The two percent solution

November 2, 5:15 PMHealthcare Reform ExaminerChuck Miller

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The AP reports the CBO has estimated the number of people who would be in the "public option" under the merged House bill constructed by Speaker Nancy Pelosi... two percent. (http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jgOz8rrr0bRS-5uXUPrtH9d0w7UQD9BME0R80)

"The underwhelming statistic is raising questions about whether the government plan will be the iron-fisted competitor that private insurers warn will shut them down or a niche operator that becomes a haven for patients with health insurance horror stories.

"Some experts are wondering if lawmakers have wasted too much time arguing about the public plan, giving short shrift to basics such as ensuring that new coverage will be affordable.

" 'The public option is a significant issue, but its place in the debate is completely out of proportion to its actual importance to consumers,'said Drew Altman, president of the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation. 'It has sucked all the oxygen out of the room and diverted attention from bread-and-butter consumer issues, such as affordable coverage and comprehensive benefits.'"