Comments on: McCain vs. the Critics, Part II http://healthblog.ncpa.org/mccain-vs-the-critics-part-ii/ Health Care Policy and Reform Insights | NCPA Sun, 12 Feb 2012 00:03:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Steve at ComingTogether.info http://healthblog.ncpa.org/mccain-vs-the-critics-part-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-39391 Steve at ComingTogether.info Tue, 14 Oct 2008 15:14:15 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=684#comment-39391 John, In your informative commentary on McCain's health plan (part II), you say it "subsidizes, dollar-for-dollar, the core insurance everyone should have." I agree that "core insurance" or basic health benefits are something everyone should have. Does the plan specifically limit the benefits to citizens? That would help on the immigration issue as well. Another question: can we make the amount of the credit age-rated? Young people can already get good coverage for about half the amount McCain proposes; for older folks, the prices go way up. Thanks for your work, Steve at ComingTogether.info John,
In your informative commentary on McCain’s health plan (part II), you say it “subsidizes, dollar-for-dollar, the core insurance everyone should have.”
I agree that “core insurance” or basic health benefits are something everyone should have. Does the plan specifically limit the benefits to citizens? That would help on the immigration issue as well.
Another question: can we make the amount of the credit age-rated? Young people can already get good coverage for about half the amount McCain proposes; for older folks, the prices go way up.
Thanks for your work,
Steve at ComingTogether.info

]]> By: Bud Blate http://healthblog.ncpa.org/mccain-vs-the-critics-part-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-39354 Bud Blate Mon, 06 Oct 2008 23:03:36 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=684#comment-39354 My wife and I are both uninsurable in the individual market in California due to ongoing health problems. We can only get insurance through a group policy. No insurer offering individual policies would touch us. MrMip (California Major Risk Medical Insurance plan) would be our only option under your plan. MrMip has a current maximum enrollment of 7100 (yes, hundred)slots. There are over 500,000 uninsurables in California. If you are lucky enough to finally get in (there are currently 750 people on the waiting list)your annual benefit is capped at $75,000 and lifetime benefit is $750,000. My current plan through my employer has no annual cap and a $6 million lifetime cap. For the privilege of waiting an estimated 180 days to enroll, I get to pay a monthly premium for my wife and I of $1956.25 which comes to $23,475 annually. Unless your/McCain's plan can offer guaranteed access which requires mandatory enrollment to avoid "adverse selection" I have a hard time supporting it. My wife and I are both uninsurable in the individual market in California due to ongoing health problems. We can only get insurance through a group policy. No insurer offering individual policies would touch us. MrMip (California Major Risk Medical Insurance plan) would be our only option under your plan.

MrMip has a current maximum enrollment of 7100 (yes, hundred)slots. There are over 500,000 uninsurables in California. If you are lucky enough to finally get in (there are currently 750 people on the waiting list)your annual benefit is capped at $75,000 and lifetime benefit is $750,000. My current plan through my employer has no annual cap and a $6 million lifetime cap. For the privilege of waiting an estimated 180 days to enroll, I get to pay a monthly premium for my wife and I of $1956.25 which comes to $23,475 annually.

Unless your/McCain’s plan can offer guaranteed access which requires mandatory enrollment to avoid “adverse selection” I have a hard time supporting it.

]]> By: Ralph F. Weber http://healthblog.ncpa.org/mccain-vs-the-critics-part-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-39352 Ralph F. Weber Mon, 06 Oct 2008 21:09:22 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=684#comment-39352 Glad to see we are in agreement again. Glad to see we are in agreement again.

]]> By: John Goodman http://healthblog.ncpa.org/mccain-vs-the-critics-part-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-39350 John Goodman Mon, 06 Oct 2008 20:15:18 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=684#comment-39350 Reply to Uwe Reinhardt: Depends on the state. This family is covered by HIPAA. Because they (and their employer) have been paying premiums into the system, they cannot be excluded from it because of a health condition. State governments enforce HIPAA. In some states (about five or six, I think), they will be able to buy coverage at community rated premiums -- paying whatever other people pay. In most states they will probably have to turn to a risk pool (because of the preexisting condition). And because of HIPAA they will be given priority. The cost of the plan can vary from 25% to 100% more than the cost of comparable coverage in the marketplace. None of the outcomes are ideal and I can think of many improvements, the most important of which would be portable health insurance. However, the McCain health credit is a godsend relative to the current system. McCain would give them $5,000 a year. Under the current system they would get no tax relief. Reply to Uwe Reinhardt:

Depends on the state. This family is covered by HIPAA. Because they (and their employer) have been paying premiums into the system, they cannot be excluded from it because of a health condition. State governments enforce HIPAA.

In some states (about five or six, I think), they will be able to buy coverage at community rated premiums — paying whatever other people pay. In most states they will probably have to turn to a risk pool (because of the preexisting condition). And because of HIPAA they will be given priority. The cost of the plan can vary from 25% to 100% more than the cost of comparable coverage in the marketplace.

None of the outcomes are ideal and I can think of many improvements, the most important of which would be portable health insurance.

However, the McCain health credit is a godsend relative to the current system. McCain would give them $5,000 a year. Under the current system they would get no tax relief.

]]> By: Lynne Kernaghan http://healthblog.ncpa.org/mccain-vs-the-critics-part-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-39349 Lynne Kernaghan Mon, 06 Oct 2008 20:00:13 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=684#comment-39349 John, please explain things in more consumer-friendly ways! What you just tried to explain is not clear to me at all. Thank you very much. John,
please explain things in more consumer-friendly ways! What you just tried to explain is not clear to me at all. Thank you very much.

]]> By: Matt http://healthblog.ncpa.org/mccain-vs-the-critics-part-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-39347 Matt Mon, 06 Oct 2008 18:06:56 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=684#comment-39347 Neither the McCain or OBama plan address the real issue of healthcare, cost. offering healthcare coverage to all doesnt address this issue but only deepens the pockets of hospital and providers. Has anyone checked with AHD.com to see what their local not for profit hospital profited last year? Our local non profit hospital profited $135,000,000 last year and just anounced a new $350,000,000 cancer building campaign. Yet they are the first in line to cry victim that the reimbursements from Medicare and private insurance are below their operating costs. Unless the hospitals and providers are willing to become transparent with their pricing, quality of care and compete for patients on that level then we will continue to watch healthcare costs increase. Offering people a choice to purchase their own healthcare? This will work for the small business owner or the self employed with health conditions. However, too often we see employees opt out of their employer sponsored health coverage because they will have to pay $50 per month in contribution. Yet these same employees have no problem paying for digital cable, mobile phones, suped up cars and nights out on the town. Do we really expect that they will take advantage of a tax break and purchase their own coverage? Neither the McCain or OBama plan address the real issue of healthcare, cost. offering healthcare coverage to all doesnt address this issue but only deepens the pockets of hospital and providers. Has anyone checked with AHD.com to see what their local not for profit hospital profited last year? Our local non profit hospital profited $135,000,000 last year and just anounced a new $350,000,000 cancer building campaign. Yet they are the first in line to cry victim that the reimbursements from Medicare and private insurance are below their operating costs. Unless the hospitals and providers are willing to become transparent with their pricing, quality of care and compete for patients on that level then we will continue to watch healthcare costs increase.

Offering people a choice to purchase their own healthcare? This will work for the small business owner or the self employed with health conditions. However, too often we see employees opt out of their employer sponsored health coverage because they will have to pay $50 per month in contribution. Yet these same employees have no problem paying for digital cable, mobile phones, suped up cars and nights out on the town. Do we really expect that they will take advantage of a tax break and purchase their own coverage?

]]> By: Uwe Reinhardt http://healthblog.ncpa.org/mccain-vs-the-critics-part-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-39346 Uwe Reinhardt Mon, 06 Oct 2008 17:01:51 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=684#comment-39346 <p>John: Imagine a family of four with an annual income of, say, $65,000. They have lost their employer-provied coverage, because one of them works for a small company that has never offerd employees health insurance is not working and the other has lost a job that did offer insurance but now also works for a company that does not offer insurance. The father has diabetes. The mother has had a bout with breast cancer.</p> <p>They are armed with a $5,000 refundable tax credit.</p> <p>Question (sincerely put): If such a family wanted to buy health insurance in the individual market, what would the premium be and what company would offer them coverage. Furthermore, what woluld the annual deductible and coinsurance be?</p> John: Imagine a family of four with an annual income of, say, $65,000. They have lost their employer-provied coverage, because one of them works for a small company that has never offerd employees health insurance is not working and the other has lost a job that did offer insurance but now also works for a company that does not offer insurance. The father has diabetes. The mother has had a bout with breast cancer.

They are armed with a $5,000 refundable tax credit.

Question (sincerely put): If such a family wanted to buy health insurance in the individual market, what would the premium be and what company would offer them coverage. Furthermore, what woluld the annual deductible and coinsurance be?

]]> By: Thomas http://healthblog.ncpa.org/mccain-vs-the-critics-part-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-39342 Thomas Fri, 03 Oct 2008 15:37:18 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=684#comment-39342 Here is the Washington Post correcting Biden's distortions of the McCain health plan last night: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/03/AR2008100300032.html Ironically, the Post is much better at explaining the plan than Palin was. Here is the Washington Post correcting Biden’s distortions of the McCain health plan last night: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/03/AR2008100300032.html

Ironically, the Post is much better at explaining the plan than Palin was.

]]> By: Vicki http://healthblog.ncpa.org/mccain-vs-the-critics-part-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-39341 Vicki Fri, 03 Oct 2008 15:19:05 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=684#comment-39341 Doesn't this mean that Obama would make the problem of rising health care costs even worse than it already is? Doesn’t this mean that Obama would make the problem of rising health care costs even worse than it already is?

]]> By: Joe S http://healthblog.ncpa.org/mccain-vs-the-critics-part-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-39338 Joe S Fri, 03 Oct 2008 14:54:04 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=684#comment-39338 Good analysis. Too bad Sarah Palin can't explain this. Or even John McCain. Good analysis. Too bad Sarah Palin can’t explain this. Or even John McCain.

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