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aceventura3 · 09-09-2009, 10:58 AM

I don't know what the President is going to say tonight, but there is still the potential that he or someone can sell me on the public option. I simply have questions and need to understand how they plan to address the potential consequences of having a public option. My gut tells me a public option will lead to a single option and that eventually it will bankrupt the country.

First, I need to know if a public option is going to play under the same rules as private options, how will the public option avoid adverse selection (meaning the sickest or people with the biggest needs ending in the public option and the private carriers cherry picking the healthiest people)?

If the public option can operate at lower costs what will prevent everyone from moving from the private sector to the public option? If the public option can not operate at lower costs what is the point of the public option?

Who is going to run the public option? Where is the expertise going to come from? Are they going to cannibalize employees from the private sector? If so, why do they think the public option will be run different than companies in the private sector?

Is the public option going to be regulated by each state the way the private sector companies have to be regulated? If so, how are they going to address the issue of portability?

With the public option what is going to prevent abuse, for example, if I am healthy I don't participate - if I come down with a medical issue, I sign up, get treated and then cancel. If they don't have pre-existing condition restrictions, guarantee issue or no waiting periods - I think this would be a problem.

In states where one private insurer has 60-80% market share, do they understand why that is true? Why do they think other carriers have decided to opt out of those markets? If private insurers are forced to compete with the public option on price, will that destabilize the financial stability of the entire market in that state? What safe guards are they going to put in place to guard against that?

I have more questions and I actually hope Obama or someone begins to go a bit deeper into the issue rather than them saying if you don't support what we want, you just don't like us or you don't support us so you don't think we need to do anything.

09-09-2009, 10:58 AM	#276 (permalink)
aceventura3 Junkie Location: Ventura County	I don't know what the President is going to say tonight, but there is still the potential that he or someone can sell me on the public option. I simply have questions and need to understand how they plan to address the potential consequences of having a public option. My gut tells me a public option will lead to a single option and that eventually it will bankrupt the country. First, I need to know if a public option is going to play under the same rules as private options, how will the public option avoid adverse selection (meaning the sickest or people with the biggest needs ending in the public option and the private carriers cherry picking the healthiest people)? If the public option can operate at lower costs what will prevent everyone from moving from the private sector to the public option? If the public option can not operate at lower costs what is the point of the public option? Who is going to run the public option? Where is the expertise going to come from? Are they going to cannibalize employees from the private sector? If so, why do they think the public option will be run different than companies in the private sector? Is the public option going to be regulated by each state the way the private sector companies have to be regulated? If so, how are they going to address the issue of portability? With the public option what is going to prevent abuse, for example, if I am healthy I don't participate - if I come down with a medical issue, I sign up, get treated and then cancel. If they don't have pre-existing condition restrictions, guarantee issue or no waiting periods - I think this would be a problem. In states where one private insurer has 60-80% market share, do they understand why that is true? Why do they think other carriers have decided to opt out of those markets? If private insurers are forced to compete with the public option on price, will that destabilize the financial stability of the entire market in that state? What safe guards are they going to put in place to guard against that? I have more questions and I actually hope Obama or someone begins to go a bit deeper into the issue rather than them saying if you don't support what we want, you just don't like us or you don't support us so you don't think we need to do anything. __________________ "Democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on lunch." "It is useless for the sheep to pass resolutions on vegetarianism while the wolf is of a different opinion." "If you live among wolves you have to act like one." "A lady screams at the mouse but smiles at the wolf. A gentleman is a wolf who sends flowers."