The Demise of Obamacare
A writer over at City Journal takes a look at claims that repealing the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) is going to be a disaster. He points out that part of Obamacare enrollment was people signing on to Medicaid and over 70% of those enrollees already qualified for Medicaid before Obamacare and they should remain qualified. Still, he points out "...Medicaid programs are burdening the federal government and driving states to the financial brink.". That seems to me unlikely to change.
As far as the subsidies to buy private insurance goes, he notices those programs seem to be falling apart on their own with no help from Donald Trump: " Insurers are abandoning the exchanges, leaving 68 percent of U.S. counties with two or fewer insurers to choose from"- this being caused, I would think in large part, by insurance companies covering those they normally wouldn't.
He closes with a largely negative, seems to me, view of Obamacare: "Trump and the Republican Congress should ignore ACA bogeymen. Repealing most of the ACA, retaining a few provisions, and replacing programs in 2018 will rid the country of one the most contentious, complex, and wasteful pieces of social engineering ever enacted—and set the stage for a more efficient, consumer-centered health-care system."
To be honest, I've been fairly content with my Obamacare plan, aside from my local doctor not accepting it. Not sure what I'd do if I was ruled ineligible for my plan.
posted by Fred Mangels @ 9:05 AM
13 comments
13 Comments:
The Republicans have had a replacement plan for several years now. It's called the emergency room at your local hospital.Unlike their congressional health care plan which is totally funded by the taxpayers.
Enjoy your new freedoms
Before wages & pensions for Govts local, state & Feds skyrocketed, California offered the Sliding Scale program.
The Sliding Scale was especially great for the seasonal work force. Pay normal 100% when working, pay zero-99% when not.
That is affordable healthcare.
Republican statements that they can "fix" the ACA by repealing and replacing it are disengenuous at best. The key contention that they can somehow require insurance companies to cover pre-existing condititions without requiring everyone to have insurance simply won't work. On top of that, key advisors for the Drumpf want to greatly reduce, if not eliminate both Medicaid and Medicare going instead with tax deductions for buying private coverage. While that might work for the wealthy, it won't for the vast majority of the middle- and low- income folks who are already the most likely to use emergency rooms as their primary health care.
"Insurers are abandoning the exchanges, leaving 68 percent of U.S. counties with two or fewer insurers to choose from"
There's an easy fix (if we had a government that wanted to fix the problem).
Want to sell health insurance in California or any other state? Then you'll sell to everyone in the state, not cherry-pick the profitable areas.
How bad is it to have only one or two insurance company options?
What is covered by the policy is determined by the ACA. The insurance company can't deny you a policy or kick you off if you get sick.
Rates are set by the ACA, not the insurance company. At least the max rate you pay if you earn less than upper middle class money (>$80k for a family of four).
For the tens of millions of Americans who had no ability to get any sort of health coverage a choice of even one company is an enormous improvement.
Insurance is a business that chooses where it's most profitable to do business......that is the free market.
Now, what defines profit in the sense of tangible goods and services sold is a great plethora of line item charges that transition into profit:
Labor (many codified types)
Medicine
Machines
Outsourcing
Etc......
Obviously, rural areas tend to be "poorer" than urban, so it is no surprise that medical industry provider headquarters are stationed in areas where population loads support a business long term......
In Humboldt County, much improvements and additions needed in the field of "practicing medicine and healing"....facilities to qualified labor professionals, machines to communications, etc...
Forcing people to purchase insurance "or else" is thuggery and extortion,
yet another reason why 5 million registered Democrats stayed home and did not vote for Hillary.
Henchman has no problem supporting free riders.
Very generous person, the Henchman.
Government has no problem forcing emergency rooms to "operate" on people with no insurance.......must be enough gubbamint funds to pay off the ER's but not the doctors......so it is generous doctors who actually give alongside generous taxpayers.
HOJ is a taxpayer, ER visits by others do not have an effect on HOJ in that sense.
Bob, actually HOJ does not agree with free riders, but you already know that suffice to say.....
The moral of medicine is that "force" is enacted to subsidize the patients who can't pay.......
The immorality of a "for profit healthcare system" on the basics.....boob jobs pay out the ass deservedly so.....
Emergency rooms are required by law to treat everyone who enters. That bill was signed by Ronald Reagan.
Reagancare.
HOJ may be a freerider. Perhaps he has no health insurance. But if he has health insurance or even pays cash for his own treatment he's helping to cover the cost of Reagan's free riders.
It doesn't matter if it's a for profit hospital or a hospital run by a non-profit, the cost of treating people without coverage is put off on others by raising the cost of treatments enough to cover losses. The government does not reimburse hospitals for non-paid emergency room visits.
HOJ, emergency rooms found a loophole. By bringing in outside Doctors, the Doctors can send patients a separate bill.
Govt healthcare treats according to the budget. The budget doesn't cover chronic problems. Diabetes, heart, smokers, obese, even drowning are all considered chronic. Duke university has the scoop on this, because Duke writes it up for the pharmaceutical companies who are behind it all. Duke writes it up for change lab solutions, who is a branch of the Johnsons who is the relations of Johnson & Johnson. Others are involved too, but they're the main ones who push the high costs of healthcare, prohibition of all self medications, patents for the prohibited commodities for their own profits, & so on. You will find them in any Healthy Communities awards & bonus system, the UN, & all the micro managed steal your rights & money campaigns.
Change lab is all one word. I separated to keep them at bay.
Exactly Bob, finally you get the "by force"argument as set by gubbamint, quit whining that Shillary lost and your pension plan, healthcare plan is more expensive because of gubbamint interventions.....
You vote 2 Party Bob, you lose....it is simple mathematics based reality.
HOJ
Recent decision that does nothing to secure payment, but does allow another "billing avenue attempt".
Billing was done before under the law a certain way......Americans are used to "skirting laws" and "discovering loopholes".
When the billing shows "payoffs", then hit HOJ up on the "billing attempt transitions".
Bob,
Should we get Dr. Carrol's staff to explain to you about cash payments and the benefits to both patient and Doctors and hospitals/clinics/treatment centers, etc....
Ya see, all the forward billable charges is more labor, more paperwork, more hurdles, more circuit breakers, etc.....all of which increases the costs of healthcare......
Of course HOJ shits on the idea and notion of paying for your healthcare!
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