Tell me about it. We have a separate drug card (Blue R/X) and additional BCBS coverage for my mother-in-law. Who knows if this new plan covers that issue. I bet that 1 billion is the proverbial tip of the iceberg. This program should be fast tracked into service and put before any health care reform. You wont have a choice. You HAVE to go on Medicare. You can buy supplemental and a drug card but no other full coverage insurance is available when you hit the magic age.
I have never understood this. For the greater business to the insurance companies and lowered costs to taxpayers. why doesn't the primary insurer continue to be your private coverage and Medicare be the supplement? I suppose it's because the insurance companies are eager to drop seniors and their increasing health bills.
That 1 billion was in 5 states. This program will result in tens of billions of recoveries and deter tens of billions more un fruad, upcoding, and waste.
Why do people attempt Mt Everest? Because it's there. Drop rules prohibiting Interstate Health Insurance sales and do something about excessive malpractice awards and frivolous malpractice litigation and we'll be on the road to reform.
This is pure BS. I have posted info that shoots this down. 27 states have tort reform, and health insurance premiums in those states have gone up just as fast as the rest of the nation. We have had tort reform here in Tx. since 2003, and I can guarantee you my portion of the company health ins. cost has gone up at several times faster than the inflation rate the last 5 years. In Tx., Doctors malpractice rates went down 30% after tort reform, none was passed on to consumers, they just pocketed the profit. Any savings by hospitals and drug companies, we never saw a dime. A study in the article I cited in a diff. thread says that's what happened in the other 26 states also.
REAL tort reform, not those lip service deals like Texas has. Details when I get time. You're walking in my backyard here, dude.
You are correct that the govt. should monitor appropriateness of bills its paying, and there is another post on this page about the govt. moving that direction. Companies also have a responsibility to be honest, but greed has taken over so bad that nobody seems to even expect honesty. I disagree. Obama has not done a great job selling the program, but I think it is because there is no actual bill to sell yet. He asked congress to come up with a bill that met several broad guidelines. There is a house proposal and a senate proposal, and they need to be reconcilled to see what the actual bill is. Then he can try to sell that. The corporate interests have shown great vigor in organizing opposition. I think the jury is still out. But what is the consequence to the nation if this fails? According to David Walker, Comptroller General under Bush, it is total bankrupcy of the US in 40 years. We've been kicking it down the road since Clinton in 93. Someday, somebody has to deal with it. The chickens are getting close to roosting.
