The polls indicate that 76% of the population including Republicans, Democrats and Independents want a public health care option in the health care reform legislation currently being debated in Congress.  Something like 86% of Democrats want a public option.  If a public option is not included in the health care reform legislation then we can pretty much go back to business as usual with the insurance companies.  The insurance industry will continue to monopolize the health care industry and the price of health care will continue to rise due to lack of competition.  People will will continue to go bankrupt due to excessive health care cost that insurance companies refuse to cover.  Offering a government program will provide the much needed competition to the insurance industry thereby lowering prices of health care overall.  A public option will also provide access to those who currently do not have it.  A public option looks like this:

Available to all of us: A strong public health insurance option should be available to anyone who chooses to participate. If you like your current plan, you can keep it; if you want to participate in the public health insurance plan, you can choose that.

A national plan with real bargaining clout: In order to truly control costs and compete with private health insurance plans, a strong public health insurance option must be available nationwide.

Ready on day one: Every day we wait on real reform, health care costs continue to rise. A strong public health insurance option with a broad network of providers right out of the gate is key to building a competitive program that will help control costs.

A truly public plan: To ensure it’s held to the highest standards of accountability, a public health insurance option must be truly publicly run—accountable and transparent to Congress and to voters.

Please sign this petition drafted by Dr. Howard Dean.   Also, if you believe that a public option is critical to health care reform call your Senators and let them know your opinion.  Especially those constituents of Senator Diane Feinstein who seems to be wavering and attempting to do some back room dealing for her vote for the public option.

UPDATE:

President Obama’s statement on health care today:

The last issue I’d like to address is health care. 

Right now, Congress is debating various health care reform proposals.  This is obviously a complicated issue, but I am very optimistic about the progress they’re making. 

Like energy, this is legislation that will be paid for.  It will not add to our deficits over the next decade.  We will find the money through savings and efficiencies within the health care system – some of which we’ve already announced. 

We will also ensure that the reform we pass brings down the crushing cost of health care.  We simply cannot have a system where we throw good money after bad habits.  We must control the skyrocketing costs that are driving families, businesses, and our government into greater and greater debt. 

There is no doubt that we must preserve what is best about our health care system, and that means allowing Americans who like their doctors and their health care plans to keep them.  But unless we fix what is broken in our current system, everyone’s health care will be in jeopardy.  Unless we act, premiums will climb higher, benefits will erode further, and the rolls of uninsured will swell to include millions more Americans.  Unless we act, one out of every five dollars we earn will be spent on health care within a decade.  And the amount our government spends on Medicare and Medicaid will eventually grow larger than what our government spends on anything else today. 

When it comes to health care, the status quo is unsustainable.  Reform is not a luxury, it is a necessity.  And so I hope that Congress will continue to make significant progress on this issue in the weeks ahead. 

And now, I’d be happy to take your questions.