A good summary of the political economy that surrounds the US healthcare system is that people want healthcare that's: - fast - efficient - no restrictions on hospitals, doctors, or treatment - financed by taxes on the rich (defined in whoever is in a tax bracket higher than themselves)

Now this is obviously untenable. In my professional estimation (ex-health policy analyst) I think you CAN have a public option be viable. But financing it will likely have to be done by expanding revenue through middle class tax hikes (not just millionaires), which never fend very well in our current political climate.