Comments on: Paying for Health Reform http://healthblog.ncpa.org/paying-for-health-reform/ Health Care Policy and Reform Insights | NCPA Fri, 25 May 2012 01:28:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Hillary’s Plan | John Goodman's Health Policy Blog http://healthblog.ncpa.org/paying-for-health-reform/comment-page-1/#comment-41243 Hillary’s Plan | John Goodman's Health Policy Blog Mon, 02 Mar 2009 23:11:11 +0000 http://johngoodman.ncpa.org/paying-for-health-reform/#comment-41243 [...] no tax cuts for the rich.  Their tax rates are down, but their tax payments are way up.  [link] And there is every reason to think that reversing the process and raising rates will cause total [...] [...] no tax cuts for the rich.  Their tax rates are down, but their tax payments are way up.  [link] And there is every reason to think that reversing the process and raising rates will cause total [...]

]]> By: Brian Fennel http://healthblog.ncpa.org/paying-for-health-reform/comment-page-1/#comment-34957 Brian Fennel Mon, 03 Mar 2008 23:38:06 +0000 http://johngoodman.ncpa.org/paying-for-health-reform/#comment-34957 Excellent segmentation discussion. Coverage versus access and people pay v. government pay. Do the supposedly 20 million people without insurance understand how health insurance works? Think of how many "no pays" show up in the ER; treating it like their primary care office, and leave getting better care than 80% of the people between the Rio Grande and the South Pole. When they show up with Hillary's Plan next year they are going to be asked for a co-payment and then get a bill for $300 towards their deductible. When will someone on the campaign trail tell these people that Universal Healthcare coverage for everyone does not mean "free healthcare"? Health insurance as a comapny paid benefit needs to dry up. If each worker got a 20% raise and then was put in charge of funding his/her healthcare program I think you would see how much Americans value their health. Excellent segmentation discussion. Coverage versus access and people pay v. government pay. Do the supposedly 20 million people without insurance understand how health insurance works? Think of how many “no pays” show up in the ER; treating it like their primary care office, and leave getting better care than 80% of the people between the Rio Grande and the South Pole. When they show up with Hillary’s Plan next year they are going to be asked for a co-payment and then get a bill for $300 towards their deductible. When will someone on the campaign trail tell these people that Universal Healthcare coverage for everyone does not mean “free healthcare”?

Health insurance as a comapny paid benefit needs to dry up. If each worker got a 20% raise and then was put in charge of funding his/her healthcare program I think you would see how much Americans value their health.

]]> By: Klaus Illian, CLU http://healthblog.ncpa.org/paying-for-health-reform/comment-page-1/#comment-33794 Klaus Illian, CLU Sat, 23 Feb 2008 21:51:12 +0000 http://johngoodman.ncpa.org/paying-for-health-reform/#comment-33794 Who should pay? All of us, not just the wealthy or the working. But there isn't much point in looking at how to finance health care for everyone unless it also involves reforming the way health care is delivered and how providers are paid. John, I thought your article in the WSJ on 2/23 (Markets and Medicare) was fantastic. Of course Medicare is heading for bankruptcy; how can it survive? We have a system whereby private insurance covers the healthy, the young, the working and the wealthy while the public sector (Medicare, Medicaid, SCHIP, VA, etc.) pays for the elderly, the disabled, the indigent and the ill. I would love to be in an industry where I get all the profitable business and someone else carries the unprofitable. Isn't that what the insurance indutry is doing: cherry-picking! And on top of their profitable insurance premium business, some companies handle claims processing for Medicare and profit there as well! Your article certainly showed some great examples of what could be done to create a better health care system; I'm just not sure that many people are listening yet! A case in point: I know a radiologist who was earning over $400,000 in net income and retired at age 50 because he didn't need to work any longer. Is this man's value triple that of my G.P.? And where is the equity in the system when my lipid tests cost me $15.94 (insurance discounted, paid out of my HSA), while my uninsured co-worker pays five times the fee (standard cash payer pricing). But the greatest impediment to reform is the entrenched parties: providers make more money by providing more services, not by giving better quality care. Your "Markets and Medicare" article explained this beautifully. Keep up the pressure! Who should pay? All of us, not just the wealthy or the working. But there isn’t much point in looking at how to finance health care for everyone unless it also involves reforming the way health care is delivered and how providers are paid. John, I thought your article in the WSJ on 2/23 (Markets and Medicare) was fantastic. Of course Medicare is heading for bankruptcy; how can it survive? We have a system whereby private insurance covers the healthy, the young, the working and the wealthy while the public sector (Medicare, Medicaid, SCHIP, VA, etc.) pays for the elderly, the disabled, the indigent and the ill. I would love to be in an industry where I get all the profitable business and someone else carries the unprofitable. Isn’t that what the insurance indutry is doing: cherry-picking! And on top of their profitable insurance premium business, some companies handle claims processing for Medicare and profit there as well!

Your article certainly showed some great examples of what could be done to create a better health care system; I’m just not sure that many people are listening yet! A case in point: I know a radiologist who was earning over $400,000 in net income and retired at age 50 because he didn’t need to work any longer. Is this man’s value triple that of my G.P.? And where is the equity in the system when my lipid tests cost me $15.94 (insurance discounted, paid out of my HSA), while my uninsured co-worker pays five times the fee (standard cash payer pricing). But the greatest impediment to reform is the entrenched parties: providers make more money by providing more services, not by giving better quality care. Your “Markets and Medicare” article explained this beautifully. Keep up the pressure!

]]> By: Steven Bassett http://healthblog.ncpa.org/paying-for-health-reform/comment-page-1/#comment-32770 Steven Bassett Fri, 15 Feb 2008 18:17:16 +0000 http://johngoodman.ncpa.org/paying-for-health-reform/#comment-32770 John, Agree! Real Health Care reform DOES save money! Currently the big payers are between 125% and 135% of RBRVS. If nothing changes as the boomers come on to Medicare perhaps we'll move to somewhere between 160% and 200% of Medicare. Our single minded goal needs to be getting away from employer based coverage and phasing out Medicare. Average deductibles will move from employer based $600, to $2,500+ with individually based - enough to help the market start to function. We cannot miss this opportunity. Let me know what I can do to help. John,

Agree! Real Health Care reform DOES save money! Currently the big payers are between 125% and 135% of RBRVS. If nothing changes as the boomers come on to Medicare perhaps we’ll move to somewhere between 160% and 200% of Medicare. Our single minded goal needs to be getting away from employer based coverage and phasing out Medicare. Average deductibles will move from employer based $600, to $2,500+ with individually based – enough to help the market start to function. We cannot miss this opportunity. Let me know what I can do to help.

]]> By: Bob http://healthblog.ncpa.org/paying-for-health-reform/comment-page-1/#comment-32214 Bob Mon, 11 Feb 2008 18:26:54 +0000 http://johngoodman.ncpa.org/paying-for-health-reform/#comment-32214 GREAT ARTICLE GREAT ARTICLE

]]> By: Derek Mock http://healthblog.ncpa.org/paying-for-health-reform/comment-page-1/#comment-32213 Derek Mock Mon, 11 Feb 2008 18:26:06 +0000 http://johngoodman.ncpa.org/paying-for-health-reform/#comment-32213 Thanks! Thanks!

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