I've studied the Health care bill and I don't hate it

[Mormon Red Death]

There are some good things about it.

1. To pay for it we won't be borrowing (at least at first). The hike in the Medicare tax and the flex spending accounts drop should account for the revenue to pay for it.

2. They tried to take away the problem of adverse selection and for the most part they accomplished it. I wish the fine was higher but that was probably a sticking points for a lot of dems.

3. Making Medicaid pay the same as Medicare is huge. For hospitals this will increase their bottom line significantly.

4. I like the provisions for pre-existing conditions and not being able to drop people. This will stop the redlining insurance companies do. This will really help the Blues as they haven't ever been able to redline and now their competition wont be able to.

5. Preventative Care is generally going to be covered

Things I don't like:

1. No price transparency. IMO one should be able to find out how much its cost before you have your knee operated on and be able to shop price wise.

1a. No personal responsibility when it comes to cost. You have a knee problems you see a doctor the insurance pays. People need a skin in the game so the market can balance the costs.

2. No penalties for people who don't take care of themselves or rewards for people who do. We should be incentivizing people to live healthier lives.

3. No cost controls. Look we cant continue to pay for the 90 year old great grandmother to stay in the hospital for 6 months prior to her death. There needs to be an incentive to get people who are terminal and old on Hospice care. Its better for them, their families and for the country as a whole.

4. I generally dont like tax increases.

[Solon]

There are some good things about it.

1. To pay for it we won't be borrowing (at least at first). The hike in the Medicare tax and the flex spending accounts drop should account for the revenue to pay for it.

2. They tried to take away the problem of adverse selection and for the most part they accomplished it. I wish the fine was higher but that was probably a sticking points for a lot of dems.

3. Making Medicaid pay the same as Medicare is huge. For hospitals this will increase their bottom line significantly.

4. I like the provisions for pre-existing conditions and not being able to drop people. This will stop the redlining insurance companies do. This will really help the Blues as they haven't ever been able to redline and now their competition wont be able to.

5. Preventative Care is generally going to be covered

Things I don't like:

1. No price transparency. IMO one should be able to find out how much its cost before you have your knee operated on and be able to shop price wise.

1a. No personal responsibility when it comes to cost. You have a knee problems you see a doctor the insurance pays. People need a skin in the game so the market can balance the costs.

2. No penalties for people who don't take care of themselves or rewards for people who do. We should be incentivizing people to live healthier lives.

3. No cost controls. Look we cant continue to pay for the 90 year old great grandmother to stay in the hospital for 6 months prior to her death. There needs to be an incentive to get people who are terminal and old on Hospice care. Its better for them, their families and for the country as a whole.

4. I generally dont like tax increases.

Thanks for weighing in on this. What's "adverse selection" (no.2 above)?

[Indy Coug]

Thanks for weighing in on this. What's "adverse selection" (no.2 above)?

a.k.a. "anti-selection"

[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adverse_selection"]Adverse selection - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]

It's the bane of pricing actuaries.

[All-American]

There are some good things about it.

1. To pay for it we won't be borrowing (at least at first). The hike in the Medicare tax and the flex spending accounts drop should account for the revenue to pay for it.

2. They tried to take away the problem of adverse selection and for the most part they accomplished it. I wish the fine was higher but that was probably a sticking points for a lot of dems.

3. Making Medicaid pay the same as Medicare is huge. For hospitals this will increase their bottom line significantly.

4. I like the provisions for pre-existing conditions and not being able to drop people. This will stop the redlining insurance companies do. This will really help the Blues as they haven't ever been able to redline and now their competition wont be able to.

5. Preventative Care is generally going to be covered

Things I don't like:

1. No price transparency. IMO one should be able to find out how much its cost before you have your knee operated on and be able to shop price wise.

1a. No personal responsibility when it comes to cost. You have a knee problems you see a doctor the insurance pays. People need a skin in the game so the market can balance the costs.

2. No penalties for people who don't take care of themselves or rewards for people who do. We should be incentivizing people to live healthier lives.

3. No cost controls. Look we cant continue to pay for the 90 year old great grandmother to stay in the hospital for 6 months prior to her death. There needs to be an incentive to get people who are terminal and old on Hospice care. Its better for them, their families and for the country as a whole.

4. I generally dont like tax increases.

I think you've hit it on the head. The bill addresses one of the two problems of our health care system: people are going uninsured. It doesn't address the second problem (and arguably, the larger one): costs are going up.

What the bill really does is set the stage for real reform. We really can't afford to ignore the problem now.

[Indy Coug]

I think you've hit it on the head. The bill addresses one of the two problems of our health care system: people are going uninsured. It doesn't address the second problem (and arguably, the larger one): costs are going up.

What the bill really does is set the stage for real reform. We really can't afford to ignore the problem now.

From everything I've seen, this bill will only make insurance more and more expensive.

[Indy Coug]

I'm not sure that I agree with MRD in point #2 that they have successfully dealt with adverse selection, but I haven't seen enough of the fine print to voice my disagreement strongly.

[bluegoose]

3. Making Medicaid pay the same as Medicare is huge. For hospitals this will increase their bottom line significantly.

I hadn't heard this. This should help solve some of the problems that are being anticipated by people opposed to the bill, namely lack of available primary care doctors not willing or able to accept new patients now eligible for coverage under Medicaid.

Medicare does not have a great fee schedule, but it is worlds better than Medicaid for most providers, aside from pharmaceuticals and possibly DME (not sure on this last one).

[Mormon Red Death]

Thanks for weighing in on this. What's "adverse selection" (no.2 above)?

in practical terms it means that people (mainly men aged 20 - 35) who previously wouldn't buy insurance will now be mandated to which will make the insurance pools less risky. Although as indycoug said the jury is still out if the mandate has the teeth to curtal adverse selection

[Clark Addison]

MRD, just wanted to say I really appreciate your comments on Health Care issues. I don't always agree, but you always seem to have an informed, thought-out, and rational approach. I find your arguments more convincing than almost anyone else's.

[Maximus]

So I saw this on CB, what prevents people from just paying the 700 bucks a year until they get a major sickness and then getting insurance, seeing as how insurance companies cant turn you down now?

[doctorcoug]

Simple economics will show that the price of insurance will increase. By not allowing companies to exclude unhealthy patients, the cost to provide insurance will increase. This increase will be passed onto the consumers.

Winners: those with pre-existing conditions

Losers: those without pre-existing conditions.

Final Verdict: Pure economic stupidity.

[Indy Coug]

Simple economics will show that the price of insurance will increase. By not allowing companies to exclude unhealthy patients, the cost to provide insurance will increase. This increase will be passed onto the consumers.

Winners: those with pre-existing conditions

Losers: those without pre-existing conditions.

Final Verdict: Pure economic stupidity.

Removing annual/lifetime maximums will contribute as well.

[Mormon Red Death]

Hopefully the people who wouldn't have purchased insurance either by no need or cost will make up for the increases. It however remains to be seen

[Mormon Red Death]

Simple economics will show that the price of insurance will increase. By not allowing companies to exclude unhealthy patients, the cost to provide insurance will increase. This increase will be passed onto the consumers.

Winners: those with pre-existing conditions

Losers: those without pre-existing conditions.

Final Verdict: Pure economic stupidity.

The real winners will be blue cross blue shields. All other insures will take a hit and raise premiums.

[New Mexican Disaster]

There are some good things about it.


Things I don't like:

1. No price transparency. IMO one should be able to find out how much its cost before you have your knee operated on and be able to shop price wise.

1a. No personal responsibility when it comes to cost. You have a knee problems you see a doctor the insurance pays. People need a skin in the game so the market can balance the costs.


3. No cost controls. Look we cant continue to pay for the 90 year old great grandmother to stay in the hospital for 6 months prior to her death. There needs to be an incentive to get people who are terminal and old on Hospice care. Its better for them, their families and for the country as a whole.

Well balanced comments.

I agree that these are pressing needs for reform in the future and it is a shame that nothing will be done about them. It is nonsensical that these have not been addressed except that the interest groups will fight tooth and nail to prevent any kind of reform as was shown in spades this time.