Mission Accomplished
The principal reason for health reform (pre-existing conditions as a barrier to health insurance) is a problem that has been solved. As of the beginning of this month, almost 12,500 individuals (out of a US population of 310 million) have joined the new risk pools, paying no more premium than healthy people pay. Solved, I might add, without spending $1 trillion, without creating 150 new regulatory agencies and without telling everyone in America what kind of health insurance we all must have.
People struggling under the cost of buying insurance once they have pre-existing conditions was the excuse promoting the Affordable Care Act. But it was trotted out as the primary reason only because it was an issue most of the public could understand.
Proponents had other things they wanted — including universal (comprehensive) coverage. Progressives were especially disappointed that there is no public option – which they believe would be the first step to a single-payer system.
Unbelievable.
I would not say it has been solved because I don’t see that “pre-existing conditions as a barrier to health insurance” is a “problem”, anymore than people without auto insurance who crashed their cars yesterday and now can’t get them insured is a problem.
(Statements like that are why I will never get elected to office – what with two thirds of respondents saying that the “consumer protection” that address pre-existing conditions is a benefit of Obamacare.)
Nonetheless, we do have a problem that the continuous coverage provisions (COBRA, HIPAA) which are supposed to prevent people from falling through the cracks of employer-monopoly health care are inadequate and cannot be fixed.
As long as the government gives ownership of our health care to our employers, there will be some with pre-existing conditions who fall through the cracks.
$1 trillion, 150 regulatory agencies, a nationalized health care system — all because of 12,500 people?
What kind of nonsense is this?
According to an analysis released last month by HHS Secretary Sebelius, up to one in five Americans under age 65 with a pre-existing condition – 25 million individuals – is uninsured. (Of course, that means the other four-fifths are insured.) But where is the evidence they will sign up for coverage at the price the government has decided is affordable? Until or unless their monthly insurance premium is lower than their monthly out of pocket costs, why would those with preexisting conditions care? Maybe it’s not pre-existing conditions, but worse future conditions that people insure against.
Mindboggling.
You are absolutely right. Virtually the only thing the administration has talked about with respect to health care reform is pre-existing conditions. They’ve had almost nothing to say about anything else.
I’m with Ken. This is crazy.
What a joke.
I wish I could agree with Bruce and say this is funny. Unfortunately it is sad.