The PPACA may not provide for a Federal Public Option, but the mandated State Exchanges can certainly do so:
Public health plans administered by counties cover 2.5 million residents in California, and public plans will compete with private plans in the state's health insurance exchange,
Read more: http://www.californiahealthline.org/...
Of course, health insurers are not thrilled...
Some private insurers in the state oppose the public plans. In 2010, Anthem Blue Cross worked to bar public plans from the state's insurance exchange.
Obviously, they were unsuccessful. Too bad, so sad.
While California works to enact a palatable version of Single Payor that can pass both houses and get Jerry Brown's signature, the State Exchange will force private insurers to compete with a Single Payor type option.
Unfortunately, the decision by HHS to leave many of the choices for both minimum levels of coverage and the makeup of exchanges to individual States will lead to varying degrees of benefits and affordability.
However, those States that offer a public option will be able to keep the private market honest, as they will be forced to provide the same benefit levels as the public option, at a competitive price...
County plan managers said they will offer low-cost services and a robust network of physicians and hospitals.
We should all be monitoring our respectives States' exchange plans and advocating for a public option and the most comprehensive minimum benefit level possible.