One of the most frequent requests I get from friends and family is to reassure them that a good health care reform bill will pass in Congress, and that it will include the public option. My optimism does not seem to be the norm on health care reform. But let me assure you, I have never felt so confident of our chances of success!

We are all watching too closely, and it is not good to watch too closely the making of sausage or the making of legislation. I think one of the problems is the Senate Finance Committee bill, which is getting undue attention. Of the five committees putting forth bills, the Finance Committee is the last to act and has by far the worst bill. Originally, a complete give-away to the insurance industry, it has at least been amended such that it has lost the support of the insurers. So now I think there is universal opposition to the Finance Committee bill by the various interest groups. We knew we weren’t getting a public option from that Committee. The big surprise was how close we came to getting a public option added by amendment (it went down 13-10). Our side even picked up some Senators we thought would vote against it. This week the Finance Committee will hopefully pass their bill, because we need them to do something, no matter how bad, to move ahead.

So the talk on the T.V. must be that the public option is dead (they wish!) just because it won’t be in one of the five bills under discussion. Although even the title of this article in US News and World Report makes it seem like the public option is on life support, at least they admit Democrats in Congress still intend to include it in the final bill. The Finance Committee does not get to overrule everyone else. For sure it will be in the House bill, and our own Senator Tom Harkin assures us it will be in the Senate bill as well. The Senate bill may have a public option with a state-level opt out. In other words, the national insurance exchange will include a government run insurance option, but individual states could opt out and make their citizens choose a private plan. Frankly, I am not sure what I think about that. There is a lot of debate on both sides.

Many Americans are paying attention for the first time. They should be encouraged to contact their members of Congress to voice their desires. Even if we know where they stand, it is important to let those in Congress who oppose us know they are voting against what their constituents want, and to thank those who stand with us.

For those of us who are paying more attention, don’t take your eye off the ball at this point. Everyone is going to be trying to insert provisions that benefit their own interest group and some of these provisions might be bad for your interests! You need to contact your members of Congress as these issues arise. Your member can’t be an expert in everything and might not realize that a provision that is good for one group might be really bad for another, or for taxpayers, or for people needing health care. So you need to tell them these things.

I have contacted Representative Braley, Senator Harkin, and Senator Grassley so many times, I need to have something else to ask them for. I came across this article about Howard Dean. He suggests that something needs to happen quickly to help people before 2013 when the public option first becomes available. His idea is to let those 50 and above buy into Medicare starting in 2010. That could help me, and members of my own family. And the Democrats should love it – it is designed to help them win elections!

Alta
Price is a physician practicing Pathology in Davenport, Iowa. One of
the original Deaniacs, she stays involved with Democracy for America,
Iowa, and the Quad Cities. She advocates for quality, affordable health
care for all, primarily as a volunteer with Progressive Action for the
Common Good (Health Care Reform Issue Forum).  Watch for Dr. Price's Health Care Reform Update every Tuesday here on Blog for Iowa.  E-Mail Alta Price