The Promise and Perils of Public Options

The Medicare for All debate has brought attention to proposals for a government-run health care plan, which have been branded as a “public option.”  This is often seen as a ruse to disguise the imposition of single-payer health care by rendering private coverage no longer viable in practice. But, issues of political strategy aside, is there a genuine case to be made for the ideal of the government providing goods and services alongside private alternatives?