Public Option remains in Obama's plan for Health Care Reform

Today, President Obama's Organizing for America held a forum that I watched online. He outlined his continuing support for the public option in health care reform. He said the goals of reform are to lower costs and expand coverage. He said that the crazy allegations and the untruths that are being reported on television and talk radio are just that, untruths. The best offense against this is the truth. What reform means for those that currently have health insurance: if you like your doctor, you keep your doctor; if you like your private insurance, you keep your private insurance. If you don't have insurance, the public option will provide high quality, affordable insurance. Small businesses, the self-employed, working people, low income people will all be able to obtain insurance through the public option. The public option will let these people pick the proposal that works best for them. The public option will be voluntary, being available as a choice. Large employers cannot shift to the public option if they already are providing health insurance coverage. There is a provision preventing employers from doing this. Small businesses on the other hand, often cannot afford health insurance for their employees. The public option would help them. The reform for the health insurance industry will make sure that you will keep your insurance regardless of a pre-existing condition, there will be no yearly caps or lifetime caps on what they pay. You will keep your insurance if you should get sick, change or lose your job. There is no plan proposing to cover illegal immigrants. There is no revoke on federal tax dollars paying for abortion. No one is proposing anything remotely close to a government takeover of health care. There is no such proposal in reform for "death panels." The bill coming out of the House has a provision to provide reimbursement for voluntary counseling for those at the end of life. Counseling for things like a living will and hospice, not suicide or rationing care if you're an elder. Republicans supported this same kind of thing for those that faced a life threatening disease. Reform will make Medicare more efficient. It will close the donut hole for seniors. It will provide preventive care. For all those naysayers who say they do not want the government involved in health care, Medicare is a government run health care program. I personally liked Obama's comments on those reformers from our past. He said that Franklin Roosevelt was accused of being a socialist for enacting Social Security. Opposition to John F. Kennedy's and Lydon Johnson's health care for elders (Medicare) would effect choice of a doctor. This is what is being said of Obama and reform today. In the U.S., we pay $5,000 to $6,000 more per person in health care costs than any other advanced countries. How can we win support from members of Congress? Keep talking to people, getting their stories. Congress is still obsessed with cable news and talk radio. Emphasize to seniors that reform will not be reducing Medicare benefits. It will close the donut hole. Nobody will be messing with needed benefits. The younger generations need the same security that Medicare provides. By making Medicare more efficient, the life of the Medicare Trust Fund will be extended. If we keep health care spending at its current rate, there will be no Medicare for the younger generations. Medicare costs are increasing greater than its income. On the private side, premiums are increasing greater than personal income. This is unsustainable. Reform will also promote prevention and wellness by providing incentives to stay healthy, financial incentives for businesses to promote health. America's young people will also be included in reform. There is a provision to extend parents' coverage to their 25-26 year old children, they can stay on their parent's coverage until they are more stable in their jobs. The young can buy affordable, minimal coverage, based on income, to stay healthy and get those preventive checkups. I found Obama's forum very helpful and very heartening. Especially in the face of the news this week where they were saying that he was giving in to pressure and taking away the public option. I'm sharing this in an effort to spread the truth about reform.