Arnold Has Spoken (Health Insurance)

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

www.chinaview.cn 2007-01-09 15:49:47

BEIJING, Jan. 9 (Xinhuanet) -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger intends to ask businesses, doctors, hospitals, individuals, insurers and the state government to ante up the money needed to provide health coverage to nearly all of the state's 6.5 million uninsured people, and all children regardless of immigration status....

"I don't think it is a question or a debate if they ought to be covered. ... The federal courts have made that decision -- that no one can be turned away," Schwarzenegger said. ...

All Californians would be required to have insurance, although the poorest would be subsidized, under Schwarzenegger's proposal. Businesses with 10 employees or more would have to offer insurance to their workers or pay 4 percent of their payroll into a state fund. Smaller businesses would be exempt.

Also, insurers would no longer be allowed to deny coverage to people because of their medical problems.

The state would subsidize the estimated 1.2 million poor people who do not currently qualify for state health coverage. They would be able to purchase insurance through a state-run pool ...

Schwarzenegger is betting that his plan will save 10 billion U.S. dollars a year by cutting health care costs. He says the savings would offset the new fees he is asking doctors and hospitals to pay -- 4 percent of revenue for hospitals and 2 percent for doctors.

The state also would increase what it pays doctors and hospitals through Medi-Cal, the state insurance plan for the poor....

 

[Martha]

I heard about this too. The last I heard is that he wants to do this with no increase in taxes at all and says that is off the table. Huh?

 

[Sheryl]

His logistics and details may be lacking, but I have to applaud him for wading in and taking a stand rather than burying his head in the sand.

 

[Alex]

I see alot of small business people holding the line at 9 employees......

 

[Brat]

Preventative care for the uninsured has been neglected. Urgent, emergency care has been provided in large part by a hidden tax on the paying patient.

IMHO I don't think this will significantly increase the cost of health insurance overall. In fact, over time, it may decrease the amount of expensive urgent/emergency care for the uninsured paid for out of all our pockets.

 

[bright eyed]

Someone has to make sense of this healthcare mess - i think his efforts are to be applauded as well - it is terrible to see so many people and kids suffer without insurance and make dangerous choices about food or rent or rent or doctor.

also, the costs are sooo out of whack now, this may show other states and the feds you have to do something to get it going back in the right direction...

 

[Martha]

Yes, I didn't mean to sound too critical. At least California and a number of other states are now seriously looking at the issue.

 

[JohnEyles]

You gotta give The Governator credit for addressing two giant
problems (global warming and the health-care mess) that no
other government in the USA, certainly not the federal gov't,
seems willing to touch (ok, I guess Mass did something on
health care).

 

[Retire Soon]

I am very happy that the California governor is trying to do something about the problem. Our federal lawmakers have let everyone down. Health care should be a right and not a privilege for those who are fortunate enough to afford it. If California were considered a country, it would have the 4th largest economy in the world. Because of its size, if this plan is successful, it will be an inspiration as well as a proving ground for the rest of the nation to follow. Massachusetts has also enacted a plan that moves in the right direction.

 

[TromboneAl]

Here is the part of his state of state speech related to this:

Now lets talk about health care. When I first came here in 1968, one of the first things I did was to ask people where can I get health insurance because I knew that, as an athlete, injuries can happen, as I could find out very recently. Here is the ironic thing about health care today. California’s medical care, its medical knowledge, its medical technology is as strong and vibrant as a bodybuilder. Yet our health care system itself is a sick old man.

You know the reasons – it’s rising costs and lack of coverage—nearly 6.5 million Californians have no insurance at all. Recently I visited California Hospital Medical Center in downtown Los Angeles and they are doing a terrific job, fantastic. Last year, the uninsured people who came to the emergency room left behind 60 million dollars in unpaid bills. This is just in one hospital. Multiply that by the number of hospitals in California, and the amount runs into the billions of dollars. Guess who’s paying for all this? You and me and all of us who are lucky enough to have coverage. That’s who pays.

The people with insurance pay a hidden tax through higher deductibles, higher costs, higher premiums, higher copays.

This year we must take action on health care. Yesterday I announced my proposal. I know you also have your proposals and I love that. I have always said you can never have too many ideas. So I welcome all those ideas, regardless of origin, are still on the table. I do believe, however, that the ultimate answer will come from the principle of shared responsibility – shared responsibility by the government, by employers, by health plans, by doctors, by hospitals and by the individual.

In the past, health care reform was always dead on arrival. But this year I can feel something different in the air. I can feel the energy, the momentum, the desire for action. People really want to get this taken care of. You can feel that the time is right. As a matter of fact, both leaders have said to me, “We will get this done.” My Republican friends have said “We will get this done.” Ladies and gentlemen, we will get this done. California is going to lead the nation in breaking new ground to meet the health care needs of its people.

 

[Nords]

He must have a very skilled speechwriter. It's like reading a doctoral dissertation... by Conan the Barbarian.

 

[bright eyed]

yup, California is bigger than most states and many countries, if we can fix it, it will be a great sign to everyone else they have no excuse not to!

 

[Outtahere]

California is going to lead the nation in breaking new ground to meet the health care needs of its people.


Humm didn't my state of Mass just deal with this? Isn't the lead already taken? Isn't the ground already broken? Oh wait, I'll bet he thinks we didn't do it right so he can be the first one to do it the way it should be done. Ugh.

 

[Retire Soon]

Is he thinking about eventually running for president, maybe?

 

[farmerEd]

He can't be president unless the constitution is changed.

 

[farmerEd]

California is going to lead the nation in breaking new ground to meet the health care needs of its people.


Humm didn't my state of Mass just deal with this? Isn't the lead already taken? Isn't the ground already broken? Oh wait, I'll bet he thinks we didn't do it right so he can be the first one to do it the way it should be done. Ugh.

Well perhaps, Mass did recently did make steps, but before Mass others states have taken smaller steps that paved the way for Mass to push even further(Vermont for one, if I remember correctly - at least for kids). By taking the lead, perhaps what he means is that CA's plan will run the ball even further down the field towards the goal line...past all of the others that have come before him.

Personally, I don't care who gets credit, as long as it gets done...good for Mass, good for CA and good for the USA. The tide is turning even faster than I thought.

 

[Zoocat]

Thank God for Arnold's courage!

 

[Momtwo]

Rich in Tampa,

I am curious as to your opinion on this. My nephew is a Dr. in England. People wait months for appts. over there.
Doctor's who want to make any money at all go into private practice to serve the HAVE's who are willing to pay for their services and not have to deal with long waits and what is seen sometimes as inferior care. The HAVE NOTS have to put up with the long waits.

Momtwo

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

I am curious as to your opinion on this. My nephew is a Dr. in England. People wait months for appts. over there.
Doctor's who want to make any money at all go into private practice to serve the HAVE's who are willing to pay for their services and not have to deal with long waits and what is seen sometimes as inferior care. The HAVE NOTS have to put up with the long waits.

My opinion is that it's better to be a HAVE than a HAVE NOT.

Anyone know how many uninsured English citizens there are? How many are unable to retire, change jobs, or declare bankruptcy because of lack of access to or ability to pay for health care? If the system fixes that, and then allows the wealthy to pay for better convenience, that's not a show-stopper for me. I'd probably buy it myself, if I could afford it.

50 million here with inadequate or no basic health care coverage, or trapped in undesired life situations in order to maintain health insurance access -- a much bigger priority, IMHO.

 

[Zoocat]

There is no reason to assume that nationalized health insurance would have the result of inconvenient rationing, such as in England. The best way to imagine what it could be like is to look at the Medicare system in our own country. A few friends, over age 65, joined Kaiser Permanente, which has a HMO linked to Medicare. They say the system is great. No problem getting appointments and there is a wellness program and a convenient urgent care facility as well. I know that Medicare has its critics and doctors don't get paid what they desire, etc. But no plan is perfect.

What really dismays me are the critics who are holding up reform because of their "sky is falling" attitude and fear that things will be worse, for themselves, while the general population continues to go without basic care for lack of insurance and in turn driving up costs for all of us when they continually use the emergency room for non emergency treatments. This situation is driving hospitals out of business among other situations.

 

[F M All]

My opinion is that it's better to be a HAVE than a HAVE NOT.

Or better still a HAVE MORE!!

Anyone know how many uninsured English citizens there are?

None. the NHS covers all British citizens.

How many are unable to retire, change jobs, or declare bankruptcy because of lack of access to or ability to pay for health care?

None. The NHS covers all British citizens.

However, there is a limited budget so there are queues for some treatments. The system is not perfect.

Also, remember this is only one alternative to the current system. There are many differences in the systems across Europe and I would expect other countries to have other systems.

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

None. the NHS covers all British citizens.
None. The NHS covers all British citizens.
Also, remember this is only one alternative to the current system. There are many differences in the systems across Europe and I would expect other countries to have other systems.

Exactly.

 

[plattj1]

Arnold is my hero. Somebody has to do something. My son has been covered for years with Asthma, now that he is twenty three his cobra will be up in another few months. No one will cover him.

Twenty three years of continous payments with minimal claims and you are unisurable because something may happen in the future.

State Farm is very lucky I am not King.

Also - Just because England and Canada have issues doesn't mean anything to me. They can serve as an example of what to do differently.

 

[mykidslovedogs]

However, there is a limited budget so there are queues for some treatments. The system is not perfect.

Also, remember this is only one alternative to the current system. There are many differences in the systems across Europe and I would expect other countries to have other systems.

FM All,

This is a genuine question and not meant to be critical or anything like that. Do you know how the tax system is setup to handle the English program? Is is a flat tax, or do certain income levels pay higher percentages like in the USA? Are people in England who are of lower income levels required to pitch in (tax wise) to subsidize the system or is it only the higher income brackets that pay additional taxes? I really am just curious how the income taxes are handled there.

Also, could you give me an idea of what types of procedures might require someone to be placed in a queue?

 

[mykidslovedogs]

Arnold is my hero. Somebody has to do something. My son has been covered for years with Asthma, now that he is twenty three his cobra will be up in another few months. No one will cover him.

Twenty three years of continous payments with minimal claims and you are unisurable because something may happen in the future.

State Farm is very lucky I am not King.

Also - Just because England and Canada have issues doesn't mean anything to me. They can serve as an example of what to do differently.

Plattj1,

Does Humana One do business in your state? I have been able to get people with Asthma covered on the Humana One 2500 deductible copay plan including prescription drug copay card with NO exclusion rider on the Asthma if the condition is mild and well controlled with only one medication and occasional use of an inhaler. However, if the cost of meds would exceed the cost of the premium, I have had more difficulty placing coverage for people with Asthma.

In Colorado, insurance carriers are allowed to exclude coverage for certain conditions, so if someone has asthma, and the cost to them truly is minimal and of very low risk as you say is the case with your son, some don't mind taking the exclusion and taking on that risk on a personal level. I guess a good rule of thumb is that if you are afraid to take on the risk of an out of pocket expense for a pre-existing condtion, the insurance company is probably going to be afraid to take on that risk as well.

In states where insurance companies are not allowed to place exclusion riders on individual policies (some states have gov't mandates that prohibit insurance carriers from excluding certain conditions from coverage), I have found that the insurance carriers will usually just decline rather than accept the risk, and this is usually based on a statistical analysis of the finacial risk associated with asthma in the general population. Some insurance carriers will consider risk on a case by case basis (Humana One has been good about that), while other carriers just follow a strict set of guidelines based on overall risk in the general population.

The good news is that your son is still young and probably at the beginning of his career. Most of the population is covered on a guaranteed basis through employment, so there is a good chance that your son will be able to find coverage through good employment sometime in the near future. If he is between jobs, he can probably qualify for an inexpensive short term major medical policy (which will not cover asthma) - like Assurant Health's short term major medical plan, that will get him by until he finds a position with good benefits. Since the asthma isn't really a financially risky issue for him personally, the exclusion of coverage for asthma shouldn't be a problem while he is in between jobs.

MKLD