(Washoe Lake Specific)
0 messages
Updated
Lakes Online Forum
83,626 messages
Updated 5/18/2024 5:07:20 AM
Lakes Online Forum
5,193 messages
Updated 4/3/2024 3:47:36 AM
(Washoe Lake Specific)
0 messages
Updated
Lakes Online Forum
4,169 messages
Updated 4/15/2024 11:05:05 PM
Lakes Online Forum
4,260 messages
Updated 3/24/2024 9:24:45 AM
Lakes Online Forum
2,976 messages
Updated 3/20/2024 11:53:43 PM
Lakes Online Forum
98 messages
Updated 4/15/2024 1:00:58 AM
|
|
|
| Name: |
MartiniMan
- 
|
|
| Subject: |
111 Entities Get Obamacare Waivers
|
|
Date:
|
11/15/2010 2:11:19 PM
|
Well, 111 firms and labor unions have gotten waivers from Obamacare, otherwise they would lose their health insurance. Its just this backroom, double dealing that confirms everything we already knew about Obamacare. In my view this violates the equal protection clause and should negate the entire bill in the courts.
Repeal and replace with sensible reform!
|
| Name: |
GoneFishin
-
|
|
| Subject: |
111 Entities Get Obamacare Waivers
|
|
Date:
|
11/15/2010 4:28:37 PM
|
Define sensible reforms?????
|
| Name: |
MAJ USA RET
-
|
|
| Subject: |
Examples of Sensible Health Care Reform
|
|
Date:
|
11/15/2010 5:26:46 PM
|
Tort reform (loser pays ALL legal fees for both sides; suits must be filed in the state where the malpractice was alleged to have happened, etc.)
Insurance purchasable across state lines
Insurance fraud enforcement
Co-pay for EVERYONE (except true emergency care)
No hospitalization for illegal aliens (except true emergency care)
|
| Name: |
MartiniMan
-
|
|
| Subject: |
111 Entities Get Obamacare Waivers
|
|
Date:
|
11/16/2010 10:17:50 AM
|
I'll add to the list first with philosophical concepts. First of all I have no specific ideas how to accomplish some of what I think needs to be done but if we had the leadership driving toward these outcomes there are lots of smart people to figure out how to make it happen. I do believe that a government-only solution or one that makes it impossible for the private markets to compete is not the way to go as evidenced by the experience everywhere it has been tried, unless you like death panels, like waiting months for an MRI or want your aging parents to beg you not to take them to the hospital because they know they won't get out alive. I also believe that any reform that is meaningful will get the ultimate consumer closer to their purchasing decisions so they will have an incentive to make better decisions based on their personal circumstances, just like we do with other types of insurance coverage.
What we really need to focus on is trying to find a way to cover the 10-15 million Americans who: 1) do not have health insurance; and 2) actually WANT health insurance. The concept of throwing out the baby with the bathwater as was the case with Obamacare is not what the American people want. Those who are not currently covered and don't want to pay for health insurance need to be forced to live with their decision. If they get sick and have a lot of medical costs then they need to deal with the financial ramifications of their decision, just like they would if they buy a house they can't afford.....oh, wait a second.....bad example.......just like they would if they piled up credit card debt......oops, maybe not a good one either......
We have to solve the conundrum of preexisting conditions so that people can move between jobs without insurance worries. Key to this issue is to avoid adverse selection by consumers. By that I mean you don't buy health insurance until you actually need it which is the biggest fear of private insurers when it comes to preexisting conditions, and rightly so. It is unfair to ask other consumers to pay for your expensive medical care when you didn't participate in the system until you needed coverage. Some sort of additional protection with respect to those who responsibly stay insured is a good start.
On a specific level, we need to focus on several items. Major already mentioned a big one, allowing health insurance to be purchased across state lines. This would break up the mini-monopolies like BC/BS in several states and open up more markets to small companies like ours and more importantly to individuals, just like we can in life insurance, auto insurance, etc. When we did our renewal this year there were only four companies that operate in our space, Humana, United Healthcare, BC/BS and Prudential. Two did not bid because they could not be competitive. Of the two that bid, one was a 10.5% increase and the other a 14% increase. This despite a loss ratio of 77. There is simply no competition. More markets, more potential bidders, lower cost.
Secondly, we need to have some meaningful tort reform that protects the rights of patients to pursue legitimate claims for malpractice while eliminating frivolous lawsuits based on unhappy outcomes. This is admittedly a tricky proposition because I think people who have been genuinely wronged (a minor percentage of all claims in my view) deserve redress. One quick way would be to limit the amount that an attorney can get which would discourage taking on frivolous claims where their real strategy is to force a settlement because it is cheaper than the defense costs. They also need to limit punitive damages to a small enough amount (say $500K) to avoid these ridiculous awards from jurors who view it like winning the lottery.
Thirdly, we need to allow individuals to obtain a tax deduction for purchase of medical insurance. Currently only businesses can deduct the cost which distorts the market. Employees who pay a portion of their costs, which are most these days, cannot deduct that cost but their company can. If they got the deduction they and their employer would be more inclined to set up programs where they can purchase their own insurance which would solve portability and preexisting condition issues. It would also drive down costs because consumers would b more actively involved in the purchasing decision.
Fourth, they need to allow and promote more groups to come together to buy health insurance. The more groups the more options to collectively acquire health insurance more cost effectively. Right now only a few very large organizations provide health insurance options and most of those are supplemental and not primary.
Fifth, allow consumers to drive the type of insurance program they want rather than creating rules and regulations that promote or discourage one or the other. So if a consumer wants to go the HSA route or some other plan that fits their personal situation and needs they can. This will also get the consumer closer to and more involved in the purchasing decision rather than the current third party system.
I could go on and on but these are some ideas. None of these are addressed in the current bill. You asked, you got it. There are probably another 10-15 areas where meaningful reform could help control costs and maintain the quality of care.
|
| Name: |
Lifer
-
|
|
| Subject: |
About pre-existing conditions.
|
|
Date:
|
11/17/2010 9:18:46 AM
|
I think I have posted this before, but it is worth repeating. In most cases pre-existing conditions are already covered. I am talking 'group' plans here, individual plans fall under different rules. It really frustrates me that more people don't know about what is called a 'CERTIFICATE OF CREDITABLE COVERAGE'. These are federal rules that apply to all carriers. Here is how it works.
I am employed by Alpha Widgets and covered under the company group plan. I also have diabetes, very well controlled with insulin. Omega Widgets makes me an offer I can't refuse so I go to work for them. Now I am under their group plan. What I must do is contact the carrier for Alpha Widgets and request a CERTIFICATE OF CREDITABLE COVERAGE. It is nothing more than a letter showing when coverage applied. Once the carrier for Omega Widgets recieves this, all previously diagnosed conditions are covered.
I once actually had to provide one from BC/BS of Alabama to BC/BS of Alabama when I changed jobs. As I stated it really frustrates me to see intelligent folks discussing this issue without this knowledge. But the democrats don't want folks to know these things because it empowers the consumer and takes away the abillity to deride "Big Insurance" as greedy.
|
|
|
New Post
Search
Off-Topic Forum
Reply
»
Nevada Lakes
»
Washoe Lake
Login
|
Home
