As much as I like President Obama, I am not in favor of his public option healthcare reform. If it is funded by dollars which are taken from taxing wealthy Americans (mostly hard working people), then I am absolutely opposed to it.
If we are to have a public option, I believe it must have four important parts:
1. Funded by participant premiums.
2. Administered by an independent group, not by politicians.
3. This entity should be tax exempt.
4. It should be run as a non-profit organization.
Let me explain my reasoning for these:
Funded by participant premiums: This would make certain that people take an active role in their health, and their healthcare. You could have incentives for people to lead healthier lives. For example, an overweight person would pay a higher premium than a healthy weight person, as would a smoker. It would also ensure that this public option does not drive insurance companies out of business.
Administered by an independent group, not by politicians: The reasoning for this is obvious. I would add one more qualification to serve in this group: Insurance companies are not allowed.
This entity should be tax exempt: This plan will be taking on millions of Americans who are rejected by traditional insurance companies. To offset this increase, it should not have to pay any taxes.
It should be run as a non-profit organization: It should be run and managed very conservatively. Meaning, it should be stashing away cash during good times as a cushion for bad times. Those who are fiscally conservative (like me) know that the party doesn't last forever so you had better save money while you can. This would stabilize the system.
In closing, despite my opposition I won't be screaming lies at townhall meetings. That is just trashy, not to mention unproductive. I hate to sound like a conspiracy theorist, but I am suspicious of these people. I wonder if they are being paid to disrupt the Democratic process....
