Robust Public Option

On Monday, Harry Reid dramatically announced he would include a "public option" in the Senate healthcare bill. But progressives won't settle for just any old "public option." Here are the minimum requirements for a robust public option that progressives can support:

• based on Medicare rates (Medicare+5%), not rates negotiated with providers (which would delay implementation for several years)
• nation-wide, with no state opt-outs until several years have passed
• administered by Medicare, not a for-profit insurance company
• available in 2010, not 2013
• negotiated discounts for newer brand-name drugs and full coverage of older generics