Would a government option for health care kill off the private health insurance industry?

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I agree with your post. But do you think things will change? I’m shocked about how much anti-health care reform is floating around. Isn’t it supposed to be about helping people who are in need? Are people forgetting that in an instant they could be on the end of the spectrum of people who have no or severely lacking insurance? Do most people want to go into debt because of medical needs?

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I am kind of riding the fence on this one, because I have been on both sides, and have worked in insurance and in a hospital. I see possible good for those who cannot afford insurance, but I also agree with the things you stated here and at http://bit.ly/9dKpN

I can’t understand this arguments about what washington tries to accomplish for your guys help care… I admit I’m not an American and that this may be the reason for being ingorant about the ‘issues’ all your neysayers seem to have. I live in Germany and here health care has always been a kind of public service since it’s been introduced more than a century ago. There are many insurance companies here that offer health care plans. Some of them are considered “public”, some “private”. They can’t knock you off your plan when you get sick, they are somewhat regulated by politics on how much they can charge for their plans and the only difference between the two types that matters for most people is, that private insurance plans cost more, but also offer coverage for a bigger variety of things… At least no one here has to die because of loosing a health care plan when he gets “too costly” which is probably when he needs his plan most because he’s REALLY sick….

but i may get the system you have right now completely wrong so correct me as you see fit

I read the plan, and when it states you get to keep you current insurance, that is correct. However, it also states in HR 3200 that if your insurance company changes any part of your coverage at all, you will have to go to the “exchange” and chose from one of the approved health care options or the public option. Since virtually every insurance plan is changed by the company every year, most people will be forced to pick a different plan. It also states that if you don’t chose, the government will chose for you when you file your taxes. There is also a section which expands the role of the IRS in forcing you to chose an option. I like my insurance, I don’t want to change.

I not an American Citizen so I dont have any political agenda here.
In my personal view,
1. Public option improves the basic health care and reduce burden on the hospitals because of people showing up during emergencies and costing the system too much.
2. Public option is the only counterbalance to the greed of insurance companies. How can you explain that premiums of Insurance companies are growing at 4 times the inflation?
3. I dont think insurance companies will die because Public option like any government body will not be as efficient, slow to respond, etc etc so there will be some folks would would rather pay more to have better health insurance. Private health insurance companies will continue to draw business from the big corporations.
Some may argue that everybody will go to public option and make it bankcrupt. But if wedont keep putting the money into this public option like we do or Medicaide/ Medicare, the quality and coverage is bound to reduce and will force people back to the private companies.

It is laughable I must say that people in this country dont look beyond their idealogies. Even third world countries like India have better health coverage for all and still people can avail best medical procedures for very little more money. Now you may ask why little more money - because if private hospitals start charging too much, people would rather just wait in line (in some cases) and go to Govt Hospitals, which do offer these procedures.

Good luck to you all and god bless America.

I believe we should have the Public Option.