That delivers to little for Nebraskans: Senator Ben Nelson and the public option

The U.S. Senate begins debate on the health reform bill today. Certain centrist Democrats like Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska will have a pivotal role in deciding whether consumers will have a public option if private insurance is unavailable, unaffordable or undesirable.

Nebraska's chief medical officer is calling for more diagnosis and treatment of people with diabetes. Dr. Joann Schaefer of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services says that 104,000 Nebraskans have diabetes, and an additional 250,000 have it but have not even been diagnosed. The medical and indirect costs in Nebraska amount to $750 million each year, according to the Associated Press story on Saturday in the Sioux City Journal.

Senator Nelson said on Nov. 20, in a press release on his website, "The Senate should start trying to fix a health care system that costs too much and delivers too little for Nebraskans." It seems the private health insurance system there has failed 250,000 of his citizens.

Advice for Nebraskans: Call Sen. Nelson at 202-224-6551 and tell him you want a public option in the health reform bill.

Read a story about the life-saving benefit of universal health insurance.