Will Politicians Continue to Allow a Race to the Bottom?
[A] national survey conducted by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, the only insurer approved to sell plans on New Hampshire’s federal exchange, showed an overwhelming number of people favor lower prices over access to healthcare, reported Seacoast Online.
With that in mind, Anthem cut about 40 percent of the state’s hospitals from its network. Portsmouth Regional Hospital, Frisbie Memorial Hospital and Parkland Medical Center are among the 16 facilities that didn’t make the cut, Seacoast Online noted.
Cutting almost half of New Hampshire hospitals has led to strong opposition from some senators who are particularly concerned that Anthem’s narrow network plan lacks adequate services for women, FierceHealthPayer previously reported.
Like Seattle Children’s, hospitals have been fighting back after being excluded from exchange plans built around limited networks. In a print ad, Danville, Pa.-based Geisinger Health System accused Highmark’s Community Blue health plan of forcing patients away from its hospitals, saying: “It’s inappropriate, inconvenient, insensitive and simply wrong to force our neighbors to leave home to seek the care they desperately need.” (More)
Shrinking networks will create an oligopoly style market. High prices will either be paid with money or in quality.
Just like everything else
“an overwhelming number of people favor lower prices over access to healthcare”
I can’t believe they needed a study to realize people like lower prices.
Although, I don’t think people realize what losing access is like. How much worse is it to have to wait for needed care then to pay a little more?
Yes, those are now the choices we will be forced to make. Thanks Barry, Nancy, et al.
Bottom line is money though. While time can be considered money for the upper class, for the lower class it isn’t.
True, it depends on who you are.
That’s why we need options.
I just want affordable insurance, luckily for me Obama is giving me that.
I’m guessing you haven’t signed up yet or else you probably wouldn’t be saying that. Most people are paying more, unless of course you are chronically ill.
Exactly, premiums going up, not down.
They should just pay a fixed indemnity benefit and let the consumer decide where to spend it.
Oh no, that would mean some actual choice in the matter. We’re not savvy enough for that.