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I'm happy that the pubic option is being considered but I am concerned that if states can opt not to take the public option that my state will leave me up the creek. I need the public option now. Those of us with pre-existing conditions will not have a chance for decent affordable health insurance without it. I hope that our representatives will think of the good of people that need this and not of the money they get from the insurance companies.

If the US doesn't get implementation of a strong public option for our healthcare system soon we are truly to become a third world nation.Folks,just as police and fire protection are provided through taxation so should healthcare. How many middle class people could afford nursing home care for their parents without Medicare and Medicaide.Yes these programs are socialism but they have been successful. Thank God for the Democratic party. I could never afford the care for my 82 year old mom.

I don't get it.....the MAJORITY of Americans DO NOT WANT a public option – yet the Dems keep shoving it down our throats. As has been the case with every other major policy/decision that's come out of the White House in the last 10 months, i.e., Stimulus, Auto industry bailouts, etc. – does this administration not give a hang about the American public's opinion on anything?

Oh wait, I forget, don't worry, this administration know what's best for us. Whew, glad I don't have to worry about making anymore of my life's decisions.

Question: Will all of these politicans be standing in the same lines as us 3 to 5 years from now waiting to receive medical care? How will Pelosi get her plastic surgery if she's forced to receive sub-standard medical care?

Anyone who votes for a public option will not get my vote in future elections. The people don't want it and I think it will make are healthcare system worse...just a trick to move toward socialized medicine. Reid needs to lose the next election to send a message to congress that they need to listen to the American people.

If the Public option is best lets go with it then; debating after debates isnt getting anywhere if the Private insurers cant compete then they need to change their stratergy then, that will be a clear indication.

Harry Reid needs to be retired ASAP. He is a disgrace to public office.

States can opt out???

Geez, that is totally stupid.

Health insurance is so important to me that I would move to another state.

Some states would be drained of residents, while others would be overwhelmed.

I am sure those without would be told they can't move, or if they do, they won't get coverage in the next state.

I imagine alot of people will sue the government is states can opt out.

$900 billion for a program that raises the cost of health care in America could only be possible with Democrats in charge of congress and a Democrat in the White House. It will probably cripple our economy for another decade. Imagine the trouble future generations will have trying to undo this behemoth bureaucracy.

If he wants to have any chance of re election he better include a public option, or out on his ear he will go!!

Yes for public option. Our political leaders are so out of touch that it is scary. I hope Reid includes the public option.

Harry Reid is a fool. He cares not what the majority of the American public thinks. This is the same person who said he could smell the visitors when they visited the National Mall. Go away and do America a favor.

Reid is a TRAITOR to the United States and would have been given a Traitors Death in Lincolns Era for Treason.......

Reid is going home after the 2010 elections, so I guess he plans to take alot of demorats with him to the unemployment line or maybe become a lobbyist.

Let's hope that this 'aide' is telling the truth and not just appeasing the liberal constituency. All of us, liberal, independent, conservative, will benefit from this so-called 'public option' – actually a way to put the power in the hands of doctors and patients where it belongs.

Great. The people who need the help most won't get it. The worst states for health care are what? The RED STATES or the states most likely to "opt out." BRILLIANT! Let the people who need it most have their ideological representatives say no to taking care of their constituents. Harry, grow a set, and help Americans that need it most.

how are we going to pay for this and the people want to know what it will cost them

Yep. Pass the Bachus bill so we can show the US that we are making progress. Insert the very part of the legislation that you know will get everything back to square one. Makes a lot of sense,don't it? Oh,but we are making progress.Even most of the liberals know that we just simply cannot afford a public option. We are already broke, we are facing a degrading of our bonds which will impact our credit, and we want to spend billions more. May God almighty save us!!!!!

The liberal left will cause this bill to fail if they keep pushing for the Public Option. Everyone except the minority left realize that we can never afford such a stupid idea.

He'd better if he likes his job. Here is an idea. Don't let the threat of a fillibuster make you water down your proposal. Put the thing up and if the GOP is so stupid that they want to stand in the way let em. Make them read the phonebook for days and have to keep talking while the nation's business stops while they try to keep America from honest heallth-care. Call their bluff and back it up. Not only will it work politically it will help the people of this country. Win -win and if a few blow hard GOPers lose their voices in the process so much the better.

Stop Black Obama now. People are going to be forced to pay for Health Insurance they don't need. Most people can't afford health care. Now you are going to be forced to pay for health insurance you can't afford. If you don't get a plan your going to be fined. Your going to hate him if this passes. Doctors are going to love him.

Stop Obama. He's just evil.

Where is LBJ when this country needs him? If only Lyndon Johnson was vice president he'd take out Obama just like he took out JFK. Doctors think they are so smart, lets see them resurrect LBJ.

Further more all the Health Insurance in the World is not going to stop you from dying. God is going to come for you any time he wants. Just like a thieves most Doctors are.

Did anyone see his polling numbers for the upcoming election??

grow a spine

more democratic LIES to all the people, say one thing do another. Just like the LIEING Obama.

If a public option plan is put in place where states can "opt out,' every state with a Republican governor will opt out, so where does that leave citizens of that state who want and need a public option? What are the rules for "opting out?" That idea does not seem to be a good one, and my preference then would be the so-called "trigger option."

Harry Reid, PLEASE, PLEASE keep the public option in the bill -this is the right thing to do for all Americans, this is the historical act that waits to be done, for several decades, THIS IS THE TIME – don't be intimidated by
the NO-MACHINE called Republican Party, they will never agree, whatever compromise you are willing to do – don't let this historical moment slip between your fingers, and One Republican (Snow) doesn't really make a difference, forget about her and DO THE RIGHT THING FOR ALL AMERICANS: DON"T GIVE UP ON PUBLIC OPTION -
HISTORY WILL REWARD YOU

Who needs 60 votes? Just do the 50 vote majority rule and get the public option in and done. Republicans complained bitterly about Medicare but now its a part of mainstream and everyone (most) think it is a good plan. That will be the same as what happens to the public option after its been in place a few years.

Probably half the fools who are against the option will be on it themselves within a year of it becoming law.

Too many Americans don't have a clue about this or other major issues.

J

Just get it done Dems.

Alert! Alert! The Reid Democrats are passing a bill to drop the requirement of your employer to provide you healthcare! 100 million Americans are going to LOSE their current healthcare plan! You will be REQUIRED to buy the Government OPTION! The Government OPTION will be HIGHER PREMIUMS, as much as $400 per family member, Cover ONLY 65% of your Medical Cost at the Hospital, at your Doctor, for tests, and you will have to pay a minimum of $100 per prescriptions. The Flexcare will be CUT in half to $2,500 max per year! Your OUT OF POCKET IS going to $10,000 per family member!
EVERYONE on the Government OPtion WILL go Bankrupt!

ANY Business that offers their Employee Insurance Plan any you accept it, YOU will PAY 40% of your Benefits in INCOME TAX!!! To help pay the government the 65% they are covering on people enrolled in the Government OPTION!

You American FOOLS are fixing to end up with NO affordable Insurance! Our Health CARE System as we know WILL BE COMPLETELY DISTROYED! Doctors will discontinue to accept any person coverd by a Government OPTION!!

Even GOD cannot save US now! NOT ONE CITIZEN WILL BE ALLOWED TO SEE WHAT THIS NEW GOVERNMENT PLAN IS COMPOSED OF UNTIL OBAMA SIGNS YOUR HEALTH CARE COVERAGE AWAY!

It's high time for the Democrats to pass the Health Care Bill with the Public Option without the Republican members of Congress. They have had plenty of time to work towards a bi-partisan bill and have added amendments to bills in both the house and senate that favors the Insurance Companies and their lobbies. They want their PUBLIC OPTION, BUT DON'T CARE ABOUT THE UNINSURED OR SICK, EVEN DYING AMERICANS WITH NO OPTIONS when it comes to health care.

Pass the Public Option NOW, and if any Senator or Congressperson has the Option with their insurance in Congress, GIVE IT UP, YOU hypocrites!!!!!!!!!!

Good for you, Harry! Please put the public option in there and fight for it!!! I'd hate to think it's just posturing so you can shrug your shoulders and say you tried. ITS THE RIGHT THING TO DO so do it!

Don't let the lobbyist smoke screen and townhall propagandists make you believe the general public don't want it. Obama didn't edge out McCain, he demolised him in votes!!!

Lets not rest on history – do something great for the people! (Not corporations; they take care of themselves very well).

Then Reid will likely put the final nail in the coffin of health care "reform"–the 53% of Americans who actually pay taxes, and everyone who can balance a check book, know we can't afford to waste a trillion bucks paying the medical bills of bums who can't be bothered to pay their own.

LIKELY???
Likely won't cut it!
Make it happen.
A public option is the ONLY thing, short of Single Payer that will put HEALTH CARE ahead of profits.

what is this bruhaha about opt-out? Even today's mediacare is not mandatory. It becomes mandatory because my insurance company modified its policy When Midicare was implemented that whenI become 65, Medicare will be my primary and my insurance company would become secondary. In short, my private insurance company shoved me in to Medicare. Even then, since I was working abroad, and Medicare did not cover me for medical services received abroad, I did not have medicare fore three years. AND MEDICARE WAS NOT MANDATORY. Even now I could opt out. Do I dare? hell no. Who is going to insure me for a premium I can afford? I never used any medical hep (except a few minor items) for 40 years and the insurance company collected premium on me. Now when i need medical care, where is it? Oh, it is there, right behind Medicare. Laughing all the way.

The public option has ALWAYS been the plan for this President and his Congressional "leaders"! These treasonous thugs should be chunked out Washington ASAP!

Good. We need the public option. It is about time that the insurance companies do what they are supposed to do; take care of their customers. I cannot imagine another business that can take your money, then tell you to jump in the lake when you file a claim.

Do a search on medicare fraud and see if the public option is a good idea. What will happen to private insurance when it competes against a public option that pays no taxes and doesn't have to make a profit and pays medicare reimbursement rates. The costs of the plans are a lie. Obama promised the illegals "a path to citizenship" So add another 12 million low wage people to the costs after they are citizens. Ask your elected officals why the trial lawyers are more important than the taxpayers. There is no real reform without tort reform.

thank god there a good chance he won't be elected next here in nevada. he not for the people,but for the dems agenda

I haven't figured out yet if the Democrats don't believe a Public Option will drive insurers out of business or if they don't care if it ends up as a Fedreal government takeover of the health care insurance industry. Either they really don't understand how real competition helps an industry this is all just their own little political game to help their own career short term and who cares what happens down the road. Sad.

Of coursre he will, this is no news. The libs control the congress and he said early on along with Comrade Pelosi that the collectivisation of health care was a top priority for her and Comrade Obama.

Reid isn't an American. He is the absolute opposite of everything American.

It's no longer worth it. 'Triggers', 'opt-outs', 'exchanges', 'public option', 'coops', whatever....., None of these plans comes anywhere close to being what is necessary, and that is a single-payer system. American 'tradition' ,is a sad excuse, to not even give the best option a chance. They shoulda never let 'em escort single-payer advocates from the 'roundtable' discussions. Now, they wonder why they may not even get a P.O.? lol

The republicans can not wait for Reid to include the public option. They know if will fail and will lead the GOP back to the white house. I have worked for the government for more than 30 years and I know how government programs work. Public option will be the death penality, however, here is hope that Reid will include and hope that it passes. I have worked on many programs in the government and I can assure you none, I mean NONE, have ever come under budget. Think that Medicare and Medicade are broken, wait until they invoke the public option.

We could "fix" health insurance and it wouldn't cost the taxpayers a dime nor would it put us on a path to a government controlled program.

1) Increase competition by allowing the sale of health insurance across state lines. Auto insurance is a great example of how this has worked.

2) Tort reform to limit pain and suffering awards and the way in which Attorneys are compensated in such claims. One of the reasons for excessive punitive damages is because the lawyers get paid based on a percentage of the settlement.

3) Allow individuals to pool their purchasing power and afford them the same access and tax breaks given to big business so they can have insurance taht is portable, affordable and accessible without relying on an employer.

4) Implement all those cost savings reforms to rid the Medicare-Medicaid system of fraud and waste that the administration keeps claiming as a way to help pay for their bloated reform package. If they can really save all that money by cutting out fraud and abuse prove it before you ask us (the taxpayer) to fork over billions and billions of dollars on an unproven system.

This is Harry Reid doing something to get re-elected and for no other reason. He's in big trouble in Nevada and needs to look like he's actually leading his party.

Reid's been promising a whole lot of things since July and hasn't delivered on any of them....this is just the latest incarnation of his fantasy world.

Thank God!!!!!!

That will kill the bill for sure. How many dems say they can't vote for a public option ? Was it 8-10? Plus 0 Reps = NOT FIlibuster proof.

If we are ever to have reasonable health care for all, a public option is absolute necessary in any health care plan. The Republicans, the insurance industry and the drug companies will and are fighting it tooth and nail for it will end their "gravy train" years and require some accountability. Republicans legislators, Limbaugh, Glen Beck and Fox News have done a good job of distorting the truth and have convinced people to actually act against their own best interests. The passing of a healh care bill with a public option will rate with Social Security and Medicare as the actions of a country who understands the needs of its people and have acted to fulfill those needs. This is why we should all be so proud of our country and the courage of President Obama and the Democrats to do what is right.

Good! I'll be surprised but very pleasantly so if Reid shows the nerve to do this. Let Olympia Snowe and the rest decide whether they really want to stand up and deny the American people health care when everybody is watching them on a vote that really counts. It's time to the do the right thing, and that means putting in a good reform plan with a good public option. It will cover people and it will help American businesses freeing them from the burden of covering skyrocketing health care costs for their employees.

Can't wait till this loser is voted out of office.

Reid is a kook, and will be gone in Nov 2010.
Jack C
WA

This miserable wimp of a man is going to help drag America down to third world status!

Reid!! The straw in Obama's Bucket, full of holes.. Between them they should flood America with Liquid-currencies. All going down the drain together....

He must be growing a spine.... finally.

Would it really be so bad if insurance companies went away? Please enlighten me if so.

Great Harry...that will really mess things up....Hey.. Harry, whats your next job, genius.....

After my PPO for next year doubled my monthly ($130 to $270) cost and cut the benefits by 30% along with the government Medicare increase – I'm in favor of some competition for big insurance – let them use last year's limousines and jets – and if we can find a feasible excuse let's send them to a bit of jail time.

Elected representatives need to listen to those who elected them. Those who want the public option are in the majority. The minority, as usual, is loud but still a minority.

If health care reform fails, the GOP will take the blame. With only 20% of Americans willing to admit they are republicans ... this defines the noisy minority.

In India~ In Russia! All the kids in the USA are fighting for nothing in
Afghanistan!!!! Because eventually India and Russia will get all the
benefit they didn't fight for. And Obama will bring it all about, while destroying the USA..

At this point the democrats seem to be interested in a health care bill that no one knows what good it is for and it seems like it is only an idea that needs to pass since it was a campaign promise, regardless of effectiveness, cost, benefits or whatever... We are going to get something we do not want and we will react when it is time to re-elect all these clowns.

Sure the Democratic base has a right to be furious with President Obama and Congressional Democrats.

Do they think that Republicans and Senator Olympia Snowe voted for them to the White House or for them to get the majority in Congress. The Democrats should wake up from their spineless attitude in trying to pass health care reform with a public option.

Should we remind them that health care reform with a public option was in their 2008 campaign platform?