Massachusetts Experiment

[Norwayguy]

Maine tried something similiar called Dirigo it is a total failure...what they are doing as part of these programs is increase medicaid eligability and saying that they are decreasing the number of uninsured but at what cost to the taxpayor to have more people not have a stake in health care

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

Just to give a bit of perspective on just how much this costs; This is not "free" - most people pay full cost, the state gov't is offsetting costs and the U.S. gov't is offsetting costs and it's STILL in the red.

So you have:

1) People paying for their own coverage
2) MA paying for costs
3) Gov't paying for costs

...and they still can't make it work.

 

[HM-agent]

The numbers that the commonwealth is using for numbers of new subscribers and total compliance are BS. Mass. had a pretty high compliance because it is a GI state. Most of the new subscribers were switched from Free Care to free health insurance. It's not tough to get people to sign up if they are paying anything. Then they took a whole group of people above the federal poverty level and gave them insurance with premiums that range from 30-70 per month.

The rates that you see offered thru the Connector include a commission that is payed to the state. I could sign up to be a broker for individuals in this matter, but I deal with groups not individuals. I'm not getting myself bogged down for $10 per month.

The small group market, where I play, is getting whacked with 15-40% increases in order to keep the rates reasonable from the lower income individuals. Those individual rates are all that the other states are looking at to see how well or poor this performs.

The interesting thing is that there is a pretty huge backlash from the small business community. The state is trying to ignore that. I have had clients break their companies apart to get under the 11 person mandate. I have also had clients move their business address to NH or RI to eliminate the mandate.

 

[bobson]

Costs are rising on an average of 10% and right now the budget shortfall is 1.3 billion. That's not a right or left wing slant - that's a stat. Whether or not you consider that success is up to you.

Hey, I wish the feds had a $1.3 billion shortfall. I'd call it a GLOWING success.
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It's not tough to get people to sign up if they are paying anything.

I bet it is a lot tougher than they thought. I wonder what percentage of people signed up?

 

[TXINSURANCE]

The numbers that the commonwealth is using for numbers of new subscribers and total compliance are BS. Mass. had a pretty high compliance because it is a GI state. Most of the new subscribers were switched from Free Care to free health insurance. It's not tough to get people to sign up if they are paying anything.

Correct this is the part the media and Obama's team will leave out. Mass was already a GI state with plenty of socialized programs.

Well stated.

 

[HM-agent]

The toughest part of keeping the people who get free insurance on the plan is getting in touch with them. They don't get their mail regularly and get dropped. When they go get care again and get re-enrolled, they are considered a new enrollee. This also boosts the numbers.

 

[motoxxx]

Ya know I have been a NAHU member for a while now and I finally just dropped my membership because it doesn't seem that the health insurance industry gets it. These socialist/universal health care idiots want them extinct. The health insurance companies should actually be lobbying and fighting these types of programs like their entire company depends on defeating them because it does. The insurance industry, including NAHU, keep trying to talk with people, and embracing them when these little Stalins want them completely out of the picture and I just couldn't give money to an organization that wouldn't fight for its own industry.

 

[moonlightandmargaritas]

Patrick weighs insurance hearing - The Boston Globe

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

You cannot address costs without addressing accountability. Car insurance carriers can decide to limit their exposure by dropping or increasing the rates of a DUI driver.

Health insurance carriers have to suck it up in GI states and cover that overweight diabetic smoker with high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Of course, his wife is depressed and on two meds.

Until that's addressed we will never manage health care costs.

 

[Dave020]

Ya know I have been a NAHU member for a while now and I finally just dropped my membership because it doesn't seem that the health insurance industry gets it. These socialist/universal health care idiots want them extinct. The health insurance companies should actually be lobbying and fighting these types of programs like their entire company depends on defeating them because it does. The insurance industry, including NAHU, keep trying to talk with people, and embracing them when these little Stalins want them completely out of the picture and I just couldn't give money to an organization that wouldn't fight for its own industry.

I am still a member but agree that NAHU seems pretty mamby-pamby about confronting things head-on. Kind of hard to justify those PAC requests when the PAC isn't doing anything.

I do find it ironic that you dropped your membership because you feel that NAHU is not looking out for the industry and members, and Al3 dropped his membership because he feels that NAHU wants to kill single payor free universal health and and promotes the lifestyle of "greedy, six-figure" agents and greedy, corrupt rubber-stamped insurers.

Maybe it's time to elect some new people?