Focus on cost controls, not a government option
There is no question our health care system needs an overhaul.
Health insurance costs way too much and the cost keeps going up year after year. So when President Obama said reducing health care costs was a top priority, I was a believer.
But somewhere along the road, Congress took a turn in the wrong direction. The talk about controlling costs has disappeared. Now all we hear about is how Congress is out to reform health care with a “public option” that looks a lot like a national health care system which will compete with private health care insurance companies.
In his speech to Congress in September, President Obama said, “Nothing in this plan will require you or your employer to change the coverage or the doctor you have.” Maybe not, but if the government offers a cheaper plan, my employer may switch to it. Employers like mine are struggling hard to pay for health insurance and keep their employees. If there is a lower cost - and potentially lower quality - government insurance program available, many employers will swap their more expensive private sector plans for the government plan.
I like my health insurance plan and want to keep it. There are many other options that can be done to control costs such as Tort Reform, which no one in Congress is willing to talk about.
I know many people don’t have health insurance and I agree our government should do more to expand access to affordable care. But we should be able to do this without sacrificing the quality health care most of us already have.
Real health care reform has to begin with bringing costs under control. Otherwise, we’re just making the problem worse.
Chris Schulte
Lake Saint Louis
Tort reform and tax cuts. Your right wing record is stuck.
Chris: President Obama said, “Nothing in this plan will require you or your employer to change the coverage or the doctor you have.” Maybe not, but if the government offers a cheaper plan, my employer may switch to it.
Chris, you have been misinformed. Employers cannot “switch” to the public option. Small employers (less than 20 employees) can “switch” to the Health Insurance Exchange, but if they do then each employee gets to make their own choice of which plan to pick in the Exchange … a choice of dozens of private plans or the public option.
Your employer is not allowed to pick for you!!!
And all of this angst about your employer possible switching to the Exchange seems rather silly to me. Don’t employers change plans already, sometimes every year? Don’t employers already choose to drop health benefits entirely? No one has a guarantee that their employer will stick with the same insurance plan forever.
http://waysandmeans.house.gov/media/pdf/111/sbys3200.pdf
page 5
SUBTITLE A – HEALTH INSURANCE EXCHANGE
Sec. 202. Exchange-eligible individuals and employers.
Requires that employers who offer coverage through the Exchange contribute at least the required contribution toward such coverage and permit their employees the freedom to choose any plan within the Exchange.
And something else, many people hate the insurance plan that their employers choose for them, but they have no other choice. In the Exchange, you will have dozens of plans to choose from. No more being stuck with a lousy insurance plan picked by your company.
Obama may not require your employer to dump you onto the Public Option, but when the Public Option is priced artifically low because it can be subsidized by higher taxes and deficit spending your employer will cancel your insurance and dump you onto the Public Option. The only reason for a Public Option is to undercut the insurance companies and drive them out of business so the Public Option becomes the Only Option.
I can’t wait till they apply their public option concept to our retirement accounts.
Egoist,
I originally laughed at your post, but then thought about it! Seems logical with this government. Pay into medicare for 40 plus yrs just to have your benefits cut (Advantage is part of medicare) for the collective good. Pay into retirement account for your whole life so the government can confiscate it for the collective good. Scary!!!!!
Chris
I couldnt agree more. The goal has been lost in the power struggle to control people. If they were focused on lowering healthcare costs, there would be no need for a public option. Per my comment in another area, insurance companies avg 6% profit margin, while drug manufacturers and healthcare investment companies average 12-90%. How does offering an alternative insurance option fix the overhead, actual cost of care? Lisa, you need to learn comprehension. You are quoting the specific words but refuse to see the actual meaning. As noted by believe it, employers wont choose the plan for you, but alternatively may choose not to provide because of the govt imposed penalties. And there is a choice as it relates to employer hc insurance, pay reduced premiums allowed for group coverage or go get your own. And again, why do you think someone who is not happy w/ their employers choice of HC coverage, is going to be pleased with gov’t choosing hc coverage for them??
believe it: when the Public Option is priced artifically low because it can be subsidized by higher taxes and deficit spending your employer will cancel your insurance and dump you onto the Public Option.
Sigh. The Public Option cannot be subsidized by higher taxes or deficit spending. The Public Option will be financed with premiums. Geez Louise.
The only reason for a Public Option is to undercut the insurance companies and drive them out of business so the Public Option becomes the Only Option.
Now that the Public Option will be paying the same rates as Private Insurance, the CBO says that the Public Option premiums will be *higher* than Private Insurance premiums. They say that is because the Public Option will attract a large number of expensive/sick individuals.
believe it: your employer will cancel your insurance and dump you onto the Public Option
Forgot to say … employers cannot dump anyone into the Public Option. No one will be forced into the Public Option. Everyone will have a CHOICE between Private Plans and the Public Option.
sally: And there is a choice as it relates to employer hc insurance, pay reduced premiums allowed for group coverage or go get your own.
Go get your own? Many people would be rejected for pre-existing conditions. Individual policies cost 20% more than Group policies. If you are not rejected, you might as well be throwing your premiums in the trash can … as soon as you get sick the insurance company can cancel your policy or raise the rates so high you are forced to cancel. And the insurance company gets to keep all of the premiums you have paid over the years. How convenient for them. Anyone who voluntarily chooses to get an individual policy is a FOOL.
And again, why do you think someone who is not happy w/ their employers choice of HC coverage, is going to be pleased with gov’t choosing hc coverage for them??
Government choosing healthcare for them? The Exchange will have many different insurance companies offering various levels of plans. The same insurance companies that we are dealing with now. I don’t understand why buying a Blue Cross policy in an “Exchange” is somehow a bad thing. And rather than taking the one policy offered by your employer, you will have dozens of plans to choose from. More choice. To me, that is a good thing. However, if you really think the Exchange is so scary and evil, you are still free to go to Blue Cross as an individual and buy your policy.