Robert Reich | Only public option will save health costs - Marketplace

transcript of commentary on Marketplace earlier tonight:

http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/06/17/pm_health_care_options/

ROBERT REICH: The only way to ensure that medical costs will be contained by any upcoming health-care bill is to include a public, Medicare-like option that people can choose as their health insurer over a private insurer, if they want.

Although most Americans who know about the issue favor a public option, and the president has said he wants it in the bill, don't bet on it being there in whatever emerges from committees days or weeks from now. Most Republicans don't want the public option. And many Democrats are being lobbied heavily against it.
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In other words, we'll get a public option that won't be able to deliver substantially lower prices. Which is the whole point of having it in the first place, and the whole reason why drug companies and private insurers don't want it.

So there's really no room for compromise here. Either we'll have a public option that disciplines private insurers and offers lower prices and premiums and thereby contains health-care costs or we won't. In the meantime, don't be fooled by the label. Just because a health-care bill includes something called a private option doesn't mean it's the real thing.

anyone in jeopardy of losing their job -- which, is everyone.