There are two reasons for this. First, the public option is likely to have lower administrative costs than private insurance plans. We know this based on our experience with Medicare, which spends a lower percentage of every dollar on overhead than private insurance plans do, on average. And second, if the public plan proves popular, it will be able to use its market share to negotiate lower prices for consumers. These two steps would also positively affect the rest of the health insurance market, making it more efficient, innovative and customer-oriented, which is exactly what we need.