Senator Edward Kennedy's passing

There are opponents of health care reform who are breathing a secret sigh of relief. With the passing of Senator Kennedy the most powerful and long-lived voice for reform has been quieted. Kennedy was a proponent of health care reform many years before the stance became sexy. He sincerely believed all Americans had a right to health care and he did not like the way health care had become a privilege based on one's financial status.

I don't necessarily believe it is a right but at today's rising costs it is rapidly becoming a privilege of the wealthy. My view of reform requires insurance companies to limit the practices that place adequate coverage to sick people far below profit on their corporate plans. I want a plan that provides basic coverage for pre-existing conditions (does not exclude pre-existing from coverage). My recommendation for the public option is based on using the public option to supplement the insurance options available from the private sector. A private sector insurer will always have the right to establish its own coverage system and include any exclusions it sees fit. To have this right the insurer must be willing to pay a surcharge on the premiums it collects from members. This surcharge will help offset the public cost of subsidizing the people who cannot afford to pay for coverage. The public option will provide coverage for anyone. The cost of coverage for the individual will depend on that individual's ability to pay. The private insurers can provide lower premiums by continuing the exclusion practices that reduce their costs but they will have to pay for that privilege with the aforementioned surcharge. This actually seems fair to all and a good, non-controversial option to the status-quo.
Post your comments to tell me what you think!
DRP

ps: I must apologize for the insensitivity of using Senator Kennedy's passing as an opportunity to mount my soapbox but it is a common political practice is it not.