Hidden public option in Obamacare

Liberty and Pride ^ | April 6, 2010 | Conservative American

[csd]

Does the recently passed health care reform legislation contain a public health insurance option? Simply put, no. Does it contain a confusingly worded work-around that will allow the federal government to issue public funds for what will essentially amount to a public option? You betcha!…Yep, that’s right, Obamacare contains what essentially amounts to a public option, run by non-profit(tax exempt) health insurance organizations, funded by the tax payers, determined by a panel of government bureaucrats. The bill refers to this hidden public option as the Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan (CO-OP) program.

[unspun]

IMHO, neither government, nor for-profit enterprises should be allowed to issue insurance.

[o_zarkman44]

Government has no incentive to make profit as long as it can make up it’s shortfalls with tax payer subsidy.

Public option is a NO GO.

[JohnBrowdie]

nancy pelosi has said as much; that insurance companies won’t be allowed to participate in the “exchanges” (her word) unless the cooperate.

[unspun]

IMHO, neither government, nor for-profit enterprises should be allowed to issue insurance.

Nor, to invest into it.

[willyd]

What is your problem with a non-profit insurance coop? (non-government funded). How is this different than a banking coop or a credit union?

[o_zarkman44]

if the non profit insurance co-op is operated, funded by taxpayers, administered by the fed.gov there is no incentive to generate the revenue to at least be self sustaining.
Competing with publicly owned, for profit insurance companies, which are expected to generate a return on the investment of shareholders, the not for profit directly effects the ability of a for profit company to meet reasonable expectations for share holders.

Banking co-ops and credit unions are member owned and generate revenue to sustain operations, without government funding.