Beginning of a GOP alternative to Obamacare?

[explanade]

Two GOP candidates, Rubio and Walker, published similar proposals to replace Obamacare yesterday.

The ideas will likely end up as the GOP nominee's alternative to Obamacare, as they seem to be gaining support in conservative circles.

1. Allow Americans to buy coverage across state lines.
2. Give people who don't get insurance through their employer a tax credit so that they can purchase a private plan.
3. Create special "high-risk pools" for the sick who can't get coverage otherwise.

Walker and Rubio explain their plans to repeal Obamacare: They aren't pretty.

Item #3 is basically their solution for people with preexisting conditions. It is likely to mean very expensive coverage but Congress would have to provide subsidies to make it affordable for a lot of people.

 

[Senator]

It sounds like what we already have, but with additional competition. It's only a stepping stone until we get 100% free coverage.

I just wonder who will pay for it.

 

[Mulligan]

I don't understand politicians focus on healthcare costs being mostly about insurance reform. Kind of like nibbling on the edge of a sandwich that is rotten in the middle. Insurance costs are the symptom, not the problem. Maybe its just too complicated or controversial to address the real issue.


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[MichaelB]

Hot topic enabled on this thread. Let's keep the discussion on health care proposals and their impact on us and away from the politicians and political parties.

 

[pb4uski]

I don't understand politicians focus on healthcare costs being mostly about insurance reform. Kind of like nibbling on the edge of a sandwich that is rotten in the middle. Insurance costs are the symptom, not the problem. Maybe its just too complicated or controversial to address the real issue. ....

+1 especially given the medical loss ratio limits in the current law.... health insurance costs effectively become a function of medical costs, and no one seems to be making any proposals to address medical costs.

I haven't read the links yet but i would not want to see medical underwriting return in any way shape or form. I like the idea of crossing state lines but the implementation of that could be a bit of a can of worms.

 

[HFWR]

...no one seems to be making any proposals to address medical costs...

Stop getting sick?

I haven't read the links yet but i would not want to see medical underwriting return in any way shape or form.

Seems to me that health insurance doesn't work effectively when risks aren't pooled.

 

[ArkTinkerer]

I am usually very much against any sort of government regulation but I think to clear up the problems created by the old policies that mixed the ideas of insurance and healthcare some more government involvement is required.

I think the biggest change would be requiring posting pricing for all services. Posting hourly rates is a step in the right direction.

 

[nun]

The US healthcare system is very expensive. It provides good care for many people, but there are also many people who it fails. The rest of the world has come up with lots of solutions involving single payer systems and private insurance, but they all involve considerable government regulation to guarantee care at an affordable cost. The US will have to accept the need for regulation and modification of entirely free market principles if it is to find it's own solution.

 

[easysurfer]

...I haven't read the links yet but i would not want to see medical underwriting return in any way shape or form....

+1000

The deal breaker for me, thumbs up or thumbs down.

 

[Mulligan]

+1000



The deal breaker for me, thumbs up or thumbs down.

It would great for me to bring back underwriting....I would save hundreds a month based on how my insurance went up when it ended this year. Until of course its my turn in the barrel, and I am sure it wouldn't take much of a health issue to toss me into it.


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[Lisa99]

If Obamacare went away my husband and I would have to go back to work effectively ending our early retirement.

He's had controlled high blood pressure for more than 10 years and when I looked into private plans before ACA was implemented the cost of insurance was undoable for us.

 

[Mulligan]

The only engineered scheme that would reduce my expenses without truly addressing healthcare costs would be increasing HSA deductions, or being able to itemize healthcare premiums on my tax return. Of course that scheme does absolutely zero for poor people.


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[timo2]

The across state lines is concerning, as it negates any local input on the types of coverage required. One size does not fit all States.

 

[easysurfer]

It would great for me to bring back underwriting....I would save hundreds a month based on how my insurance went up when it ended this year. Until of course its my turn in the barrel, and I am sure it wouldn't take much of a health issue to toss me into it.


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I'd rather pay more now while healthy as long as when it's my turn in the barrel, I'll reap the no underwriting benefit then.

I'm healthy now. But still don't want to have to go through any underwriting with the thought maybe the insurance coverage won't count because, say, if I forgot to mention I had a break out of shingles while in college during my application .

 

[Mulligan]

I'd rather pay more now while healthy as long as when it's my turn in the barrel, I'll reap the no underwriting benefit then.



I'm healthy now. But still don't want to have to go through any underwriting with the thought maybe the insurance coverage won't count because, say, if I forgot to mention I had a break out of shingles while in college during my application .

Yes, healthcare and health insurance are not same. I dont trust them and really have no reason to because I have been healthy. But stories I read don't sound good. Like you said, it could become a "gotcha game". Even without underwriting, it still seems to be a gotcha game based on showing up at the wrong hospital, wrong surgeon not on your plan, custodian surcharge cleaning your room who isn't unionized under your plan, etc... Ok...Im starting to go overboard a bit with the custodian.....


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[Big_Hitter]

This snippet from the link pretty well sums it up:

"But the big takeaway is that the establishment GOP contenders are edging toward a consensus alternative to Obamacare, a three-part plan that would potentially make insurance cheaper for the young, more expensive for the old and sick, and depending on how tight-fisted Congress felt, unaffordable for the ill"

The guaranteed issue, 3/1 rule and minimum essential coverage seem to be working pretty well IMO. Yes, ACA is more expensive for some but not for those that really need the coverage.

 

[utrecht]

If Obamacare went away my husband and I would have to go back to work effectively ending our early retirement.

He's had controlled high blood pressure for more than 10 years and when I looked into private plans before ACA was implemented the cost of insurance was undoable for us.

Nobody expects it to "go away". A lot of people just want it modified.

 

[audreyh1]

Create special "high-risk pools" for the sick who can't get coverage otherwise.

That looks like the return of medical underwriting to me. Otherwise there wouldn't be any pool for just the sick folks?

All these pools were abandoned as a result of ACA since they were no longer needed.

 

[Mulligan]

This snippet from the link pretty well sums it up:

"But the big takeaway is that the establishment GOP contenders are edging toward a consensus alternative to Obamacare, a three-part plan that would potentially make insurance cheaper for the young, more expensive for the old and sick, and depending on how tight-fisted Congress felt, unaffordable for the ill"

The guaranteed issue, 3/1 rule and minimum essential coverage seem to be working pretty well IMO. Yes, ACA is more expensive for some but not for those that really need the coverage.

ACA is getting pretty entrenched now already. I would think what is best for our healthcare needs are continued improvement tweaks of current system instead of another new overhaul that may or may not be better. JMO though...


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[marko]

It's only a stepping stone until we get 100% free coverage.

I just wonder who will pay for it.

You do? I don't wonder at all about who'll pay for it.

 

[NW-Bound]

[-]Stop getting sick?[/-] Patients to stop demanding costly but ineffectual treatments?

FIFY. I just read the following story from Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies.

Autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT) was being tested by researchers for breast cancer treatment, when the word got out. Desperate patients demanded this experimental procedure before it was proven. One patient sued her insurer and won $8.1M. That set a precedent. Overnight, clinics opened up to provide this expensive treatment as it was now legally required, before it was rigorously tested by the medical profession.

Several years later, calmer examination of medical records showed that this costly treatment was completely ineffectual and caused severe negative side effects.

 

[MRG]

After reading the article, not much of a plan IMHO. Seems to give the insurance companies a better way to sell expensive policies all over the country. Not that I believe ACA is perfect, I'd like to think if it's changed we change it for the better.

 

[travelover]

Aren't the rates that health care providers charge somewhat tempered by the relative bargaining power of the provider compared to the insurer?

In other words, a big insurance company can bargain down charges from a smaller hospital, whereas a big hospital system can demand higher compensation from a smaller insurance company.

In that case would not a larger, multi-state insurer have more leverage to contain costs?

 

[neihn]

I think the biggest change would be requiring posting pricing for all services. Posting hourly rates is a step in the right direction.

+1. Everyone with or without insurance should pay the same (or close) price as in the listed price for a service.

 

[jim584672]

Another article on the subject:
Walker's healthcare plan is perfect, if you want almost no insurance at all - LA Times