Health insurance subsidy calculator

[marko]

I foresee a whole cottage industry of accountants, attorneys, and insurance agents, sprouting up in relation to this law. Not to mention the growth in government bureaucracy that will be required to administer it.

Orwell calls it "Job Creation"

 

[MichaelB]

Just read this whole thread and the linked articles/documents. As someone who sells health insurance, I will just say...what a mess. If a message board full of highly-educated people can't understand it, how does anyone expect your average American to understand it?

Part of the sales process is the "explain it to me like I'm 5 years old" method so that your average person can understand what they are buying. There is no way to explain this to a 5 year old....none. I can't wait to have these fun conversations with my clients over the course of the next few years.

The insurance industry in general has done an amazing job of offering products with contracts, terms and conditions that no one understands, with the exception of the attorneys that write the literature - and even then who can be sure? Products that meet common standards, can be offered and explained in simple words is a great step forward IMHO.

 

[MichaelB]

I foresee a whole cottage industry of accountants, attorneys, and insurance agents, sprouting up in relation to this law. Not to mention the growth in government bureaucracy that will be required to administer it.

There already is an entire industry of specialized professionals that interface between users and providers of health care services to deal solely with the terms, conditions and finances of insurance. Just look inside every hospital or medical practice. In addition, most employers have benefits specialists to choose and administer policies for employees. The availability of standard insurance policies for the majority of people is an enormous opportunity for productivity improvement for hospitals, clinics, and businesses in general.

 

[ERD50]

bold mine:

There already is an entire industry of specialized professionals that interface between users and providers of health care services to deal solely with the terms, conditions and finances of insurance. Just look inside every hospital or medical practice. In addition, most employers have benefits specialists to choose and administer policies for employees. The availability of standard insurance policies for the majority of people is an enormous opportunity for productivity improvement for hospitals, clinics, and businesses in general.

I agree, but the key word there is 'opportunity'. Will it be realized, or will it look like that other product from this group, our tax code? We can hope....

-ERD50