The private option that has recently been widely discussed is a weak-kneed compromise between a single payer system and the dysfunctional mess we have now. People can keep whatever private insurance they have now, or buy into a public plan like Medicare if they want or can’t afford other coverage. If we want to do things right for the long haul, single payer is the way to go. However, the incremental nature of our politics dictates that the private option is the most likely approach to happen today. But, in the end, it wont be so bad. The private insurers will have to compete with the public entity, which will bring costs down. Contrary to what those opposed will tell you, the goal with health care reform is actually to provide more choices, not fewer choices. Everybody will be covered, which satisfies the moral dimension. According to a recent New York Times poll, 70% of Americans want a public option.

A number of folks don’t want health care reform because they “don’t want to give a free ride to some welfare cheat.” When you look at the data, 65% of the uninsured are working people, and many of those work multiple jobs. In reality, we already have a form of universal health care and we are all paying for it. All the people who have insurance are paying for all those who don’t and there are federal subsidies to the health industry that our taxes pay for. (Wave a tea bag at that.) The consequence of the uninsured plays huge role in the accelerated pace of health care inflation that we’ve seen. You think inflation on goods and other services is bad? In 2008, health care inflation doubled the rate of all other inflation.

Today, I had the opportunity to participate in a round table on health care reform in Kansas City, Missouri that featured Democratic National Committee Chairman Governor Tim Kaine of Virginia and Mitch Stewart of Organizing for America. Lots of organizers, health care professionals, and people from business and labor we there. As a group, we talked about the problems that exist today that keep getting worse and how to fix them. Three goals we have with the public option are: 1) reduce costs for business and government 2) provide a choice between public and private insurers 3) provide all of our citizens with access to high quality health care. As aforementioned, 70% of Americans support a public option. The problem is all of the inside-the-beltway types in DC who are resistant to change, many of whom are beholden to insurance companies and big business. It is going to take some work from everybody to bring the popular will to bear. The goal of Organizing for America is to take the campaign mechanism and numbers of people who were involved with the Obama campaign and get them involved in promoting health care reform and other policy initiatives.

Gov. Kaine, who is originally from Kansas City, brought his parents to participate since they still live in the area. He shared some examples of work they have done in the state of Virginia with respect to health policy. “I like being governor, but I don’t think it’s right that there are people who pay taxes to buy me health care who don’t have healthcare,” he said. There is currently a pilot project to cover employees of small businesses in Virginia, in which the individual pays a third, the small business pays a third and the state pays a third. “It costs them $75 per month, about the same as a cable bill,” said Kaine. Other priorities he has promoted are investing more in home care for seniors, as it is more cost effective for some than nursing home care and loading payment on the preventive end of the spectrum. “It doesn’t make sense that Medicare will pay for your amputation, but not preventative care leading up to that point,” he said. And it’s not just progressives who see the writing on the wall. Gov. Kaine said he had a conversation a couple of years ago with the ex-CEO of Anthem on his way out the door to retirement, in which the CEO told him that the next President must focus on health care reform or the system as we know it will collapse. As a nurse, I was pleased to hear that Gov. Kaine supports broadening the scope of practice for nurses, nurse practitioners and physician assistants to increase access to care. He said that “doctors are starting to open up to the idea.” I told him that we have gained some ground here in Kansas on autonomy, but there is still progress to be made. I thought it was awesome that he signed a statewide, indoor smoking ban into law. Kaine said that he is especially proud of this since Virginia is a tobacco state and even has tobacco leaves on the ceiling of the state capitol. I think that if Virginia can do it, Kansas can do it.

It's time to roll up our sleeves and get things done. Health care reform can 't wait for another day or the next term in office. The future of America depends on it.