"Trigger option" the only way?

[MaggieMae]

I don't think any health care reform package can pass the Senate as the draft bills now stand.

Quite some time ago, I posted a similar option such as this (although I'm certainly not taking credit--it belongs to Olympia Snow who later proposed it). I also can't find that posting.

What this would do is give insurance companies a set amount of time to make changes in its own industry in order to help cover more people and drive down long-term costs. If those changes failed to occur within the defined period, a trigger would provide for a public option to force change on the insurance companies.

Any comments?

 

[Emma]

I don't see the insurance industry backing down, trigger or no. Just put a public option out there and be done with it. They've had more than enough chances over the years to rein themselves in, and they've only gotten worse.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

ObamaCare will definitely engage a trigger option.

Count on it

 

[Care4all]

trigger option is a poison pill, it actually kills the public option.

 

[MaggieMae]

trigger option is a poison pill, it actually kills the public option.

Olympia Snow's version would. She offered it as an amendment just yesterday. But that's not to say there can't simply be new regulations for the insurance industry written which basically requires them to get their act together or take a chance on seeing what REAL competition would look like. It doesn't need to be complicated like hers is.

 

[veritas]

I think the public option should be the trigger. Build it and they will come. The people can vote by signing up for it. Congress certainly isn't going to do anything about it. A trigger can always be killed by the insertion into another bill somewhere, so it's lame on Snowe's part to suggest it.

 

[blu]

the public option/death of private insurance will eventually come and it will be the fault of the insurance companies. Find another business that is as greedy and unethical as them and then look at the public's reaction.

 

[Care4all]

Help Stop The Health Care "Trigger Option" | Gather

Think about it. What would the trigger be for the public health insurance option? Skyrocketing prices? Already there. No choice or competition? Already there. Denying care? Already there. As has been proven time and time again, we have a health care crisis now. Trigger conditions have long since been met.

So, proponents of a trigger are in effect saying, "Wait! The health care crisis needs to get worse. The insurance industry should be more concentrated and premiums should be higher before we give America relief."

And to that, any reasonable person would shake their head. Because we know the health care crisis isn't some far-off hypothetical, it's real and it's happening now. Every 30 seconds, another person goes into bankruptcy because of health care costs. If that's not the definition of a crisis that needs to be resolved now, then I don't know what is.

The trigger idea might have been a good one ten, twenty, or thirty years ago. But now it's too late. Trigger conditions have been met. We have a health care crisis, and those who say we should let it get worse without implementing a public health insurance option to give you and me choice and affordability deserve the ridicule they get.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

the public option/death of private insurance will eventually come and it will be the fault of the insurance companies. Find another business that is as greedy and unethical as them and then look at the public's reaction.

acorn?

 

[blu]

the public option/death of private insurance will eventually come and it will be the fault of the insurance companies. Find another business that is as greedy and unethical as them and then look at the public's reaction.

acorn?

perfect example.. look at the public's reaction when they were exposed!

 

[Missourian]

The government run public option is DOA...why are we still talking about it?

 

[Missourian]

Fifty-six percent (56%) of voters nationwide now oppose the health care reform proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats.

That’s the highest level of opposition yet measured and includes 44% who are Strongly Opposed.

Just 43% now favor the proposal, including 24% who Strongly Favor it.

But the overall picture remains one of stability. While the numbers have bounced a bit following nationally televised appearances by the president to promote the plan, opposition has generally stayed above 50% since early July. Support has been in the low to mid 40s.

The number who Strongly Oppose the plan has remained above 40% and the Strongly Favor totals have been in the mid-20s. This suggests public opinion is hardening when it comes to the plan that is currently working its way through Congress.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/pub.../healthcare/september_2009/health_care_reform

Moderate Democrats see the writing on the wall. 56 to 43 ironically nearly mirrors the electoral margin that swept President Obama into the White House, though already, only nine months into his presidency, the majority of American voters are opposed to his liberal health care agenda.

 

[chanel]

Huckabee made a good point He said those that want the public option will be told "it wil trigger - wink wink" and those that don't will be told "it'll never happen" He thinks this is a futile strategy because no matter what side you are on PEOPLE DO NOT TRUST POLITICIANS! It will backfire.

 

[MaggieMae]

ObamaCare will definitely engage a trigger option.

Count on it

By whom? Does your tribe have a name yet?

 

[MaggieMae]

Help Stop The Health Care "Trigger Option" | Gather

Think about it. What would the trigger be for the public health insurance option? Skyrocketing prices? Already there. No choice or competition? Already there. Denying care? Already there. As has been proven time and time again, we have a health care crisis now. Trigger conditions have long since been met.

So, proponents of a trigger are in effect saying, "Wait! The health care crisis needs to get worse. The insurance industry should be more concentrated and premiums should be higher before we give America relief."

And to that, any reasonable person would shake their head. Because we know the health care crisis isn't some far-off hypothetical, it's real and it's happening now. Every 30 seconds, another person goes into bankruptcy because of health care costs. If that's not the definition of a crisis that needs to be resolved now, then I don't know what is.

The trigger idea might have been a good one ten, twenty, or thirty years ago. But now it's too late. Trigger conditions have been met. We have a health care crisis, and those who say we should let it get worse without implementing a public health insurance option to give you and me choice and affordability deserve the ridicule they get.

I don't see the trigger option as allowing the insurance companies to do nothing, which is what that blurb says. New regulations would force them to accept pre-existing conditions, end arbitrary denial of coverage already contracted for, etc. Then, if they do not follow through, they're finished.

 

[MaggieMae]

The government run public option is DOA...why are we still talking about it?

In a whole different context. It might never kick in with the trigger option. Ironically, it would act like insurance against insurance companies. It may never have to be used.

 

[MaggieMae]

Fifty-six percent (56%) of voters nationwide now oppose the health care reform proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats.

That’s the highest level of opposition yet measured and includes 44% who are Strongly Opposed.

Just 43% now favor the proposal, including 24% who Strongly Favor it.

But the overall picture remains one of stability. While the numbers have bounced a bit following nationally televised appearances by the president to promote the plan, opposition has generally stayed above 50% since early July. Support has been in the low to mid 40s.

The number who Strongly Oppose the plan has remained above 40% and the Strongly Favor totals have been in the mid-20s. This suggests public opinion is hardening when it comes to the plan that is currently working its way through Congress.

Health Care Reform - Rasmussen Reports™

Moderate Democrats see the writing on the wall. 56 to 43 ironically nearly mirrors the electoral margin that swept President Obama into the White House, though already, only nine months into his presidency, the majority of American voters are opposed to his liberal health care agenda.

I would say that the majority of American voters want some kind of health care reform, but they've given up trying to get this one through. So have I. There's just to much to consider to NOT want to see reform. Kaiser recently did an analysis which found that for a family of four, today's average annual cost of private health care insurance is $13,000. By 2019, if the pattern continues with no restraint, that will rise to $30,000.

 

[MaggieMae]

Huckabee made a good point He said those that want the public option will be told "it wil trigger - wink wink" and those that don't will be told "it'll never happen" He thinks this is a futile strategy because no matter what side you are on PEOPLE DO NOT TRUST POLITICIANS! It will backfire.

And here I thought all along that Huckabee was a politician.

 

[Care4all]

Help Stop The Health Care "Trigger Option" | Gather

Think about it. What would the trigger be for the public health insurance option? Skyrocketing prices? Already there. No choice or competition? Already there. Denying care? Already there. As has been proven time and time again, we have a health care crisis now. Trigger conditions have long since been met.

So, proponents of a trigger are in effect saying, "Wait! The health care crisis needs to get worse. The insurance industry should be more concentrated and premiums should be higher before we give America relief."

And to that, any reasonable person would shake their head. Because we know the health care crisis isn't some far-off hypothetical, it's real and it's happening now. Every 30 seconds, another person goes into bankruptcy because of health care costs. If that's not the definition of a crisis that needs to be resolved now, then I don't know what is.

The trigger idea might have been a good one ten, twenty, or thirty years ago. But now it's too late. Trigger conditions have been met. We have a health care crisis, and those who say we should let it get worse without implementing a public health insurance option to give you and me choice and affordability deserve the ridicule they get.

I don't see the trigger option as allowing the insurance companies to do nothing, which is what that blurb says. New regulations would force them to accept pre-existing conditions, end arbitrary denial of coverage already contracted for, etc. Then, if they do not follow through, they're finished.

mags...the new legislation forces them to cover those things important to us, true...but it does NOT tell the insurance companies they can NOT charge MORE for this coverage...as it stands, health insurances prices will go up....for them to cover these things and as said, nothing to stop it...and no competition that is not in the wink wink inner circle to stop it...

a trigger has been used in previous legislation over the years and NOT ONCE....not once was any of these triggers activated...it is A SLIGHT OF HAND maggie...imo and from all i've read on them!

care

 

[Missourian]

Fifty-six percent (56%) of voters nationwide now oppose the health care reform proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats.

That’s the highest level of opposition yet measured and includes 44% who are Strongly Opposed.

Just 43% now favor the proposal, including 24% who Strongly Favor it.

But the overall picture remains one of stability. While the numbers have bounced a bit following nationally televised appearances by the president to promote the plan, opposition has generally stayed above 50% since early July. Support has been in the low to mid 40s.

The number who Strongly Oppose the plan has remained above 40% and the Strongly Favor totals have been in the mid-20s. This suggests public opinion is hardening when it comes to the plan that is currently working its way through Congress.

Health Care Reform - Rasmussen Reports™

Moderate Democrats see the writing on the wall. 56 to 43 ironically nearly mirrors the electoral margin that swept President Obama into the White House, though already, only nine months into his presidency, the majority of American voters are opposed to his liberal health care agenda.

I would say that the majority of American voters want some kind of health care reform, but they've given up trying to get this one through. So have I. There's just to much to consider to NOT want to see reform. Kaiser recently did an analysis which found that for a family of four, today's average annual cost of private health care insurance is $13,000. By 2019, if the pattern continues with no restraint, that will rise to $30,000.

I agree with you, the system needs reform...what do you think about the Baucus plan?