White House: Public Option Still On Table

By: Daniel Carty
Topics: Health Care

(CBS)

White House Press Secretary said the public option for health insurance remains on the table, saying President Obama plans to talk about it along with the "need for choice and competition" during Wednesday night's .

"We have insurance markets that are dominated by just one insurance company. And for those that are in the private insurance market or seeking small business insurance through the private insurance market, there's nobody to compete with one health care insurance company that dominates that market. There's no choice, there's no competition," Gibbs said on CBS' "The Early Show" Wednesday.

CBSNews.com Special Report: Health Care

Gibbs said the president's goal was to speak "clearly and directly to the American people about what is in this bill for them" – an important task since a CBS News poll finds that most people still don't know what his plan would mean for them.

Gibbs insisted that the public option is supported by the majority of Americans, but stopped short of saying it was a dealbreaker.

"Again, what the president is going to look for, is does the legislation that he thinks will get to his desk this year to reform a health care system, does that bill provide adequate choice and competition for millions of Americans who are looking for private health insurance on the private insurance market? We can't have health care reform if an insurance market is dominated by just one company."

Appearing later on "The Early Show," Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele said he thought the public option was socialist and argued that there are ways to insure more Americans without having to "to upend the entire system."

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by MicheleLong September 9, 2009 3:07 PM EDT: If you think you are fighting "Public Option" you have your eyes closed - you are fighting the right to be given medical attention - my son got turned away because he doesn't have insurance - not possible - think again - cancer center closed in April this year in Nevada - cancer patients turned away to die alone on the streets. Think again - educate yourself - get the facts - don't let someone tell you what to think - read the facts and know how to stand - stand for the children and the elderly who have no one to stand for them. Some people treat their dogs better than people - what have we become? Ask yourself that question - the Source of all sees what we are doing - don't treat anyone the way you wouldn't want to be treated. Someday the one in need could be you. I hope not - but if it is, I hope I'll be there to help you through just as we are asking now for you to help those in need through their darkest moments.; Reply to this comment


by MicheleLong September 9, 2009 3:00 PM EDT: Education is the only cure for fear and ignorance. Educate yourself. If you needed health care for yourself and couldn't afford it - you would want Public Option - think of the cancer patients in Nevada this past year who were told the center was closed. They had nowhere to go - how can we deny help to people needing medical assistance? We go to foreign countries and give help without a second thought. Yet we are second guessing this Public Option because someone is lobbying for it to fail - someone who can afford health care and forgot that we are put on this earth to help those less fortunate than we - someone with a financial stake in this option not passing - look and see who don't want it to succeed - look to see who wants to keep the sick down and out. Do the right thing and vote "Public Option" you might need it some day for your mother, wife, child - no one is exempt from the possibility of financial loss and needing to care for a loved one. We are the people of the United States of America - it's time to pull together to recapture our Integrity and preserve it for our children. It's time to stand for what we know is necessary to making the first step to a better America.; Reply to this comment

by truth-b-toll September 9, 2009 10:53 AM EDT

STOP SOCIALIZED MEDICINE
PLEDGE TO REFUSE MEDICARE COVERAGE!

Get bumper stickers @ZAZZLE

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by doc_holliday76 September 9, 2009 11:22 AM EDT: by truth-b-toll:
"STOP SOCIALIZED MEDICINE"
------------------------

Are you dittoheads trying to dismantle Medicare/Medicaid/V.A. health care (government-run health care or "socialized medicine," that covers about 50% of Americans) as well as keep the profits increasing for the for-profit insurance/pharmaceutical industries by carrying water for them?

Aren't your shoulders tired from carrying so much water to keep the status quo bankrupting America?


by bubbadubba September 9, 2009 10:36 AM EDT: I say let's keep the Chinese Communist system of no health care for working people. After all, Communist China is the only other developed country in the entire world that does not offer public health care and if the US Republicans did not follow the hard core communist policies, they might be kicked out of the Communist party.
Be proud that American stands in the shadow of and follows the policies the great communist country of China!
No wonder the world laughs at the US, we are full of "stuff" if you know what I mean. We pretend to be so great and free and we are nothing but a puppet of communist China.; Reply to this comment

by n0tsteve September 9, 2009 10:28 AM EDT

read the constitution. it's a wonderful document. and kick the government the hell out of our lives.
http://www.rabblerowzer.net

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by doc_holliday76 September 9, 2009 11:00 AM EDT: by n0tsteve:
"read the constitution. it's a wonderful document. and kick the government the hell out of our lives."
------------------------------------

GEEZ....people like you must have missed the bush monkey calling Our Constitution "just a G.D. piece of paper," while pushing through the GOP-led congress the Unpatriot Act of 2001, which gave the president and our government unlimited powers which removed citizen's rights!

You and your republican't buddies are true hypocrites!

by crwietharn September 9, 2009 10:26 AM EDT

Before we can trust the judgment of President Obama on a single issue, such as health care, the White House needs to explain why it has appointed unvetted individuals, known as czars. Do these unvetted czars have real power or are they merely political payoffs? If they have real power, what does that mean? If they don't, why doesn't Congress or the media care that milions are being spent needlessly?

I shuddered when I heard Mr. Obama state that he wants to establish a civilian army. Why would we need a civilian army? Are the police and national guard incompetent, or are they just in the way? ARE THESE ISSUES ONE AND THE SAME? If the White House needs a civilian army to get done what is wanted, would it not stand to reason that the White House would also want a shadow cabinet?

The threat of a transformation of our country could be the biggest story of all time, yet CBS is ignoring it. Is CBS unaware of what is going on, or is it only in business for the money?

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by chitown639 September 9, 2009 10:52 AM EDT: Fearmongering....the Republican Party would have nothing if fearmongering didn't exist. The Fearmongerers will continue to play on the RACIAL fears of whites in response to a black president being elected.


by chitown639 September 9, 2009 10:21 AM EDT: Obama will sellout the Progressive Wing of the Democratic Party, he won't push for a Public Option, instead he will settle for a watered-down bill without a Public Option that will favor the insurance industry.; Reply to this comment

by rocketjl September 9, 2009 10:19 AM EDT

I'm not confident that people have thought this through or developed the necessary safeguards to protect us from government socialism. It is starting to feel like Obama and his crew are trying to destroy America from the inside and make it into something we don't want. Remember what Ronald Reagan warned, 'http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRdLpem-AAs'. Health care could be the politician's foot in the door to socialism.

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by chitown639 September 9, 2009 10:33 AM EDT: HA HA HA....Did you know that Ronald Reagan was paid to do that ad by the AMA in a campaign against the government starting the MEDICARE program? The MEDICARE Act was signed 44 years ago, are you saying that we've been a socialist government for the last 44 years and didn't know it? How about all those seniors fighting to preserve MEDICARE, are they socialist too?


by doc_holliday76 September 9, 2009 10:55 AM EDT: by rocketjl:
"...protect us from government socialism."

"Remember what Ronald Reagan warned..."
--------------------------------

All the marginalized republican't party of 'NO' -- the southern, white, evangelicals parading around in their sheets and hoods -- can do today is support more of the status quo through constant FEARmongering by using the same code words of "socialism," while pushing more paid political ads by grade "B" actors for the for-profit health care industry trying to ruin America.

You anti-American hacks need to get a new script for a change, since the old one is just more of the same old, tired status quo which will obviously bankrupt America!


by midlclass September 9, 2009 10:12 AM EDT: A point that most nay sayers don't seem to get the word OPTION this is not manditory health ins coverage forced on sombody who already has insurance. the thing is will corperate america use this for there own profit or will they still be willing to provide a better ins. coverage for a competitve price. I doubt it, through all this debating i haven't heard of a company come out and say that they will cover any and everyone. reguardless of there health condition.; Reply to this comment

by woeisme1 September 9, 2009 9:38 AM EDT

If private insurance is so good, if it is the best in the world, if it is the most cost effective (as only you believe) then why are republicans worried about a little competition????

You yourselves claim that the government cannot effectively run anything. So if that's the case, why be worried about a haphazardly run government plan effectively competing with private insurance - the best in the world as you like to believe??

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by rightbehind September 9, 2009 10:06 AM EDT: Good point. Actually they know better. Many who post here are lobbyist hacks trying to protect their cash flow. They know that if a public option is passed it will bring them back into check. Some are trying to protect a failed ideology. They wrap themselves in the flag and then cry out against big government. They are the one corporate America loves. Easy to divide and conquer.