This is a well reasoned essay by an analyst whose work I hold in high esteem. He makes the sound point that Harris would be wise to re-embrace the public option position she held during her 2019 campaign. According to Hacker, her plan was the “strongest ever put forth by a presidential candidate.”
What is a public option?
In a public option, the federal government would offer the public the option of buying an insurance policy from it. Instead of being a Blue Cross customer, you would be an Uncle Sam Care customer. You would essentially be buying into Medicare regardless of age, health status, etc.
This would allow the government to negotiate better drug prices and pressure the industry to up its game (which it desperately needs to do). This would not be universal healthcare—sadly. Nor would it be “socialized medicine,” whatever that means. And those so-called moderates and conservatives who seek to preserve the sacrosanct and blessed institution of private health insurance will be able to rest easy because this would not violate those precious entities.
Though I am a longtime proponent of universal Medicare for all, this would be a decent intermediate step. We can join the ranks of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden (and a very long list of other countries) down the road. [sigh]
And seeing as though pressure is building on Harris to get specific about policy, this would be a great time for her to give full-throated support for repealing and replacing Obamacare with something better.
The Republicans will be left mumbling, because they passionately desire to repeal and replace Obamacare; but Obamacare was their backup plan. So, they would rather just leave millions (including me) without health insurance. They have no replacement plan. Harris does. Get busy, Kamala Devi.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/14/opinion/kamala-harris-health-care.html
