefits package if they really try. More competition is always good.

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2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

True. However, not when the competition has an unfair edge because they can rewrite the rules. Certainly not when one "competitor" might get into trouble and take more money to "fix" it. What's to stop the govt from running their scheme and then say "We need more money because it cost more than we thought. New taxes for all."? What will stop it from becoming another SS where the problem is being pushed off further and further till one day it collapses and we need a huge infusion of cash to fix it? What's to stop the govt from lowering the cost by making us do things "for our own good", AKA Big Brother?

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Sure, whether it will be "fair" competition remains to be seen. We can't argue about something that hasn't happened yet. But given the power of the insurance lobby, I doubt they will be at a great disadvantage. As I've said they can always try to compete on the benefits package if they can't compete on price. If they can't compete in any way, then so be it. It will mean the govt plan is superior in every way, but I doubt that will happen. In some other countries with a govt health plan like Australia, private insurance still exists and people buy it. For example, my brother who lives there gets the public insurance through his taxes, and because of his relatively high income he had the choice of either paying additional tax or purchasing tax-deductible private insurance on top of his "free" public insurance. He chose the latter. And as far as big brother making you do things for your own good health, I've never heard of that anywhere.

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Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

No but we can certainly extrapolate from their past.

Didn't we just talk of the NY trans fats ban and Chicago looking into that too? Huge cigarette tax to help you get off smoking and as a sideline, fill the coffers?

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What past? How does Medicare unfairly compete with private insurance? You really think private insurance is itching to cover the oldest, sickest and most expensive patients, but are prevented by the govt from doing so?

Weren't those things directly approved by the voters? At least here in NV the indoor smoking ban was. You and other conservatives like to think of the govt as your enemy, but you forget it's the people who run the govt.

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Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

In a word, yes. The company my wife is working for does Medicare work and the rules are quite often changed and the favor of Medicare. Also, she cannot promote the program or there is a 1 million dollar fine. Their reward for running such an efficient program? Lower reimbursements.

I'm not sure whether it was voted in by the NY board of health. Take smoking for instance. I know in Madison, it was by decree.

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