What Obamaination Health Bill Lacks...

[HealthGuy]

Is a basic understanding of human nature and economics. But we knew this already...Case in point: I have a small non profit organization that has a small group health policy with me. I am the broker of record. This month, they completely missed their payment (thought they paid for it already, but it was actually only for the month prior) and were in jeopardy of losing their group health plan by being in default of payment. If they didnt have me calling them telling them the insurance plan was going to lapse about a dozen peoples lives would have been adversely effected. My motivation was to save my small monthly residual income on this group, and the motivation of the group was to obviously keep their insurance. They were so appreciative of me for the calls, emails and follow up on how to get their payment quickly submitted. Now, in a free market society, what is so wrong with this relationship? When the government runs the exchanges who is going to call policyholders to tell them they are in default of payment (because the exchange plans won't be completely free) and what is going to be the motivation of those servicing exchange plans to keep policyholders plans intact? Further, what will be the point of the public "buying" these plans anyway when its guaranteed issue??? There is no motivation here...Some paltry IRS confiscation of your tax return.... I would like to see how the government plans on running this scenario better as it seems like they have thought of none of these scenarios...Our current government obviously sees no value in the services we provide and doesnt really believe in the free market health system anyway where people choose plans and they choose who they want to buy the plans through... so maybe this post of mine really doesn't matter anyway. Just some random thoughts.

 

[xrac]

Is a basic understanding of human nature and economics. But we knew this already...Case in point: I have a small non profit organization that has a small group health policy with me. I am the broker of record. This month, they completely missed their payment (thought they paid for it already, but it was actually only for the month prior) and were in jeopardy of losing their group health plan by being in default of payment. If they didnt have me calling them telling them the insurance plan was going to lapse about a dozen peoples lives would have been adversely effected. My motivation was to save my small monthly residual income on this group, and the motivation of the group was to obviously keep their insurance. They were so appreciative of me for the calls, emails and follow up on how to get their payment quickly submitted. Now, in a free market society, what is so wrong with this relationship? When the government runs the exchanges who is going to call policyholders to tell them they are in default of payment (because the exchange plans won't be completely free) and what is going to be the motivation of those servicing exchange plans to keep policyholders plans intact? Further, what will be the point of the public "buying" these plans anyway when its guaranteed issue??? There is no motivation here...Some paltry IRS confiscation of your tax return.... I would like to see how the government plans on running this scenario better as it seems like they have thought of none of these scenarios...Our current government obviously sees no value in the services we provide and doesnt really believe in the free market health system anyway where people choose plans and they choose who they want to buy the plans through... so maybe this post of mine really doesn't matter anyway. Just some random thoughts.

All good points! When the government's plan is in full effect there will be no customer service because no one will have the economic motivation to do anything. The customer service from any government bureacracy is abismal.

 

[Norwayguy]

What you are totally missing hear Healthguy is that the carriers will be hoping plans fall off the books and consumers won't be caring....The reason is since it will be GI with no pre-x clauses (Which is even worse than current Maine Law) there is no incentive to purchase a policy until it is needed and to cease payment and lapse the policy as soon as needed treatment is done...On the carriers side they want those cases to fall off the books because most people that buy this way will be a negative on the block of business.....Who am I kidding does any one think any carrier will be able to survive in a GI no Pre-x environment?

Personally I'm all about being responsible etc...but even I will only purchase coverage as I'm headed to the ER...Side Note if I have a medical power of attorney will that allow my wife to purchase the policy for me if I perhaps am unable to buy it myself...My reasoning is that in this scenario the carriers will have to continually jack up rates because people won't be able to afford to make the payments continuesly and I doubt even if the Feds can keep printing money for much longer.

 

[somarco]

If this thing continues unabated, I will have a STM plan to protect me until I am sick or injured, THEN I will pony up for the real thing.

I will advise clients to do likewise. Makes no sense to do anything different.

 

[HealthGuy]

Huge market for us agents then with the short term till they outlaw that...?

 

[TXINSURANCE]

There's always something to sell... Worst case it's all government insurance and you sell the supplements once benefits decrease and price increases.

What does Obama plan lack?

1. Tort reform

2.Pre ex waits with no prior insurance. I suggest 6 months.

The no pre ex wait is going to literally sink the ship. This whole pipe dream of a mandate in exchange for GI with no pre ex was a huge fraud.

Until car, home, and life insurance are GI with no regard to prior or current / pending claim leave me alone!

This goes against many basic logics of insurance principals and will never work.

 

[Norwayguy]

There's always something to sell... Worst case it's all government insurance and you sell the supplements once benefits decrease and price increases.

What does Obama plan lack?

1. Tort reform

2.Pre ex waits with no prior insurance. I suggest 6 months.

The no pre ex wait is going to literally sink the ship. This whole pipe dream of a mandate in exchange for GI with no pre ex was a huge fraud.

Until car, home, and life insurance are GI with no regard to prior or current / pending claim leave me alone!

This goes against many basic logics of insurance principals and will never work.

Your assuming that they either care or understand insurance...Lets not forget this started out as healthcare reform...The only thing reformed was insurance ie the payment mechanism, are the providers or anyone else taking a cut?

 

[TXINSURANCE]

The attorneys are getting a massive raise...

 

[somarco]

are the providers or anyone else taking a cut?

Providers definitely are, especially with 15 million + going on Medicaid. Try and find a recent med school grad going into primary care.

Not happening.

Why?

No money.

We are going to be up to our navel in specialists and all the primary care docs will be nurses or taking night classes to learn English.

 

[Norwayguy]

Providers definitely are, especially with 15 million + going on Medicaid. Try and find a recent med school grad going into primary care.

Not happening.

Why?

No money.

We are going to be up to our navel in specialists and all the primary care docs will be nurses or taking night classes to learn English.

First I understand what your saying here about Medicaid, however the bill originally called for DR reimbursment cuts if I remember correctly but those were restored with another bill...Also those additions to Medicaid haven't happened yet and really do you think many of these people that qualify for Medicaid but have "NOT" signed up (which is what we are talking about) go to the DR much now and pay out of pocket? If they have something major happen then they go on Medicaid and they will even back date bills by 90 days so that DR that treated them as a cash patient and bills them ends up with a medicaid payment anyway.