What Exactly Is the "Public Option"?

There are no shortage of opinions when it comes to the health care debate. But how many of those chattering voices from either side actually know what they're talking about? With news that the government-run option may be doomed, people are searching for more specifics on the proposal. What exactly is this public option that has so many people up in arms?

Over the past 24 hours, lookups on "public health care option" and "what is the public health care option" have both surged into the thousands. That's largely due to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, who on Sunday said the public option is "not essential."

Those remarks were later contradicted by former presidential candidate Howard Dean. In an appearance on "The Early Show," he talked forcefully about the public option, which the Obama administration has begun to back off from. "You can’t have reform without a public option," said Dean. "If you really want to fix the health-care system, you’ve got to give the public the choice of having such an option."

OK, OK, but what the heck is it? Here are some of the Buzz's most popular articles that explain the controversial choice: ...

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