Public Option Trigger? How about a PRIVATE Option Trigger?
September 25, 2009

 
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Special Edition

So-called “Moderate” Republicans like Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and “Blue Dog” Democrats have been all about including a “trigger” provision in any healthcare reform bill.

What exactly is the “trigger”? Lindsay Beyerstein of The Huffington Post defined it best:

“A public option with a trigger is a compromise whereby a public system would only come into effect if private insurers failed to cut costs within a certain number of years. The alternative would be for the Finance Committee to pass a bill with no public option at all.

Or, in other words, a gimmick to ensure the Public Option NEVER happens.
 

Question: Why does this “trigger” idea only go one way… “a public option only if the private route fails”? How about the reverse?
 

I suggested this idea in the online community Thursday and received a quick and positive response:

Why not pass an UNRESTRICTED Public Option that ANYONE can buy into, whose “trigger” is to put its repeal on the November 2011 off-year ballot? If, after 20 months, healthcare prices don’t come down and/or quality suffers, let voters decide at the ballot box if they want to go back to the old system?

If Republicans love “triggers” so much, how about one that works in our favor and puts the decision of whether or not to keep it in the hands of the people?
 

 

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September 25, 2009 · Admin Mugsy · No Comments - Add
Posted in: Healthcare, Politics, Seems Obvious to Me

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