Oh ok. Yes, I think we should go to affordable, reliable health care. I think eliminating the employer as the middle party would help. I mean, what is the point of that, really? Also, I think there are more studies showing more elasticity in health care. In fact a lot of employers have switched to high- deductible plans for this very reason. I'm not arguing for more privatization here. Just give the tax breaks to individuals instead of corporations.
Either way people will be insured? Do you know how many uninsured people there are in the US? 45 million. Have you shopped for the best plan for you before? Family health plans are very expensive, even for very little coverage. It seems like health care providers feel like they can charge whatever they want for some services, because they know most people don't have to pay for it directly, as their insurance will take care of it. When my Dad was in intensice care for a week, a couple of years ago, there was a heart specialist who stopped in for no more than 10 minutes a couple of times a day and charged $400 for each visit. My Dad wasn't even in there for a heart problem. Here's a problem I'm having now. I have one of those catastrophic policies where there's a $5000 deductible for every member of my family. I'm having problems with my shoulder- possible rotator cuff tear- but the doctor needs to do an MRI to know for sure. Those go for over $1000, and if it's not a tear, then it's a waste of money. I don't have $1000 to take that chance, so I just live with it until I get to a year when I have satisfied the $5000 deductible for something else, and then I'll have the MRI. I'm sure many other people have run into similar situations.
Another problem with individual policies is that most people with prexisiting conditions (which will eventually be all of us), will be turned down by insurers, and won't be able to purchase a policy at all.
I know the cost of buying an individual plan these days- I certainly don't do it. What I am saying is transfer all the tax benefits that corporations get to the individual so that they get the benefit of buying what they need. Basically, the way it would work is your company salary would be higher because the company is no longer paying that cost for you. This is real- I can opt out of my company plan and receive more cash instead. Then you have more money to purchase your own plan that you could tailor to your own needs. You'd have much more control and perhaps the plan would be cheaper. On top of that, the current system is unfair for those who are not employed or who are with small companies. They don't have the benefit a corporation with tax breaks. Seriously, it may be really hard to undo the system. But it doesn't make sense. Why is the employer getting in the middle between me and my insurer?
I like what you are saying MR. Clutch- my premiums are just now tax deductible as a sole proprieter-, but I think what you would see is the healthiest employees buying their own insurance, and those not healthy would have to get it through their employers, which would make employer coverage more expensive, since essentially they would only be covering unhealthy people. Unhealthy people without the availablility of employer sponsered health care would be uninsurable. There should be some kind of mitigation of the amount providers are charging for their services. Is there any other industry where costs climb at upwards of 15% a year? They can try to charge an insurance company $20 for a box of tissues, but why should I have to pay that?
I think you have the option of continuing your benefits from the old company at your own expense. i thinks it's called COBRA.
Why would unhealthy people not be able to get covered? Is there less scrutiny with group plans like employer plans? The rise in health costs is crazy. Part of it is the advances in technology and the price of paying for it. But I think part is also the system.
Mr. Clutch, the bulk of the overhead cost in US health care system doesn't come from your employer, but from the insurance company.
Insurance is really no more than pooled risk. When it's a big group (such as an employer plan) the insurance co's will insure the group -- recognizing some are good risks, and other are not. An individual is assessed on his/her own merits. If they are a bad risk -- they can be denied...or the cost can be prohibative. That's ok with car insurance -- nobody HAS to drive. Not so cool with health insurance.
When you are shopping for a personal plan for yourself or your family, you have to fill out a health questionaire and won't get accepted by any private health insurer if anyone in your family has any preexisting conditions. If you shop as part of a group, then you don't have to even fill out the health questionaire.
