Every since the opt-out public option was introduced, I have predicted that it will make it into the final healthcare bill. The reason is simple: it will ultimately achieve what a robust public option would, and it is a winning political strategy that could propel Democrats to even greater majorities.
Republicans have misrepresented the public option—labeling it as socialism or government-run insurance—but it improves consumer choice and would give many American citizens essentially the same type of policy that members of Congress and the federal government already have. With an opt-out system, in which states could vote not to have a public option, the case against reform becomes significantly weaker; not only can individuals choose whether to join a government-managed plan or go with private insurance, but states would not be obligated to participate at all.
Since Americans by significant majorities favor a public option, it would be very difficult for many states to actually opt-out; in the end, a national (or near national) system would become almost inevitable. The argument could be made that citizens in the opt-out states would be unfairly disadvantaged. But those citizens would get the chance to vote out their legislators and replace them with those who support a public option, or they could move to a state that already had one. Either way, the choice would be theirs.
It is clear that such a system would greatly benefit Democrats and progressive politicians. While the GOP misrepresents the facts and yells “big government” at every Democratic proposal, once healthcare passes the American people will not quickly forget (or forgive) the GOP’s relentless obstructionism. Thousands of Americans have been driven into bankruptcy by health issues, and hardly any are satisfied with the healthcare status quo.
This is why the GOP is getting increasingly desperate as they read the writing on the wall. The Democrats are only months away from passing the kind of healthcare legislation that reformers have tried to enact since FDR’s day; once it happens, public support for the Democratic Party is almost certain to grow. With no positive agenda to speak of, the GOP is in dire straits.
The opt-out public option will one day be looked back on as one of the most brilliant moves a political party ever made.
Side note: Given both the substance and the politics of the opt-out public option, it is extremely discouraging to see news reports which suggest that the Obama Administration is in fact pushing the much weaker “trigger” option. I find it hard to believe that Obama could be this cowardly and foolish, so I will wait to see how this plays out. Please call as many Senators and Representatives as you can and voice your support for a strong public option and no trigger substitute.
Jason Scorse