Obama vs. Insurance

[mississippiagent]

The insurance exchange will most likely be what we now know as medicare.gov (I think) because of the changes he is calling for to web-site.
e-mails are being sent from the white house to collect a million names to publish in newspaper in support of health care reform.

 

[LoriRutl]

Well...that was one of the more pleasant first posts I have seen.

Of course...knowing Washington bureaucracy, that "training" could take 6-9 months. Imagine being the first in your state to be a "trainer."

Nice if we could get Gov't benefits to go along with that!

 

[djs]

The insurance exchange will most likely be what we now know as medicare.gov (I think) because of the changes he is calling for to web-site.
e-mails are being sent from the white house to collect a million names to publish in newspaper in support of health care reform.

Okay, but for people to support this, are they going to define what healthcare reform is? Given the right definition, I'll add my name. Give the wrong definition, I won't.

Most people don't ask what it means. They just think its a good thing to do.

It'll be interesting over the next few months. Please make sure your tray table is in the upright position and your seat is in the full upright position.

Dan

 

[saltydog]

1. Just in this 20 mssg thread- apparently at least 4 of you agents have medical degrees??? It's not the doctors that have turned our healthcare system inside out; most Family Practice docs earn on avg about $35 pp visit; and they don't make a dime off referrals to specialists or ordering tests etc! Then again, we (agents) always "sell" our client the optimal coverage for the lowest commission, right?! Hmmmm.
Physicians today don't have the luxury of practicing "patient centered medicine" (the realy reason most get into medicine); they have to practice "LAWYER centered medicine". So, 0707 please don't make wild generalizations until you've walked even a block in their (drs) shoes--oh...wait...you can't because you probably just have a few years of college education or maybe a BS degree (no pun intended).
2. Health insurance company profits are among the highest of any industry--it's time they be checked!
3. Big Pharma's profit margins are among the highest of any industry--it's time they be checked!
4. Many insurance agents make entirely too much $ simply because we can "close" a deal and/or are thick-skinned narcisists (how's that for a Freudian reference)?! Maybe it's time we (agents) truly earned our keep. The avg Fam Practice doc works 65+ hrs/week and makes $125-145k/yr...so i'm not so sure any of us are in a position to pass judgement on what Tx or Dx are made by doctors--unless we've completed 10+ years of education/medical training!
6. Let's all stop trying to be Jr political analysts & capitalistic jaugernauts and start focusing on "doing the right things"... maybe, just maybe, then we'll get through some of this mess (healthcare/insurance reform, corporate fraud, bank bailouts, mortgage fraud, political corruption etc).
Food for thought...instead of finger pointing and problem ID'g...why don't we all start thinking (critically) before we spout off about who's to blame--WE ALL ARE!!! Isn't it time we step outside our comfort zones/status quo and do something remarkable?

 

[CHUMPS FROM OXFORD]

"Let's all stop trying to be Jr political analysts & capitalistic jaugernauts and start focusing on "doing the right things"... "

I do and I assume the vast majority of the others do as well.

And by the way...although I am not a Doctor, I did play one on TV once.

 

[starbucks65]

Oh yeah, let the governemnt get bigger and take over our health insurance! When has the government been good at taking over any enterprise. Just keep taxing more and more. Let the government get bigger and bigger, and this will be the best for Americans and make us all robots.

The Liberals are frustrated and want to put their misery on all of America. They don't care about health insurance. This is about power. I will tell you that if there was more info in the media on what this plan would actually do, most Americans as is now would not be in favor of it.

We need all Americans to wake up and stand up to the far left ideas otherwise this country will end up being just like Europe. That will be a sad day indeed.

 

[Winter_123]

The amendment specifies that navigators have to be licensed and trained and that agents and brokers can serve as navigators to sell products through the proposed "gateway."

Sounds to me like they are creating a cadre of non-agents who can serve as navigators, but, oh by the way, agents and brokers can also serve as navigators. In other words, there is a two day training for everyone who works down at the local community action program and then they are also a certified navigator.

Creating a new licensed role of individuals who serve only the government exchange system does not go over well with me. I am unable to see this as anything that is helpful for agents and brokers in the long run. If you tell me that Walmart is going to have a section of their store where some of their certified nagigators can guide you to the right decision it does not help much to say that licensed agents and brokers can also do that type of thing. This is just another way of eliminating the agent by watering the system down.

 

[CHUMPS FROM OXFORD]

Hopefully, there would be a provision that stipulates they must hold a valid life/health license from that particular state.

That will help...a little. Then a bunch of unemployed part-timers will apply for the position.

 

[moonlightandmargaritas]

If you tell me that Walmart is going to have a section of their store where some of their certified nagigators can guide you to the right decision

While I'm sure you meant this in jest...

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

I'm on the edge of my seat trying to figure out how the upper middle class doesn't take it up the wazoo.

They'll miss any income cut-off (I've heard $80,000 household family income) and those families will see their "$400/mo" rates shoot past $1,000.

In Mass. for example the cut-off for families is $66,156 (gross income) with the cheapest premium being $740. Imagine those families earning $70,000.

Let's do some math:

$70,000 X 25% taxes = $52,500 or $4,375 per month take home. The means health insurance is around 17% of their income which is beyond insane.

Note that Mass. does have pre-ex period. Without it you can take that $740 rate and easily get it past $1,000.

There's a point where the premiums aren't worth the risk. For example, how much would you pay for fire insurance on your house or theft on your car. Would you pay $20 a month for theft? How about $400 a month? Would you pay $80 a month for fire on your house? How about $800 a month?

At some point it's financially prudent to roll the dice.