Wary of government involvement in health care

There are many gay friendly aspects to the health care reform bill the House recently passed. It eliminates the tax on partner health insurance. It improves treatment for HIV patients, has non-discrimination language, and has new rules for sex education.

But it also has a public option. In spite of Medicare and the liberal view that the public option in health care is a good thing (to which I agree) here is a voice that says gays should be wary of it.

* The public option will squeeze out private insurance. I happen to think that's a good thing, having commented on how health care is incompatible with the profit motive. However, this demonstrates the magnitude of the situation for gays.

* Federal privilege. The federal government is not subjected to laws of the states, especially non-discrimination laws. For example, Calif. requires gay employees get the same benefits of straight employees. But most big companies fall under federal ERISA rules, not state rules, and offer such benefits only if they want to. Because of Defense of Marriage, the public option can't recognize gay couples.

* Even in the current bill the gay friendly parts not involved in the public option have a good chance of being removed by the Senate.

* The public option won't be able to pay for abortions. Yes, that's a gay issue because it means rules for the public option are subject to the whims of whomever is in power.

* The private sector is far speedier in issues of equality. Note that Halliburton, even in its military contracts, protects gays against discrimination, yet the military itself requires discrimination.

* The GOP is actively against us. The Dems are not actively for us. Even if the GOP doesn't make significant gains in 2010 there are likely to be more conservative Dems. And if the GOP takes control of one chamber they will revisit health care and anti-gay provisions will be included.

* Those provisions could easily include preventing federal money to be spent on gay specific health care issues.

* HIV/AIDS or any future "gay plague" could easily be met with punishment before care.

The choice may come down to rooting for the public option because it offers a way out of tens of millions of people being denied or not able to afford insurance or decrying the public option because it is unfair to millions of gays.