In the middle of all the healthcare chaos and cynicism, this is a ray of light:
U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar says there are about 267,000 people without health insurance in Congressional District 28 and this has influenced his stance on health care reform.
“I support the public option plan. It does not mandate anything. It just gives you an option. There is still a role for the insurance industry. The public option is not going to take over,” said Cuellar, D-Laredo.
Cuellar said that under the House health care reform bill, otherwise known as America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009, the aim is to have health care coverage for about 95 percent of the population. He said the figures he has seen show that 244,000 people in his district would get health coverage under the plan. His district covers one third of McAllen, all of Laredo and counties between the border and northeast San Antonio.
“It (the House plan) means 244,000 people (in District 28) will either be covered by Medicare or by one of the insurance plans we offer,” Cuellar said.
...
“When people say, oh, we don’t want the government programs I ask how many of you are on Medicare, how many of you are veterans. When the hands go up I say, I don’t know if y’all know this but those are both government-run programs,” Cuellar said.
See how easy that is? In Texas, even.
Cuellar does say he'd support a co-op in place of a Medicare-type public option, if it would work, and that he's supportive of the Blue Dog negotiated increase in the exemption for small businesses with a payroll from up to $250,000 to $500,000 for providing coverage. So he hasn't abandoned his colleagues, but at least he's talking some sense about the public option. And looking out for the best interests of his constituents. Go figure.