Baucus's first questioner asked why he had begun his health reform process by removing single payer from consideration. Why, he asked, was Baucus protecting private insurers? Why was he advocating an individual mandate that would force Americans to purchase their services, and endure their inefficiencies (to be fair, Baucus's plan has a public insurer that people can choose)? Baucus's answer was surprisingly straightforward. "I just have to make a judgment," he said. "And I think at this time, in this country, single payer is not going to get to first base in the Congress." "I do believe we need universal coverage and I think the inefficiencies you allude to can be addressed. Delivery system reform would cut costs and improve quality. We need health insurer reform to get rid of preexisting conditions and other ways insurers discriminate. That's part of our plan here, and the CEOs of many larger insurance companies are on board. They know this change is coming. They may lose the current model but they pick up on volume with 46 million people coming into the system." "And we're a big country. We're an ocean liner, not a speedboat. It takes time to turn big ships. We're constituted differently than European countries and Canada. We're younger than other countries. We need a uniquely American result. And that will be a public/private hybrid. There may come a time when we can push for single payer. But that time is not yet, and so I'm not going to waste my time." The questioner looked surprised. "Thank you for your candor," he said.
