Opt-out versus Opt-in . What is the difference? Senate Majority leader Harry Reid (D-NV) announced the public option (government run healthcare), with a provision that allows states to opt out of participating in the program, is the best possible solution to the nation’s perceived healthcare crisis. There are some unanswered questions concerning the opt-out option. Will the citizens of states that decide to opt out be required to pay taxes, fees or penalties to support the citizens of states that decide to participate in the program? Will the citizens of opted out states become exempt from these taxes, fees or penalties? If a state opts out can they join at a later date? If a state participates can they opt out at a later date? Would citizens of participating states be required to pay higher taxes or fees because the cost of the program is spread among fewer participants? Requiring citizens of opted-out states to pay for the care of participating states is redistribution of wealth and socialistic. Allowing states to enter and leave the program would cause the citizens to have and then not have healthcare whenever the political majority in their state changes from party to party.