Montana Turns Loonie...

[bobson]

Schweitzer wants statewide universal health care program

The wingnut governor of this great state has decided he can fix things. Of course we just have to limit non-emergency procedures. Rationing, got to love it.

 

[TXINSURANCE]

For all 500 residents...

 

[Ann H]

I originally came from Montana. It's the 4th largest state by land mass (AK, TX, CA, MT), but the 2nd smallest by population (WY, MT). It's not a big draw to most health insurers, and the only major player there has been Blue Cross since before Moses was born. So this politician's claim is not very concerning, really.

 

[b61mack]

H E L L O B I G S K Y C O U N T R Y..He maybe onto something? It sounds like he put a lot more thought in it, than Obama.

 

[AndreaSti]

I originally came from Montana. It's the 4th largest state by land mass (AK, TX, CA, MT), but the 2nd smallest by population (WY, MT). It's not a big draw to most health insurers, and the only major player there has been Blue Cross since before Moses was born. So this politician's claim is not very concerning, really.

Ann and Tx bring up a good point here, seriously. I don't pretend to be an expert at this, but doesn't universal health care work best with smaller, more ethnically similar populations, like some of the smaller European countries, IF that is what Montana is like now? Easier to predict cost drivers, easier to predict income base(maybe? money to fund it) etc. Since there isn't much competition in the way of ins companies anyway, could it actually work there? Not that I advocate state run care anymore than nationally run care, but it seems the potential costs of a universal system would be easier to figure out in MT more than states like Texas, Arizona, or Georgia. Georgia is very diverse, lots of people on assistance, and pretty unhealthy I am sorry to say. I don't have a clue if the folks in MT would want this and it wouldn't be good for health agents by any means. It merely brings up the point that this needs to reside with the states anyway. On a national level it's too hard to implement, especially with a bulk of the population not paying any taxes to fund it.

 

[ksigmtsu]

There are multiple factors in determining if a public health system can work.

Realistically they work fairly well overall but there are major issues that can come up, and if you want an example of one that works like a well oiled machine look at germany.

Its well liked by patients and doctors, has private options that work a lot like our MAPD plans, everyone has coverage, and quality of care exceeds US standards significantly with lower costs.

Universal would work here, at the state level, pretty well.

The problem we have is that our federal government is usurping the states right to self governance, and the farther you get from the local level, the worse the loss in the system.

Germany is smaller than Texas.

I hate to say I agree with Mitt Romney about something, but he wasn't wrong in trying to implement health care on the state level the way he did, it needs some work but there isn't a good reason a STATE couldn't do it efficiently.

There are numerous reasons why its bad for the nation as a whole, in the way they chose to do it.

 

[shepnerd]

I kinda like it. I'd MUCH rather see the states try things than the feds. The closer the decision makers are to the people they affect the better...

Lets face it, we've got a broken system. How we are set up currently makes no sense from a big picture sense. Tying people's health "insurance" to their jobs in this day and age is pretty silly.

I dont have much pity for people that take risks and dont want to suffer the consequence of the risk, but I talk to people every day that played by the rules and then find themselves uninsured and uninsurable. That's pretty wrong in my book and the insurers play games to get them there.

I'm not keen on paying for my neighbors diabetes that cant seem to eat a meal outside of a McDonald's, but at the same time I'm OK with paying something for a safety net for people who need critical care and cant afford it. My thing is, though, that we collectively pay for NECESSITIES of these people- whether its healthcare, legal aid, or welfare and not much if anything more than that. There needs to be a strong incentive for people to take care of themselves(!!)

Somewhere along the way we went from the producers deciding what we would provide for the people that couldnt/wouldnt provide for themselves to those people demanding what they are going to get from those of us that are footing the bill.

Also, you cant really have this debate without attacking one of the core problems which is COST and this guy is at least doing that. Why the F are we paying full price to pharma for any drug they can get any doctor to recomend? We are WAY over medicated and over medically tested as a whole. I'm not for government intervention in much, but what we've got is far from free market. Really, we've taken market forces out of healthcare and then blamed free market for a failed system. In this case, I think we might actually need government to step in and get free market forces back in play. NOT federal universal healthcare, NOT mandated insurance (worse in my book), & NOT status quo.

I dont pretend to have the answers, but I think the best way to get there is to have local decisions depending on how left or right they slant on what to provide and how. That way I'm safe here in Georgia and not lumped in with the lefties when they bankrupt themselves (worse than they already have) with what they come up with.

 

[medx]

For all 500 residents...

I think it is closer to 600.

 

[weebegon]

can any of you advise which states offer universal health plans? so far it looks like VT, MA, maybe ME, CO or MT? any others we've missed? presently have group medical through employer but that could end any day now - could use COBRA but not long enough to bridge to Medicare as we are only 59/60 - now in CA but willing to relocate, have best connections in TX/GA/CO - we are seriously considering going uninsured for 6 months in order to qualify for PCIP - possibly move to Mexico or Canada until 6 months have elapsed - opinions? thanks very much!

 

[somarco]

which states offer universal health plans?

None.

All require you to pay for health insurance unless you have an employer that pays the premium for you.

You do realize PCIP isn't free, right?