Making Individual Health Insurance Illegal

[Bob_The_Insurance_Guy]

My sister's friends, Dennis and Barbara, have an excellent solution to the problem for SOME of the uninsured. They are both contract engineers, meaning they have been out of work sporatically throughout their 50 years of living, and rather than constantly worry about health care coverage at their new jobs or assignments, they have worked out an arrangement with their physicians.

Through an attorney, they have set up a fund, in which they put $50 dollars a month into an account for medical services. As they need services, the money is deducted from the account. The physicians office, in turn, provides them with "discounts" and "payment arrangements".

Now, they are both extremely healthy, and they do have a "hospital only" plan that was offered by Life of the South nine years ago.

FOR THOSE IN THEIR SITUATION, I believe that is smart.

 

[CHUMPS FROM OXFORD]

"New plans can only be purchased through the exchange. Anything else is prohibited."

Actually, new plans will also be available through the health carriers as well...as long as their policies contain the mandated benefits.

If one of the Exchange plans cost $500 and UHC can do it for $430, we're OK. If UHC can only do it for $550, it will be a tough sell. UHC may decide to do it for $500 and cut our FYC from 25% to 7%.

 

[Guest]

Al, 100% dead serious and I'm not posting this to be antagonistic. If this all passes in current form your premium will likely be around $900.
If I moved to Mass. tomorrow my family's premium would more than double.

I believe that if I moved to several different states my premium would double. You guys who write outside CA, tell me what a $4,000 deduct/OOP max HSA plan for a 61 year old male costs. John, what would I pay in MD? (I don't have Norvax or Quotit that would let me do this research myself... I assume they let subscribers rate any state?)

John, I know you were serious and not antagonistic. And I appreciate your POV. AND IF what you say comes to pass, it would not be a good thing... but MAYBE THAT is what those of you (not John) who love the current system and hate reform should WISH for.

If you can't block reform so as to preserve your income, perhaps you should quietly support a reform plan that you "know" will fail.

I an afford $900 a month for health insurance. Would I pay it? No. I would either self-insure or I would get a limited benefit plan (mini-med) and take my chances until I got Medicare in a few years. (And folks, Medicare is NOT going to go away. There WILL be affordable health care for older people... although they might raise the age for YOU guys to 70 which I would not support.)

John, I keep coming back to this point and you never answer it. If the private sector can do a better job of controlling the cost of health care and thus the costs to insure people against that cost, why do we have to reform the system?

You guys stick to your worn-out and untrue mantra that 90% of those without insurance are illegal immigrants or irresponsible and THEY are the major utilizers of services such that the rest of us must pay through the nose... or be rationed out via underwriting.

Just once... only once... just for twenty minutes I wish one of you selfish, greedy, show-me-the-money health agents could talk with someone who lost their job because the company folded and can't afford HIPAA and who has cancer. They are going to lose their life savings and their home. I can hear you Southern crackers now. "Wha, its jest too baid, but mah gais is itz gahds will. We cain't haiv the govment takin' caeah of ever-one nah can we? They's socialism, boy an thaits not wat merica was built on. If they dah, well it ain't ma fault."

So many of you claim you are in this business to help people. No you're not. Man, how many times a day do you guys tell some newbie on this board about "doing the right thing by the customer and not worry about the comp." What a total crock.

Would ONE of you support a plan where you could not make more than a limited amount, like our own Dave F. does with HIPAA in CA for our Frank S. and Rick B. do with Med Supps?

Why are these guys the best of the best on this board? Because they act, they don't re-act. They found a niche, learned how to best market and sell it, and they do (I assume) quite well (Rick B. lives in a very, very nice area... and if the quake comes he will have beach-front property... but Dave F will own his own island floating toward Hawaii!)

Who is for reform and who is against it? Follow the money.

Al

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

I believe that if I moved to several different states my premium would double. You guys who write outside CA, tell me what a $4,000 deduct/OOP max HSA plan for a 61 year old male costs. John, what would I pay in MD? (I don't have Norvax or Quotit that would let me do this research myself... I assume they let subscribers rate any state?)

John, I know you were serious and not antagonistic. And I appreciate your POV. AND IF what you say comes to pass, it would not be a good thing... but MAYBE THAT is what those of you (not John) who love the current system and hate reform should WISH for.

If you can't block reform so as to preserve your income, perhaps you should quietly support a reform plan that you "know" will fail.

I an afford $900 a month for health insurance. Would I pay it? No. I would either self-insure or I would get a limited benefit plan (mini-med) and take my chances until I got Medicare in a few years. (And folks, Medicare is NOT going to go away. There WILL be affordable health care for older people... although they might raise the age for YOU guys to 70 which I would not support.)

John, I keep coming back to this point and you never answer it. If the private sector can do a better job of controlling the cost of health care and thus the costs to insure people against that cost, why do we have to reform the system?

You guys stick to your worn-out and untrue mantra that 90% of those without insurance are illegal immigrants or irresponsible and THEY are the major utilizers of services such that the rest of us must pay through the nose... or be rationed out via underwriting.

Just once... only once... just for twenty minutes I wish one of you selfish, greedy, show-me-the-money health agents could talk with someone who lost their job because the company folded and can't afford HIPAA and who has cancer. They are going to lose their life savings and their home. I can hear you Southern crackers now. "Wha, its jest too baid, but mah gais is itz gahds will. We cain't haiv the govment takin' caeah of ever-one nah can we? They's socialism, boy an thaits not wat merica was built on. If they dah, well it ain't ma fault."

So many of you claim you are in this business to help people. No you're not. Man, how many times a day do you guys tell some newbie on this board about "doing the right thing by the customer and not worry about the comp." What a total crock.

Would ONE of you support a plan where you could not make more than a limited amount, like our own Dave F. does with HIPAA in CA for our Frank S. and Rick B. do with Med Supps?

Why are these guys the best of the best on this board? Because they act, they don't re-act. They found a niche, learned how to best market and sell it, and they do (I assume) quite well (Rick B. lives in a very, very nice area... and if the quake comes he will have beach-front property... but Dave F will own his own island floating toward Hawaii!)

Who is for reform and who is against it? Follow the money.

Al

If you moved to MD and had health conditions you could choose MHIP: Maryland Health Insurance Plan (MHIP)

61 year old male for a $2,600 HSA? $273.

 

[dgoldenz]

"New plans can only be purchased through the exchange. Anything else is prohibited."

Actually, new plans will also be available through the health carriers as well...as long as their policies contain the mandated benefits.

If one of the Exchange plans cost $500 and UHC can do it for $430, we're OK. If UHC can only do it for $550, it will be a tough sell. UHC may decide to do it for $500 and cut our FYC from 25% to 7%.

Maybe UHC can hire the Allianz guys.....sell 1000 policies and we'll give you your 25% back!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

If you moved to MD and had health conditions you could choose MHIP: Maryland Health Insurance Plan (MHIP)

61 year old male for a $2,600 HSA? $273.

And in Virginia without health conditions (i.e. Level 1) with Anthem BCBS.....$3000 HSA for 61y.o. male is $196/month. Only $168/month for a $5k HSA.

 

[GreenSky]

John, I keep coming back to this point and you never answer it. If the private sector can do a better job of controlling the cost of health care and thus the costs to insure people against that cost, why do we have to reform the system?

One of the biggest problems is that government is already involved with our healthcare. Get rid of a bunch of mandates in CA (and elsewhere) and your insurance costs would be reduced substantialliy.

We don't have a system now of free enterprise. You keep pointing out how bad things were in the "old days." Please get a copy of this book Amazon.com: From Mutual Aid to the Welfare State: Fraternal Societies and Social Services, 1890-1967: David T. Beito: Books.

All this is moot. We're going to have a socialist healthcare system. Al, you're going to get your wish. In 3 years, let us know how happy you are with it.

Rick

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

Al, so the gov't does a better job? Want to look up our financial position regarding Medicare and Medicaid? Are both of those programs in the red or black?

 

[GreenSky]

I pay $498 a month to Blue Shield for a $4000 deduct for an individual HSA.

Or your could apply for $5,000 dedutible HSA with Aetna for $377. Don't want a higher deductible? Go with Aetna's $3k HSA for $438.

Don't bitch about your rates unless you are willing to be proactive in finding a better deal. This is one reason people pay too much - they don't bother talking with an insurance agent to help them find a better plan.

Rick

 

[Guest]

Al, so the gov't does a better job? Want to look up our financial position regarding Medicare and Medicaid? Are both of those programs in the red or black?

Nobody cares about the cost of the wars in Iraq and Afganistan. No one cares about the cost of weaponry. I don't see any of you jumping up and down about spending for agricultural subs. None of you care about all the pork.

But dare the government create a program that kills your income stream and you all yell bloody murder.

How would you guys feel about a government option that let you KEEP your current comp rates?

Yeah, I thought so!

You guys just don't get it. No one cares about the cost. They WANT affordable health care. Don't you guys ever read election returns? Do you guys even know who won the last election?

John, I don't know what the future will hold. But I know the current system is not sustainable and all of you who believe that it is simply have never spoken to anyone who has not been able to get affordable health insurance.

Yeah, a new system might be worse than what we have. But I'm willing to try it. Why? Because unlike you neo-con reactionary "I want Alabama 1958" agents, I look to the future, not the past. I believe doing something is better than doing nothing.

Guys... if what you are proposing was "better" don't you think it would have more traction in the media and Congress? Explain to me WHO is the leader of the Reps on health care? Do you have one? Rush Limbaugh?

Guys, all you have to argue is greed and cost. No one likes greed, and no one cares about cost. Oh... and no one cares about you and your commissions or if your sainted carriers stay in biz.

Socialism? Of course. What is new? Where have you guys been? Um... who paid for your junior college education? (Who built the damn colleges?)

You young guys hear Winter and Bill#### and Freddie vent their anger and venom and you just somehow believe that they know what they are talking about. The more to the right you troglodytes go the more the the left the right-leaning and centerists moderates go. (But I grant you the more to the left the Dems go, the more to the right the rest of us go.) So yeah, I value your place in the system. We need you guys to rant and rave about the downfall of America (just as the AMA did when Medicare was proposed in 1963 (I was living and remember it well.)

Al

 

[Bob_The_Insurance_Guy]

Obama and Nancy Pelosi running towards each other in a field, with Barry Manilow's "Looks Like We Made It" playing.