Whew, I have health insurance for 2014 !!!!

[Drew99GT]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
As I said, and agree with you/Steve, that the ACA hasn't allowed the exchanges to properly pool risk.


They can't "properly", as in economically via market forces, pool risk under the law because the law prohibits that. It caps premiums at a 3 to one ratio as the age of the insured increases. Older folks premiums, which should cost much much more because they are higher risk and use healthcare much more, can never be over 3 times that of the youngest risk pool. In that way, the law is set up almost like social security where the young are subsidizing the old.

I must have lucked out as my high deductible policy is, and according to my insurance company, will stay grandfathered. My premium is $120 a month and meets some provisions of the ACA; the bronze plan closest to my policy under the ACA is $190 bucks a month and has 30% coinsurance. It's a joke; most uninsured making the median wage who don't have health insurance won't be able to afford the premiums under the ACA without substantial help IMO.

 

[JHZR2]

Yes but that is the issue. The "law", as dictated by insurance company lobbyists to line their pockets to the greatest extent, forbids this in the name of profit mongering.

If people could truly pool into greater numbers, shop across state lines, heck, not have state lines when it comes to policies, IMO the pricing would be much better.

That said, my policy only pools NJ risk, and it costs what it does, which is pretty good, IMO.

 

[Finz]

Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Originally Posted By: ram_man
funny how a bunch of oil junkies get it but our "superiors" with Harvard degrees cant figure it out! of course they cannot figure out the www. thing either

You disagree with people who have much more advanced educations and do this for a living, and you think YOU'RE the one who's right?

That's bold.


Do what for living? Public Servants (An oxymoron if there ever was one) who decided to "dabble" in the health insurance field?

 

[javacontour]

Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Originally Posted By: ram_man
funny how a bunch of oil junkies get it but our "superiors" with Harvard degrees cant figure it out! of course they cannot figure out the www. thing either

You disagree with people who have much more advanced educations and do this for a living, and you think YOU'RE the one who's right?

That's bold.


Except their expertise is in politics and they are bought with lobbyist money.

 

[d00df00d]

And our expertise is in...?

And we are motivated by...?

 

[redbone3]

When the government becomes involved costs go up. Why do you think college costs have skyrocketed? If the college knows students can borrow whatever is needed, they have zero incentive to control costs, and every incentive to increase them.

 

[TrevorS]

So we should ban banks and lending because by definition the price of houses and automobiles have gone up because you can borrow money for them.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: javacontour

Except their expertise is in politics and they are bought with lobbyist money.


So true, except the word 'expertise' is used rather loosely! But bought and paid for...

 

[Drew99GT]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2


If people could truly pool into greater numbers, shop across state lines, heck, not have state lines when it comes to policies, IMO the pricing would be much better.



I agree entirely. The entire medical industry from health insurance to health providers to the pharmaceutical industry is a giant racket that needs to be opened up nationwide.

 

[d00df00d]

So, not to disagree that plans should be sold across state lines, because I think that could be a great idea. Just wanted to hear a response to the criticism that, if that's all we did, insurance companies would all move to the least-regulated state and their plans would race to the bottom. What would stop that from happening?

 

[Blaze]

A good friend of mine with no health insurance went into cardiac arrest this past summer while driving. Fortunately he is alright but was stuck with a 145K bill for his new pacemaker etc. He went to an experienced bankruptcy attorney after he got the bill. His attorney told him to sit tight and work with the hospital. After meeting with the hospital they brought the bill down to 12K and he then brought the bill to his attorney to look over the itemization. The attorney told him settling with the hospital at 12K they still make money. The attorney told him their break even point was closer to 8-9K and keeping in mind the original bill started out at 145K!!

 

[[email protected]]

Originally Posted By: Blaze
A good friend of mine with no health insurance went into cardiac arrest this past summer while driving. Fortunately he is alright but was stuck with a 145K bill for his new pacemaker etc. He went to an experienced bankruptcy attorney after he got the bill. His attorney told him to sit tight and work with the hospital. After meeting with the hospital they brought the bill down to 12K and he then brought the bill to his attorney to look over the itemization. The attorney told him settling with the hospital at 12K they still make money. The attorney told him their break even point was closer to 8-9K and keeping in mind the original bill started out at 145K!!


But but the system (as it was) was FINE, right??

 

[demarpaint]

Whew I have health insurance but need a doctor now. They couldn't leave well enough alone!

 

[Blaze]

Originally Posted By: [email protected]
Originally Posted By: Blaze
A good friend of mine with no health insurance went into cardiac arrest this past summer while driving. Fortunately he is alright but was stuck with a 145K bill for his new pacemaker etc. He went to an experienced bankruptcy attorney after he got the bill. His attorney told him to sit tight and work with the hospital. After meeting with the hospital they brought the bill down to 12K and he then brought the bill to his attorney to look over the itemization. The attorney told him settling with the hospital at 12K they still make money. The attorney told him their break even point was closer to 8-9K and keeping in mind the original bill started out at 145K!!


But but the system (as it was) was FINE, right??



It would be interesting to se that "itemized" bill at the original 145K and the itemized bill at 12K and see exactly how they changed that. He has BOTH bills. I'll have to ask him. He did say on the original 145K bill they charged him 4K for ONE drug!! Evidently its the drug that stops your heart to test the pacemaker during surgery.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: d00df00d
So, not to disagree that plans should be sold across state lines, because I think that could be a great idea. Just wanted to hear a response to the criticism that, if that's all we did, insurance companies would all move to the least-regulated state and their plans would race to the bottom. What would stop that from happening?


The only way is to remove the expensive lobbyists who pound their agenda into our legislators.

Carefully crafted law that was created to help consumers would be a revelation, we haven't seen any 'ground up' work in decades. Everything is 'top down'...

 

[Blaze]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Originally Posted By: d00df00d
So, not to disagree that plans should be sold across state lines, because I think that could be a great idea. Just wanted to hear a response to the criticism that, if that's all we did, insurance companies would all move to the least-regulated state and their plans would race to the bottom. What would stop that from happening?


The only way is to remove the expensive lobbyists who pound their agenda into our legislators.
Remove the insurance cos?

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: Blaze
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Originally Posted By: d00df00d
So, not to disagree that plans should be sold across state lines, because I think that could be a great idea. Just wanted to hear a response to the criticism that, if that's all we did, insurance companies would all move to the least-regulated state and their plans would race to the bottom. What would stop that from happening?


The only way is to remove the expensive lobbyists who pound their agenda into our legislators.
Remove the insurance cos?


Not sure abou that, but remove how they are implemented. Every doctor's office visit needs to be paid by insurance? Really? Is that how it worked 50 years ago when doctors came to one's home? Seems to me that most stuff should be paid out of pocket without inefficient processes and middlemen making profit.

Insurance should be catastrophic, not for every last doctor's visit or pill that one takes. That's why I think the HDHP with a LOT more openness regarding pricing would be best...

 

[SteveSRT8]

"Openness". I think it's a great word.

Like transparency it is often spoken of but rarely a reality!

A little free market stuff applied carefully could really get the whole healthcare market going strong and cutting costs like crazy.

 

[Finz]

Originally Posted By: d00df00d
So, not to disagree that plans should be sold across state lines, because I think that could be a great idea. Just wanted to hear a response to the criticism that, if that's all we did, insurance companies would all move to the least-regulated state and their plans would race to the bottom. What would stop that from happening?


Insurance is regulated by the state in which it is purchased... Not from where the carrier is domiciled.

 

[Astro14]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2


Not sure abou that, but remove how they are implemented. Every doctor's office visit needs to be paid by insurance? Really? Is that how it worked 50 years ago when doctors came to one's home? Seems to me that most stuff should be paid out of pocket without inefficient processes and middlemen making profit.

Insurance should be catastrophic, not for every last doctor's visit or pill that one takes. That's why I think the HDHP with a LOT more openness regarding pricing would be best...


I agree with you on that...simplification of the routine would bring that cost down...and people would make decisions with their own money, instead of other people's money...