Former Insurance Exec Favors Public Plan

Lois Quam: Health care needs that public option StarTribune.com:

Despite the criticism the proposed public option has recently received, existing public options like Medicare remain very popular. The Veterans Administration health budget will be significantly increased, and MinnesotaCare has a record number of applicants. These public options provide access to care. They are affordable. They give us peace of mind and security.

There are several advantages to a public plan. It offers a national safety net ensuring that all Americans have access to a good-quality insurance option. Private insurance options are not always available in every part of the country. As it has in Medicare, a public option would guarantee for all Americans that good coverage is available everywhere and all the time.

A public option also provides additional choice. Since the 1990s, Medicare beneficiaries have had a choice of staying with the traditional Medicare program or enrolling in a Medicare Advantage health plan. Many have opted for the opportunities that a health plan offers, but more have opted to stay with the traditional Medicare for the choice and easy access to doctors and hospitals.

A public option, like Medicare, also effectively sets a standard for the marketplace by ensuring that there is pressure to keep administrative costs low and encourage companies to innovate by offering unique benefits above and beyond the Medicare benefit set.

Lois Quam is a former senior executive of United Healthcare, one of the nation's largest private health insurance companies. There's really not all that much to add to this. A public option has many advantages and very few disadvantages. We need to help the Democrats stiffen their spines and stand up for it.