So apparently this opt-out public option is out and some kind of Medicare buy-in is in.
Okay ... it's time for me to be selfish in order for me to decide on whether it's a good deal or not:
What's in it for ME?
I'm a healthy (as far as I know) 47-year old single male. I don't smoke, drink (but not to excess). I have to do this ridiculous dance with Blue Cross IL every year in which I have to pretend to be a "new customer" and play with the deductible to know what I can afford -- and this year I have an obscene $5,000 "deductible" that I clearly could never afford.
I'm not anywhere near 55, so Medicare is out. I understand there are provisions in the bill that means if something's discovered I can't be dropped, and from what I saw about the opt-out provision I don't know if I could've qualified (though I suspect it would've been close, and I would've grabbed it in a heartbeat).
So now if there is no public option, or some kind of pilot program, or whatever is in its place, how does this bill help me? DOES this bill help me? WILL this bill help me? I was of the opinion that the public option would help; will this new rewrite help me any more?
The answer to that question will make me answer how I feel about the bill, and Obama, and the Democrats.
So, who/where can I help get that answer? I will not go ballistic on any of the above until I hear where I stand.
Because politics these days are clearly all about 'me,' and so that's how I'll judge it.