Washington Post article on National Universal Health Plan

[Crabcake Johnny]

Whatever way you slice it everyone in this country needs health insurance. They need health insurance a hell of a lot more than anyone needs car insurance, that's for sure.

There will never be any program that's put on the table that everyone will agree on. Heck, there won't be any program that probably 30% or 40% will agree with.

A lack of insurance actually increases medical costs since people don't get wellness exams and put off seeking treatment for injuries and illnesses. Then instead of seeing a doctor they hit the ER which is far more expensive.

 

[rain07]

46 Million people disagree that everyone needs health insurance. Everyone needs access to a doctor, yes. So why not pay doctors as much as kindergarden teachers and make it free. Perfect.... If you don't think doctors will do as good job as high paying doctors then get your kids out of the public school system!

Whatever way you slice it everyone in this country needs health insurance. They need health insurance a hell of a lot more than anyone needs car insurance, that's for sure.

There will never be any program that's put on the table that everyone will agree on. Heck, there won't be any program that probably 30% or 40% will agree with.

A lack of insurance actually increases medical costs since people don't get wellness exams and put off seeking treatment for injuries and illnesses. Then instead of seeing a doctor they hit the ER which is far more expensive.

 

[James]

But this one was different. There, at the National Press Club, stood the president of the Business Roundtable, representing the country's largest corporations; the president of the Service Employees International Union, the country's most vibrant union and one of its fastest-growing; and the president of AARP, the formidable seniors lobby. They put aside their usual differences to deliver a clear, simple message to President Bush and congressional leaders of both parties:

They are all basically liberal groups, what differences are they setting aside?

 

[TXINSURANCE]

There is VERY LITTLE wrong with our current system except the following could be improved:

1. ALL states should have RISK POOLS, NO state should be GI or community rated - allow the MARKET to dictate qualifications and if they DO NOT qualify they go into the pool which is funded by premium tax (i.e. Texas model works GREAT). DO NOT CALL it HIGH RISK POOLS - this is STUPID call it HELPING _______(INSERT STATE) and more people will join.

2. ALL states should consider individual to individual as CREDIBLE - still subject to underwriting but no 12 month pre-ex.

3. No more 63 day window - why 63 day? Why not 67 day? Who comes up with this $#@!??? Make it 90 or 180 days.

4. Have some REASONABLE standard on the practice of "blocking" - if you do not understand this, you should not be selling individual. What is "reasonable" for blocking is another thread.

5. End Group Insurance - this is not world war II, this IS the flaw of our insurance. Every plan I see basically fades out INDIVIDUAL which IS the solution. Allow INDIVIDUALS to buy THEIR OWN polices in a GROUP setting WITH employer contributions (flat fee) - this is illegal in most states currently and is absurd.

6. Require PROOF of CURRENT health insurance on the following purchases:

-Closing on ANY HOME loan
-Application or RENEWAL of ANY sales tax or business occupancy permits - i.e. no more uninsured self employed
-Any car loan
-Any cable t.v. ,satellite , or IPTV service

And my favorites...

-Cell phone purchases
-Tire rims over 18" (...wait that's me...)

OK having a little humor...

 

[rain07]

I agree with 1 most strongly, and agree with 5 as well.

There is VERY LITTLE wrong with our current system except the following could be improved:

1. ALL states should have RISK POOLS, NO state should be GI or community rated - allow the MARKET to dictate qualifications and if they DO NOT qualify they go into the pool which is funded by premium tax (i.e. Texas model works GREAT). DO NOT CALL it HIGH RISK POOLS - this is STUPID call it HELPING _______(INSERT STATE) and more people will join.

2. ALL states should consider individual to individual as CREDIBLE - still subject to underwriting but no 12 month pre-ex.

3. No more 63 day window - why 63 day? Why not 67 day? Who comes up with this $#@!??? Make it 90 or 180 days.

4. Have some REASONABLE standard on the practice of "blocking" - if you do not understand this, you should not be selling individual. What is "reasonable" for blocking is another thread.

5. End Group Insurance - this is not world war II, this IS the flaw of our insurance. Every plan I see basically fades out INDIVIDUAL which IS the solution. Allow INDIVIDUALS to buy THEIR OWN polices in a GROUP setting WITH employer contributions (flat fee) - this is illegal in most states currently and is absurd.

6. Require PROOF of CURRENT health insurance on the following purchases:

-Closing on ANY HOME loan
-Application or RENEWAL of ANY sales tax or business occupancy permits - i.e. no more uninsured self employed
-Any car loan
-Any cable t.v. ,satellite , or IPTV service

And my favorites...

-Cell phone purchases
-Tire rims over 18" (...wait that's me...)

OK having a little humor...

 

[thebeacon]

The only possible reason that Democrats talking about nationalized health care is completely worthless. The government cannot even manage Medicare or VA hospitals. I have read that until beginning of this year just Medicare part D alone costs for tax payers were over $600 billion. How can they manage nationalized health care and they cannot manage anything else. It seems that everything that government manages is extremely inefficient and offers horrible service, like DMV among million other things.

 

[FLM2]

Just to one up Allen..........................

 

[AllenChicago]

Just to one up Allen..........................

Gee thanks... Now I might have to leave the health insurance business due to TXInsurance's advice given in post #14 above.

What is "blocking"?