It's lovely to discover that the Republicons are so enamored with Medicare, after years of trying to scuttle it. It is a good, solid program that provides dependable care to millions of Americans (albeit with some need for tweaking). Nice job, Democrats, for getting it started and keeping it going!
Now, if everyone loves Medicare, here's a modest proposal: Let's scrap the public option idea, and replace it with a Medicare Buy-In for people of working age. That is, anyone can join Medicare, as long as they pay the premiums necessary to support their membership. Retired people will enjoy the same Medicare they've come to expect, and the rest of the population can choose the same.
Of course, anyone who loves their current insurance will be free to keep that. But anyone who prefers good old-fashioned free-market Medicare can get that, without being threatened by the socialist Obama-Marxist fascist public option.