Will be used, presumably, merely as a backup. There is no longer any reason, if there ever was one at all, of supporting this pathetic "reform". From The New York Times:
Health Care Idea Has Public Plan Only as Backup
New York Times
By ROBERT PEAR and JACKIE CALMES
Published: September 3, 2009
WASHINGTON As President Obama faces conflicting pressures from the left and the right over his proposal for a new public health insurance program, White House officials are investigating a possible compromise under which the government would offer its own health plan only if private insurers failed to provide affordable coverage
The idea of such a backup plan or "trigger mechanism" has emerged in negotiations between the White House and the one Republican willing to engage with them on the issue, Senator Olympia J. Snowe of Maine, on whom the White House rests its hopes of finding a middle ground.
The secretary of health and human services, Kathleen Sebelius, was in Maine on Thursday, promoting the president's health care proposals as a boon to older Americans.
Ms. Sebelius was accompanied by Representative Chellie Pingree. Like Speaker Nancy Pelosi and many other Democrats, Ms. Pingree supports the idea of a new public plan, to compete with private insurers. Ms. Pingree praised Ms. Snowe, saying Maine was "truly lucky" to have her as a senator, seeking a bipartisan solution on health care.
For several months, the administration has sent mixed signals on proposals for a public plan, sometimes embracing the idea and sometimes suggesting it is not essential.
Read the rest of the article