Grijalva writes about health care in The Hill

by David Safier

Grijalva continues his heavy lifting on health care reform with a long op ed in The Hill: Public option — accept nothing less. 

Some highlights.

Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) recently released his version of healthcare reform. 

However, his bill fails to meet the most basic principles of healthcare reform. The legislation presented is nothing more than a giveaway to the insurance companies. It is telling that even with the concessions made to the bill, no member of the Senate, including the “Gang of Six,” stood with him in support.

The Baucus bill is all about the insurance industry’s bottom line: no teeth in enforcements and regulations, endless patent hoarding for the pharmaceutical industry and laws that rein in citizens to pay these industries the largest transfer of wealth in history.

[snip]

Republicans are not going to support any healthcare bill we put forth. It is time for Democrats to start talking honestly among themselves about what is best for the American people, not offering watered down bills to appease Republicans and the insurance company executives who have them in their pockets.

[snip]

We in the majority must have the courage to do what is in our power to do, and pass a bill that guarantees access to affordable, quality healthcare.

The public option will serve as this guarantee. It will be one entity, operated by the government, which will set policies and bear the risks for paying medical clams to keep costs low and quality high. The public option will be modeled after successful public programs, like Medicare, and provide the transparency and consumer protections that are lacking in the private insurance industry today. My progressive colleagues and I envision an option that is available to all individuals and employers, without limitations. We do not need a “trigger” to let us know if healthcare is unaffordable. The 47 million uninsured Americans are proof of our healthcare system’s failure.

The public option is absolutely critical to control costs and act as a check on private insurance companies because no anti-trust regulations are applicable to private insurers. Real competition is currently stymied by large national insurance companies buying up smaller firms and creating a monopoly. In some states, a single company may control over 83 percent of the insurance market.  Lower premiums are out of reach for millions of Americans because of the lack of competition.

The public option that so many of my Progressive colleagues and I support will end the insurance companies’ monopoly and control over our individual health. The public option is one of the choices that individuals will have as consumers of health insurance. The era of insurance companies dictating who receives care and what care they receive will be over.

Standing by and praying the insurance companies will develop a conscience can be no more. If we are to ensure that all Americans receive healthcare that is accessible, guaranteed and of high quality, we must include a public option. I will continue to be vigilant on ensuring that the final legislation contains a strong public option that prioritizes people, not corporations.

GIFFORDS UPDATE: So far as I know, Giffords is standing firm for a strong public option. Let's hope she can help lead the way to bring others in the Blue Dog flock into the fold (a mixed animal metaphor if I've ever written one. She's a Blue Dog sheep herding other Blue Dogs? What the hell, it stays in). I am ready and more than willing to be justly proud of our two Southern Arizona Democratic Reps on the health care issue.