Health Care Debate - Phenix City, AL

[the undertaker MD]

hes got to be kidding

[David Kern]

If some are allowed to go without insurance, we all pay the cost.

A public option with fair access to capital, regulations, and negotiated rates will lower cost.(CBO 2009)

Without reasonable regulations regarding preexisting condition, rates, and basic coverage, insurance companies are incentivized to avoid covering people that have an illness.

Medicare Advantage should not be paid 14% more than traditional Medicare. The tax payer is subsidizing the insurance $1.30 for every $1.00 of equivalent care in standard Medicare (Medpac 2009)

Hospitals that are in competitive private payer markets are more likely to make profits under Medicare.(Medpac 2009)

The tax would effect about 1.2% of tax payers nationally, in Alabama .9%. For a couple filing jointly, the surcharge would equal to 1 % of income in excess of $350,000 but less than $500,000 , 1.5% of income between $500,000 and 1 million, and 5.4% of income over 1 million. JCT (Joint Committee on Taxation)

The bill eliminates antitrust exclusion for insurance companies.

The plan starts in 2010 with high risk pools for most without adequate coverage.

There are still several serious outstanding issues, for example, 250 billion in physician cuts are not accounted for,and during the transition to the exchange, insurance claims loss ratio must be 85% including individual coverage.

David

[ELpsaoisgreat]

David Kern wrote:

If some are allowed to go without insurance, we all pay the cost.
A public option with fair access to capital, regulations, and negotiated rates will lower cost.(CBO 2009)
Without reasonable regulations regarding preexisting condition, rates, and basic coverage, insurance companies are incentivized to avoid covering people that have an illness.
Medicare Advantage should not be paid 14% more than traditional Medicare. The tax payer is subsidizing the insurance $1.30 for every $1.00 of equivalent care in standard Medicare (Medpac 2009)
Hospitals that are in competitive private payer markets are more likely to make profits under Medicare.(Medpac 2009)
The tax would effect about 1.2% of tax payers nationally, in Alabama .9%. For a couple filing jointly, the surcharge would equal to 1 % of income in excess of $350,000 but less than $500,000 , 1.5% of income between $500,000 and 1 million, and 5.4% of income over 1 million. JCT (Joint Committee on Taxation)
The bill eliminates antitrust exclusion for insurance companies.
The plan starts in 2010 with high risk pools for most without adequate coverage.
There are still several serious outstanding issues, for example, 250 billion in physician cuts are not accounted for,and during the transition to the exchange, insurance claims loss ratio must be 85% including individual coverage.
David

so does all that mean I can stop paying my health insurance and let goverment pick it up? wow that be BIG savings for me.

[David Kern]

Before we discuss H.R. 3962, it may be helpful to establish a few points of logical progression.

The average direct cost of uninsured can be very conservatively estimated at approximately $1,170 annually.(41 billion in uncompensated care 2004,- Kaiser Family Foundation 2007) divided by (45.8 million uninsured in 2004, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities)(Multiplied by 2005-2007 - 9.2%,7.7%, 6.1% increases, Kaiser Family Foundation 2007) Short of reaching a consensus not to treat indigent people in the Emergency Departments it is not productive to debate whether or not tax payors should support indigent care, at least at the level of $1,170 coverage or about 26%(average individual group premium annualized $4,479, Kaiser Family Foundation 2007) of the average group rated individual coverage plan cost.

Universal coverage at a minimum value of $1,170 at least reduces expense and disruption from much unnecessary episodic care initiated in ED’s.

Private insurance companies are currently financially incentivized not to cover this population, the government is the only entity that represents an interest that includes each constituency, therefore would you favor the federal government regulating a coverage plan at least this expense level? If not, what would be the incentive structure for the private sector to cover these people? Keep in mind, unless as a society we are willing to block people from entering the emergency room and allow people to die in the parking lot, the $1,170 is already a logical given, the initial question becomes how we best spend it?

David

[ELpsaoisgreat]

David Kern wrote:

Before we discuss H.R. 3962, it may be helpful to establish a few points of logical progression.
The average direct cost of uninsured can be very conservatively estimated at approximately $1,170 annually.(41 billion in uncompensated care 2004,- Kaiser Family Foundation 2007) divided by (45.8 million uninsured in 2004, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities)(Multiplied by 2005-2007 - 9.2%,7.7%, 6.1% increases, Kaiser Family Foundation 2007) Short of reaching a consensus not to treat indigent people in the Emergency Departments it is not productive to debate whether or not tax payors should support indigent care, at least at the level of $1,170 coverage or about 26%(average individual group premium annualized $4,479, Kaiser Family Foundation 2007) of the average group rated individual coverage plan cost.
Universal coverage at a minimum value of $1,170 at least reduces expense and disruption from much unnecessary episodic care initiated in ED’s.
Private insurance companies are currently financially incentivized not to cover this population, the government is the only entity that represents an interest that includes each constituency, therefore would you favor the federal government regulating a coverage plan at least this expense level? If not, what would be the incentive structure for the private sector to cover these people? Keep in mind, unless as a society we are willing to block people from entering the emergency room and allow people to die in the parking lot, the $1,170 is already a logical given, the initial question becomes how we best spend it?
David

Maybe be better to use what money is going to war and rebuilding of Iraq and afghanistan think be more then enough to cover it for decades