ObamaCare Solution

[FriendofSpurgeon]

Many insurers are pulling out of the exchanges. Rates by those who remain are going up an average of 25%.

I've heard a lot of complaints (from both sides), but very few reasonable solutions. How would you suggest to fix the problem? (And please don't say, remove the state lines.)

 

[Revmitchell]

Remove the state lines is one part to play. Narrowing competition always increases costs to the consumers. Stop making people pay for coverage on things they will never use. Parents do not need to be covering their adult son in his twenties.

 

[TCassidy]

Keep health insurance private for those who want it and can afford it.

For those who don't want it or can't afford it, go to a single payer plan.

As it presently exists Obamacare is nothing but a wind-fall profits scheme to enrich big business (insurance companies are some of the richest corporations in the country).

For now private practice doctors and hospitals will have to be the source of medical care with the taxpayer being the single payer.

In the future, as healthcare infrastructure is built the private practice doctors and hospitals can be phased out and in-house physicians and hospitals can take up the task.

 

[FriendofSpurgeon]

Remove the state lines is one part to play. Narrowing competition always increases costs to the consumers. Stop making people pay for coverage on things they will never use. Parents do not need to be covering their adult son in his twenties.

The problem is that insurance companies are regulated by the states, not the federal government. Thus, you would have to have an act of Congress (literally) to change the McCarran-Feguson Act. Question: do you really want the federal government regulate insurance rather than the states?

Also, how does this impact the underlying costs? I don't see how this change impacts the cost of insurance.

 

[FriendofSpurgeon]

Keep health insurance private for those who want it and can afford it.

For those who don't want it or can't afford it, go to a single payer plan.

As it presently exists Obamacare is nothing but a wind-fall profits scheme to enrich big business (insurance companies are some of the richest corporations in the country).

For now private practice doctors and hospitals will have to be the source of medical care with the taxpayer being the single payer.

In the future, as healthcare infrastructure is built the private practice doctors and hospitals can be phased out and in-house physicians and hospitals can take up the task.

So, would you embrace a "Medicare for All" type of plan for those don't have a private plan? If so, how is that really different than the current exchanges?

Also, I would disagree with windfall profits scheme. Most large insurers under-projected the costs and are now exiting the exchange markets due to overwhelming losses.

 

[TCassidy]

do you really want the federal government regulate insurance rather than the states?

I don't want the government involved at all. Let the market place provide the regulation.

Also, how does this impact the underlying costs? I don't see how this change impacts the cost of insurance.

Increased competition reduces rates.

 

[Revmitchell]

The problem is that insurance companies are regulated by the states, not the federal government. Thus, you would have to have an act of Congress (literally) to change the McCarran-Feguson Act. Question: do you really want the federal government regulate insurance rather than the states?

Also, how does this impact the underlying costs? I don't see how this change impacts the cost of insurance.

Competition, competition always makes costs lower.

 

[TCassidy]

So, would you embrace a "Medicare for All" type of plan for those don't have a private plan?

No. I would do as I suggested above.

Private where private works and single payer (similar to the VA) where needed.

 

[Revmitchell]

Single payer is unconstitutional and socialism. Never a good idea.

 

[FriendofSpurgeon]

I don't want the government involved at all. Let the market place provide the regulation.

Increased competition reduces rates.

I agree. But moving from state to federal regulation is not the answer - for a lot of reasons. This whole "remove the lines" cannot/will not happen.

 

[TCassidy]

Single payer is unconstitutional and socialism. Never a good idea.

The VA is neither unconstitutional nor socialistic.

 

[TCassidy]

But moving from state to federal regulation is not the answer - for a lot of reasons.

Except that is not what I said. I said "I don't want the government involved at all. Let the market place provide the regulation."

 

[InTheLight]

Also, how does this impact the underlying costs? I don't see how this change impacts the cost of insurance.

If insurance companies could compete across state lines there would be an initial surge in competition that would probably lower rates, if not lower rates, restrict their dizzying increases.

But this would only work for a while. It wouldn't be long before some states would offer incentives for health insurance companies to incorporate in their states, perhaps legislation offering higher yearly rate increase caps or promises of lower regulations, or both. Soon most health insurance companies would relocate their HQ's to these few states with favorable business climates and for all practical purposes the aspect of competition across states lines would be lost.

 

[Revmitchell]

The VA is neither unconstitutional nor socialistic.

Trying to apply what goes on in the VA is not comparable to generalized healthcare. Apples and refrigerators.

 

[TCassidy]

Trying to apply what goes on in the VA is not comparable to generalized healthcare.

Why not? How is the heathcare I get from the VA substantially different from what you are calling "generalized healthcare?"

 

[blessedwife318]

Start treating health insurance like car insurance. No one turns in every oil change, tire rotation, or gas fill up to their car insurance agency. Neither should routine test and visits be turned in. My husband and I have just been paying cash for all my medical bills and it was amazing to us how much cheaper it was to just pay cash up front than go through the whole pain of them billing my worthless insurance, having them deny it, and than having to pay it anyways. We just eliminate middle men.
I've also heard about this membership plan that some Dr are doing where they charge their patience a flat monthly rate and that pays for everything including labs, xrays, CAT scans etc, because they have negotiated the price with the lab company, once again getting rid of the middle man.

Letting the market do its job would help a lot. I remember reading this article a few years back about how the market helped drive down the cost of lasik eye surgery, because it was outside of medical insurance.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk