Obama Press Conference: Health Care

[Winter_123]

Obama got into health care at his press conference today.

Two obvious points continue to be obvious points:

Medicare Advantage, or at least the subsidy to it, are going to be history.

All the plans in the "health exchange" are going to guaranteed issue.

He explained, defended and advanced the idea that there will be a public option plan. However, when directly asked whether he would sign a bill that did not have one, he waffled. Basicly he wants to run with it and try his luck.

Other listeners might have heard him differently on these points.

 

[IndyAgentIDTMY]

Yes, he is still "assuming the sale" on a government-issued plan.

I would be willing to wager that when the dust settles, the final bill that crosses his desk will have handful of large Carriers willing to offer govt. subsidized GI in every state. Of course it will come with strings attached, such as health coverage will be mandated for most above the poverty level and some sort of government backed stop-loss.

 

[somarco]

With almost 1 out of 10 workers unemployed nationally, how much you want to bet they would rather have a job than free health care right now?

 

[GreenSky]

With almost 1 out of 10 workers unemployed nationally, how much you want to bet they would rather have a job than free health care right now?

$7.50

Rick

 

[Winter_123]

Yes, he is still "assuming the sale" on a government-issued plan.

.

Objectively speaking we are talking about one of the great salesmen of the century here. He assumed the sale on becoming president long, long ago and, against all odds, it worked out just fine.

He can get guaranteed issue though no problem. He will try his luck but if that does not work he can horsetrade the public option for a private sector plan with guaranteed issue and a pile of strings attached. He is holding plenty of cards for everything short of public option and single payer. Those two he will have to horsetrade away. One, is pretty much off the table already.

Even though I give Barry credit for being a great salesman, he does have one thing working against him bigtime now which even the best salesman has trouble overcoming. He already sold the public one investment policy that turned out to be a dud (the stimulus package). That is going to hurt him.

Under direct questioning, Barry had to admit at the press conference today that he was still puffing on the weed. Funnier than heck to watch him dance. Arnold would just puff on his cigar and blow smoke at them.

 

[somarco]

Rick, free health care doesn't mean much if you don't have a roof over your head and food on your table.

 

[motoxxx]

If all of this BS goes through, do you think they have factored in the 100,000 or so agents around the country that will be out of work into their jobless numbers?

 

[CHUMPS FROM OXFORD]

Not to mention the non-agents that work for the major health insurers. No doubt some others as well.

Joey Votto is back. Interesting story. The mind can do amazing things to you...good and bad.

 

[motoxxx]

Who is Joey Votto?

 

[Winter_123]

If all of this BS goes through, do you think they have factored in the 100,000 or so agents around the country that will be out of work into their jobless numbers?

Oh, I think they most definitely have, and have calculated how much it will help to reduce the cost of premiums. I am not agreeing or disagreeing, just laying out their rationale.

The economy is in a nasty place right now. If you are in a state which has a budget problem (and that would include 50 out of the 57 states) and you are a state employee you dont want to start spouting off about how many employees would be impacted by a 15% cut. It does not help nor does it help when securities brokers talk about the hoards on Wall Street that are impacted by Obama regulations. People just say "my god, how may of those rodents were there to begin with."

We have no allies or advocates and that will not change. The carriers will not throw the agents away in the first year. They will provide incentives to keep as many people around helping them to get market share during the launch of the new system. However, you can be sure they will be working on replacing you with online sign up for the following year unless you want to do some enrollments for the pittance they will be offering (from which some agents will actually get rich by positioning themselves right).