What is the Public Option?

Liberals doggedly insist that Americans approve of the idea of a "public option" as a part of health care reform. That may be true, but Americans don't even know what the public option is, and they're not ashamed to admit as much.

Asked point blank, "Could you confidently explain what exactly the "public option" is to someone who didn't know," a hefty majority of Americans say, "No."

Two thirds of our respondents say they can't really explain the "public option" when it comes to health care reform. We don't know how many of the over 1000 [2,000] pages of the draft legislation are devoted to it, but knowing our legislative branch's penchant for long, tedious prattling, it's a good bet that our elected officials probably couldn't explain it to the man on the street either.

Only a quarter of Americans say that they could confidently explain the public option. Not knowing what the public option is, can Americans really be in love with the idea?

Via Memeorandum

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Pimp My Health Care Plan

Members of Congress would have you believe their health care plan is "pretty good." Nothing to complain about, but nothing to write home to mother about either. "It's the same Federal Employees Health Benefits Program that postal workers and airport security screeners get," they argue. "It's adequate, but certainly not gold-plated."

Sen. Chuck Schumer, turned down the congressional coverage. "I'm on the New York City plan because my wife is a New York City employee, and it's actually better," Schumer said.

Hmm...that puts things in perspective, doesn't it?

Don't be fooled. The health care plan afforded to members of Congress has been totally pimped out:

This fall while members of Congress toil in the U.S. Capitol, working to decide how or even whether to reform the country's health care system, one floor below them an elaborate Navy medical clinic — described by those who have seen it as something akin to a modern community hospital — will be standing by, on-call and ready to provide Congress with some of the country's best and most efficient government-run health care.

Formally called the Office of the Attending Physician, the clinic — and at least six satellite offices it supports — bills its mission as one of emergency preparedness and public health. Each day, it stands ready to handle medical emergencies, biological attacks and the occasional fainting tourist visiting Capitol Hill.

Officially, the office acknowledges these types of services, including providing physicals to Capitol police officers and offering flu shots to congressional staffers. But what is rarely discussed outside the halls of Congress is the office's other role — providing a wealth of primary care medical services to senators, representatives and Supreme Court justices.

Here's a little taste of their "pretty good" health care deal:

• Members of Congress pay a flat, annual fee of $503 for all the care they receive at the OAP. (The fee has not changed significantly in 17 years.)
• Members do not pay for the individual services they receive at the OAP, nor do they submit claims through their federal employee health insurance policies.
• Services offered by the Office of the Attending Physician include physicals and routine examinations, on-site X-rays and lab work and physical therapy.
• The office is staffed by at least four Navy doctors as well as at least a dozen medical and X-ray technicians, nurses and a pharmacist.
• When specialists are needed, they are brought to the Capitol, at no charge to members of Congress.
• There is a culture centered on meeting the needs and whims of members of Congress, with almost no concern for cost.
• Physicians and nurses "will see you on the spot, on the beck and call."

It's no wonder our benevolent overlords in Congress seem to be hopelessly out of touch with regard to health care — they live in an ivory tower.

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Proof Is Not Enough

Liberals will not let facts or reason get in the way. Show them the dire reports from the Congressional Budget Office or the Congressional Research Office and they just snort. Tell them about the horrors of government-run medicine in Canada or Great Britain and they change the subject. Show them the failures of health insurance mandates and the public option in Massachusetts...they'll call it a success.

As I've noted repeatedly, we've seen enough in Massachusetts with the skyrocketing increase in health care expenditures, the increasing waiting times and the decreasing supply of health care providers to know exactly what will happen with ObamaCare. And as if we didn't already know enough, now there's this:

A study just published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine shows a 9% increase in emergency room visits since the commonwealth [of Massachusetts]’s universal health-care plan was signed into law in 2006.

Obama and the Democrats have had quite a bit to say lately about improving the tone and quality of the debate over health care reform. If they really want a civilized debate, it would help if they would actually listen, and accept the facts for what they are.

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Fannie Med

Don't be fooled. Obama is faking center-right.

The "public option" is nothing more and nothing less than government-run health care. Americans have figured that out, and they don't want it. So what do you do when you're desperate to sell a product nobody wants? You rename it.

Co-ops = Public Option = Government-run health care

The sooner America learns that equation, the better.

• Co-Ops Would Be Funded By Federal Government.

• Co-Ops Would Be Regulated By Federal Government.

• Co-Ops Would Force Individuals Who Want To Join To Go Through State Governments.

• The Federal Government Would Use Co-Ops To Monopolize Health Insurance.

Fannie Med, the mini-me public option:

“[T]hese co-ops sound a lot like a health-care Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac... The duo proceeded to use their government subsidy to dominate the market and drive out private competitors.”

Sen. Leader Harry Reid: "We’re going to have some type of public option, call it 'co-op,' call it what you want..."

If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck...