The Free Press, Mankato, MN

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November 25, 2009

Your View: Public option wouldn't kill private

John Foderick, Mankato

On Monday, Gary Lindsay wrote that in his insurance processing business 95 percent of his problems are with Medicare and Medicaid. Because he does not go into detail about what is so horrible, I am curious what the “95 percent of problems” actually are.

I assume that the problems are with billing and not with the actual care that the patient receives. Ask any senior today if they like how Medicare works for them and I’m sure you would get 95 percent (or more) positive feedback.

Lindsay is also incorrect in saying that the current version of the public option will cost less than today’s private plans. The independent CBO says the passed version of the House bill will actually cost slightly more than the average private option. This is because this public insurance option will have to survive on its own premiums and will not be subsidized by tax dollars.

He goes on to say that the public option will lead to our system being more like Canada and Great Britain. You would think in his profession he would understand the difference between single payer (private health care) and socialized medicine.

As much as conservatives kick and scream, giving consumers a public insurance option is not going to dismantle our private health care industry. These are the same people who forecasted a medical doomsday when they passed Medicare and as of today, the sky has still not fallen.

Right now the only option for people without health insurance is to go to the emergency room and if they can’t pay, we all foot the bill. Let’s finally give people an affordable, portable, non-denying option to pay for themselves.

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