An answer to: Fact Checking the White House: Congressmen Did Opt Out of Public Option

As we search the world wide web for information, we have read a number of blogs where folks like you and me have asked, why won't the fed's give up their health care coverage? Why can't we have what they have?

We came across this web site:

http://www.opm.gov/INSURE/HEALTH/

which outlines health care for federal/govt employees.

The opening paragraphs on this site reads:

"The Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program can help you and your family meet your health care needs. Federal employees, retirees and their survivors enjoy the widest selection of health plans in the country. You can choose from among Consumer-Driven and High Deductible plans that offer catastrophic risk protection with higher deductibles, health savings/reimbursable accounts and lower premiums, or Fee-for-Service (FFS) plans, and their Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO), or Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO) if you live (or sometimes if you work) within the area serviced by the plan."

"Use this site to compare the costs, benefits, and features of different plans. We chose the different benefit categories based on enrollee requests, differences among plans, and simplicity. However, we urge you to consider the total benefit package, in addition to service and cost, and provider availability when choosing a health plan."

Further down on the page is this:

"The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, enacted February 17, 2009, provides a new health insurance opportunity for former employees who were or are involuntarily terminated between September 1, 2008, and December 31, 2009. Under this new law, former Federal employees may request premium assistance for their temporary continuation of coverage (TCC) under the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program. Premium assistance means your former agency will make a Government contribution of 65 percent of the TCC premiums for your FEHB plan enrollment."


The full text of the Benefits Administration's Letter can be found here:

http://www.opm.gov/retire/pubs/bals/2009/09-202.pdf

With such a wide range of choices, 283 plans in all, why would any Congressperson/Senator/federal employee go for the "public option"? Why should we?