Got a pre-existing condition? Now you can pay through the nose

Got a pre-existing condition? Now you can pay through the nose

rawstory.com

The Obama administration is launching a special coverage program for uninsured Americans with medical problems this week, the most ambitious early investment of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul.

But here's the catch: Premiums will be a stretch for many, even after government subsidies to bring rates close to what healthier groups of people are charged.

And $5 billion that Congress allocated to the program through 2013 could run out well before that.

(visit the link for the full news article)



Related AboveTopSecret.com Discussion Threads:
Obama Arrives: Health Premiums Jump 20 Percent

Premiums will vary from state to state. In California, for example, the cost for a 50-year-old is estimated at $575 a month, with a $1,500 annual deductible and 15 percent co-insurance. Premiums in states with lower medical costs could be around $400 a month.

"That's still quite a lot of money, so there will be some folks who struggle to afford that," said Marian Mulkey, health reform director for the California HealthCare Foundation. "But it's going to mean a big jump in access"...

...Medicare economists earlier estimated the program would sign up 375,000 people this year, but run out of money around the end of 2011.

That would be an embarrassment for Obama, since the program is a centerpiece of his plan for putting the nation on a path to coverage for all.

Is this the brilliant plan? Oh, it's so wonderful that the rich will now be able to insure themselves, at the tax-payers expense now... at least for a couple of months.

I have always argued that the reasoning behind premiums going down, isn't sound reasoning at all. What's going to happen, is that it isn't going to balance out by everyone being forced to pay for insurance, which is going to burden the tax-payers to an extent that we can't afford, all the while the insurance industry is going to be laughing all the way to the bank.

I know that this is only a "band-aid" if you will, until the meat of the plan takes effect in 2014, however I believe this to be an indication of the problems to come. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for everyone having access to health care, though I'm not for enriching the insurance industry at the expense of the American people.

--airspoon


rawstory.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Well, the thought process behind it all was silly to start with. Insurance carriers have no obligation to lower premiums and as such it's a fools hope to think that they will. If anything now that it's mandatory they have every incentive to do across the board premium hikes. After all, what are you going to do since you HAVE to be covered.

Socialism or not, some things are best left to the goverment to handle...health care is one of those thigs...get the private insurers out of business and make the care providers bargain with the govt.
Eliminate a big fat middleman and put the money into the peoples health care.
Some stuff just kills the little guys when its privatised...
I say equality is not served in such fashion...

reply to post by stirling


Since when has the government done anything right? They seem to screw up just about anything they get their hands on. Instead of giving it to the federal government to handle, they should give it to the people. If the government did not show favoritism to the health care industry, then we could have healthy competition, thereby driving down prices and making health care here in the states affordable.

The way it works now, if you want to get health care, you are forced to get service from only a very small pool of people/companies. Since we absolutely need health care and can't go anywhere else for said care, they can charge whatever they like. For instance, If I'm on severe pain, I am forced to see expensive government approved doctors, only to pay for very expensive and harmful chemicals to relieve said pain. If I was allowed to treat myself, I wouldn't be forced to pay such high prices to a company that is basically extorting me.

If everyone had other options, then the health care industry would be forced to drive down their prices, giving the average Joe necessary access to health care. Government is not always the answer and in fact, is often the problem.. as in the case of health care.

--airspoon

reply to post by stirling


And which government agency are you going to use as a champion example in efficiency? The fact is, there is not ONE government ran agency running in the black.

The fact of the matter is, the government has proven itself very inefficient in corporate ventures. You only need to look at the postal services and state DMVs to see that government excels at red tape bureaucracy while it fails at everything else.

What you're calling 'middle man' is the natural competition that allows for lower costs and higher benefits for the people.

The government has no business getting involved in this past the point to where they impose stricter guidelines, which they could have done easily.

reply to post by airspoon


The only problem here is that it was never a plan this was another blunder of another administration kissing the arses of their big campaign donors this was a bailout to the private insurance business nothing more and nothing else.

With the state of unemployment and jobs nowhere in site for the cash strap Americans the entire HCR of those that have not financial means to afford it is Medicaid.

What else can we expect from corporate run and financed governments in this nation.

But that is OK because the gravy money train call taxable income is going to get very empty very soon. . .

reply to post by stirling


The so call privatization in certain sectors looking back now to 30 years ago, is making America very hard to afford for some of its American citizens anymore.