Bring Back the Public Option
In the debate about Republicans' proposed health care bills, we've been hearing a lot about death--death
panels (again!), death spirals, the death of conscience. The bills
themselves are in the throes of dying; the death rattle might begin with
Congress' return from recess. We shall see. If the misbegotten
legislation is interred, even Mitch McConnell now suggests the focus
will be on stabilizing ACA exchanges and including Democrats in the
planning. With death comes re-birth, so we can begin to think again
about universal health care coverage for Americans, which both parties
advocate, at least rhetorically (Republicans--access, Democrats--actual
care)
.
Republicans, holding power, will continue to resist fiercely the
perceived expansion of federal control of health care. But the moment
might be ripe to introduce into ACA exchanges a public option, a
mechanism once favored by many Democrats. Self-proclaimed champions of
competition and choice, Republicans might now acknowledge the benefit of
a government insurance "company" that can leverage its size to put
price pressures on for-profit insurers and negotiate favorably with
pharmaceuticals, hospitals, and doctors.
Independent and even some Republican voters, many of whom have
developed a sudden appreciation of the ACA, might welcome this version
of a kindly, supportive Uncle Sam rather than the snarling uncle in the
basement foisted on us by the current legislation.
Albany TU 7/15
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