Michael Steele's Reaction To Senate Health Care Bill Final Vote

(Published Dec. 23, 2009) Same Trojan Horse Just Under a Different Name


Tomorrow, early Christmas Eve morning, Harry Reid plans a final vote in the Senate to pass his government-run health care bill. One of the only reasons why Reid has been able to get this far was by dropping the “public option,” thus calming the fears of moderate Democrats who couldn’t defend to their constituents this measure as a Trojan Horse for a single-payer system. (I.E. nationalizing America’s health care).

Below are passages from a piece that appeared in National Review Online this morning, written by my close friend Kay Coles James, a former director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), discussing Reid’s new plan. Unfortunately, as Mrs. James writes, “given the statutory requirements, this arrangement seems to be a ‘public option’ in ‘private’ option disguise…”

Instead of a “public option” Reid’s new bill sets the OPM as the new proprietor for his government-run health care plan—the same Trojan Horse to a single-payer system, just under a different name.

Section 1334 of Reid’s bill calls on OPM to administer a new set of “multi-state” health plans for the general public. These plans, one of which must be non-profit, would “compete” against the other private health plans in the states. But given the statutory requirements, this arrangement seems to be a “public option” in “private” option disguise. Why? Because OPM would not merely serve as the umpire overseeing competition among private health plans. It would also become a health-plan sponsor, fielding its own team of players to compete against the existing private plans in every state. That’s a very different role for OPM and the inherent conflicts are obvious…

That’s worrisome indeed. It gives political appointees at OPM the means to manipulate rules for the benefit of the government’s “own team.” As a result, OPM could crowd out the private insurance providers, forcing millions of Americans to lose or be transitioned out of their existing health coverage...

Taxpayers worried about the dangers of the proposed “Public Option” should be no less alarmed by the Senate’s proposed new role for OPM.


Sources: GOP.com, National Review Online, Think Progress, Youtube, Zimbio