Before we watch the news program tonight, the
ABC News Health Care Forum, here are some things to consider:
Why can't the opposition
have a say?The current health care plans before our House and Senate would seem to do the following points:
**They start my mandating standard benefit packages with minimal deductibles for all Americans. Most of these package ideas would include anything and everything imaginable and would be available to all Americans. Most Americans currently do not utilize all of these benefits due to cost and need.
What will this do?
By requiring all benefit packages to include all of these coverages, such as hair transplants, hearing aids, rehab services, in-
vitro fertilization, prescription drug benefits; this will make it hard for young and healthy Americans to purchase low-cost policies for emergent care that cost pennies on the dollar compared to the proposed idea.
**Next, the health plans on a national level would require something termed 'community rating'. The democrats have tried this terrible
IDEA before. All Americans would be offered an equal rate on their health care; while not taking into account their differing health risks.
What will happen?
Young people would pay much more than the costs they would use. THIS IS WHY many young Americans are
underinsured. It is a choice. The aged would get a large discount or subsidy of sorts, and the 20-somethings will pay an unfair and unneeded cost.
**Another fun thought, the plans would NOT LET Americans buy private insurance from states they do not reside in.
Thoughts on outcomes?
Since Obama is afraid of capitalist ideas, and free market competition, we will not have a US market. This would perpetuate large cost differences between states. Of course for Medicare, the plans would make the lowest level found anywhere in America the cost for all plans.
**To top it off, these plans claim to offer an option that allows them to compete with private offerings. This would make the cost of private plans only available for the richest of rich. Since the Medicare plans could get any subsidy the private plans offered, we would have no more private insurance, or at least a lack of competition.
And what else could this do?
So, with this public option idea, where employed Americans could seemingly receive Medicare, would let
American's dump their employers' plans. So, companies could drop their private insurance and institute a payroll tax. Since we all have heard of how much health care costs employers,
(Think GM), most companies would drop their private plans. Employers would then likely sign up for these subsidized insurance plans.
The private insurers seem to have some sort of penalty as well, with their profits from the young that don't utilize much insurance being taken and given to older Americans.
For more on this confusing
"public option" strategy.
Just because the government will seemingly have all of the purchasing power, will health care costs fail? In the end isn't that what Obama thinks his health care plan will do?
If Americans start to try and take advantage of all of these suddenly subsidized, health care procedures that may not be needed, will costs suddenly fall?
With cheap services and huge lines for health care costs, will we look like
this?
More people will see the doctor, that will be for sure, but not for the right reasons.
To me, this goes back to the saying:
"You can't spend your way out of recession, or borrow your way out of debt."
No, I do not know the answers, I'm simply trying to understand what may happen to my profession, my employer, and my family.
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