The Public Option would save $224 to $400 billion

the reason for a few companies having such a high percentage of coverage is due to government controls which reduce competition - gevernment needs to get out of the regulation business and stay in oversight only

First of all, no government agency has ever stayed the same size, they always grow at staggering rates. Second, by the nature of a government option being competitive it would run insurance companies out of business. Third, if you actually read HR 3200 it would kill private insurance through attrition. Fourth, No government agency has ever been more cost effective then private service (that's why government subcontracts things out to the private sector to save money). Fifth most studies (almost all) have concluded that the public option would cost more. Sixth, your "URBAN INSTITUTE" has created the ultimate nonsensical oxymoron. "save the taxpayers $224 to 400 Billion over a period of 10 years by lowering the cost of proposed subsidies for the uninsured" Subsidies means the government pays part, which means taxpayers. Do you always quote double talk?
Lastly, If you don't see where this is going then you need to drink some coffee! It would lead to government run single payer which has been a failure everywhere. Part of the reason that of healthcare is so expensive is that we are the ones picking up the tab for research all over the world because the government run systems won't.

Dear Jim. The proposed healthcare legislation with or without a public option plans to pay a subsidy to people with income less that 400% of the poverty level so they can afford to buy insurance. The gov't will pay the difference between the premium and a % of the buyers income
depending what that income is.
If we can devise ways to lower the premiums the gov't will pay less because the difference will be smaller. That is the basis of the Urban Institute's claim.

The Urban Institute believes that the best way to lower the premiums is a public option because it will offer lower cost insurance policies than the private insurance plans have done so far.

Also a look state by state tells us that in most states one or two companies have about 89% of the healthcare business. In Alabama one company has 90 % of thr busines, in Maine Senator Snow's state two companies have 71% of the healthcare business. This is not a lot of competition. The public deserves more choices.