What is a public option in the health care debate?

what is public option? what are the two arguments? What is the debate about? Opinions would help!

Please take a few moments to watch this debate clip featuring a Emergency Department doctor Art Kellerman supporting Universal Health Care (UHC) administered by the federal government before answering my question. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VR2yh...

If we place a public option on a level playing field with private insurance then it will crush all private insurance on price vs features. It is quite simple: Private insurance adds at least 15% to the cost of health care for the reason of administration...

I keep hearing so many inconsistencies, so here are the facts: 1) Canada has a lower infant mortality rate than the U.S. Canada has 5.4 per 1000 births and the U.S. has 6.9. 2) The U.S. spends twice as much as Canada does on health care. We spend 16...

My class is doing a debate on medical universal health care. The pros and cons and everything in between. I am on the side that is against it. What are some of the pros and cons of Universal health care. We know the arguing side will argue that everyone...

A) No health care changes at all. It's fine the way it is. Let the free market decide. 2) Heath care refom is necessary, but public insurance is not the option. Regulate the private insurers, help people afford private insurance, and let it be. C) I...

Look I come from a country with universal health care (Australia) and a doctor visit and medication cost me 11$. And every other time i've needed health care it's always been cheap, i've never had to wait too long for health care. I've never even heard...

the topic of what was really the true intent of the bill was discussed, and we heard comments such as "Death Squads", care would never be rationed, and if you like your current plan and Doctor you could keep them? Those in the White House ...