U.S. (OBAMA) Set to Sponsor Health Insurance (the public option sought by many liberal Democrats)

[kpete]

Last edited Sat Oct 27, 2012, 04:39 PM - Edit history (3)

Source: New York Times

U.S. Set to Sponsor Health Insurance
By ROBERT PEAR
Published: October 27, 2012


WASHINGTON — The Obama administration will soon take on a new role as the sponsor of at least two nationwide health insurance plans to be operated under contract with the federal government and offered to consumers in every state.

These multistate plans were included in President Obama’s health care law as a substitute for a pure government-run health insurance program — the public option sought by many liberal Democrats and reviled by Republicans. Supporters of the national plans say they will increase competition in state health insurance markets, many of which are dominated by a handful of companies.

The national plans will compete directly with other private insurers and may have some significant advantages, including a federal seal of approval. Premiums and benefits for the multistate insurance plans will be negotiated by the United States Office of Personnel Management, the agency that arranges health benefits for federal employees.


................

Walton J. Francis, the author of a consumer guide to health plans for federal employees, said the personnel agency had been “extraordinarily successful” in managing that program, which has more than 200 health plans, including about 20 offered nationwide. The personnel agency has earned high marks for its ability to secure good terms for federal workers through negotiation rather than heavy-handed regulation of insurers.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/28/health/us-to-sponsor-health-insurance-plans-nationwide.html?_r=0

---

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/10/27/1151216/-NY-Times-U-S-to-Offer-National-Health-Plan-the-robust-public-option-that-liberals-wanted

[TBF]

1. That's a way to do it - I'd simply eliminate the age requirements from Medicare. nt

[ejpoeta]

35. imagine if people were paying into medicare instead of a private carrier.

We can fix the problems with medicare. But if everyone could opt in to that, I bet 99% would. And that's why they don't want that. But I am getting off my point. If healthy folks were paying into medicare which has a 3% overhead, then imagine how solvent it would be. Perfect? No. But everyone in the same pool is much better than private insurers siphoning off the healthy folks and dumping the sick ones which end up on the government insurance anyway.... if they are lucky.

[SugarShack]

62. EXACTLY! WOW THIS IS GREAT!!

[TahitiNut]

122. 'Technically,' seniors pay 25% of the cost of Medicare.

It seems to me that allows a fairly direct way of offering Medicare to non-seniors ... just multiply what seniors are charged by something like 4.5 ... allowing the same 80% factor imposed on private health insurers.

[elleng]

2. Great news, and great competition for other plans!

[Rosa Luxemburg]

31. YES!

[elleng]

43. As a retired Federal employee,

I've hoped for years that EVERYONE could benefit from great job of the planners of FEHBP.

[JNelson6563]

3. Who saw this coming?

Not the fatalists who bashed Obama constantly over the health care bill.

Many of us said what was passed could be expanded and that progress wouldn't be made in one big step. But no. Many a DUer donned their "They're Both the Same!1!" tee-shirts and paraded their short-sightedness all over the place.

I'll try not to point and laugh at them.

Julie

[banned from Kos]

6. I applaud your "I told you so" comment

I did too.

And Dodd-Frank beats the fuck out of Glass-Steagall.

But the DU Doomers won't listen.

[avaistheone1]

16. Dodd-Frank beats the fuck out of Glass-Steagall?! How so?

[byeya]

19. Glass-Steagall worked for 60+ years; Frank-Dodd is small cheese

and doesn't establish a firm line between consumer banks and investment banks.

[byeya]

21. Public Option right before the election? Sounds like electioneering BS to me.

[Schema Thing]

26. that's an odd way to characterize something that's

been the law of the land for three years.


And I'm being charitable with my use of the word "odd".

[freshwest]

27. As opposed to what the GOP has promised to do?

[freshwest]

25. President Obama's Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Pick, Richard Cordray, Kicking Ass, AGAIN

Last edited Sun Oct 28, 2012, 01:51 AM - Edit history (1)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021451631

Richard Cordray, consumer bureau announce new supervision of payday lenders

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002187745

I personally noted good changes from the Obama administration's influence and changing the laws on consumer protection and fining and going after banks abroad. And a change for the better with all federal bureaucracies I've dealt with since he got in, with how they treat people.

It is a miracle with all the obstruction and propaganda that Obama was able to do anything.

[madokie]

68. Yup

[BlueCaliDem]

87. Agreed. Can you imagine what he could have accomplished had congressional Republicans

not obstruct everything he tried to do?

[freshwest]

88. A lot more, but he's laid the groundwork. A second term and a turnaround in Congress might do it.

If the American people can get over the nightmares which have now been found out many times to be nothing but lies put out by the frightwingers, we can do anything we set our minds to.

[tridim]

107. The National Mortgage Settlement is in full effect too.

The filthy rich fucks at JPM Chase will be sending me a check early next year.

This never would have happened without Obama in charge.

[freshwest]

121. Got that right. It's been better all around for me, and I'm not considered 'middle class,' eithe

[bvar22]

36. Many would disagree:

"Reinstating Glass-Steagall or imposing a strong Volcker Rule would have been part of that, because it would have removed the threat that the federal government or the FDIC would ever again have to worry about what sorts of loony gambling schemes these new supermarket firms are getting themselves into. Obama also could also have helped reverse the damage of the Commodity Futures Modernization Act by forcing derivatives to be traded on simple, regulated exchanges. FDR did exactly the same thing with stocks and commodities after the Depression, but Obama passed on doing it with derivatives, again allowing his own party's derivatives reform proposals in Dodd-Frank to be severely gutted from within.

Finally, Obama had a chance to physically reduce the size of Too-Big-To-Fail companies by supporting the Brown-Kaufman amendment to Dodd-Frank, which would have forced big banks to cap deposits and liabilities to under 10% of GDP. He didn't support that amendment and it died.

The sum total of all of this is that Obama didn't really do anything to alleviate the dangers of Too-Big-To-Fail. If anything, we now live in a world that is more concentrated and dangerous than it was before 2008. TBTF companies like Chase and Wells Fargo and Bank of America are even bigger and less-able-to-fail-ier than they were when he took office. This is why Obama's answer to our interview question is so disappointing. If I'm understanding the president correctly, he basically says he doesn't think Glass-Steagall should be re-instated, and beyond that, he just thinks Wall Street needs to self-regulate better."

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/taibblog/obama-defends-his-finance-reform-record-to-rolling-stone-a-brief-response-20121026

Now, lets see.
Who should we take seriously?

An internationally renown reporter with good cred on his investigative journalism and analysis of our Political/Economic situation?

OR

a poster on an anonymous Discussion Board
posting unsourced and unsupported one liner "opinion"?





You will know them by their WORKS,
not by their rhetoric, promises, excuses, or anonymous bullshit.
[font size=5 color=Firebrick]Solidarity99![/font][font size=2 color=green]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[/center]

[underthematrix]

48. are you still banking with a bank?

Many peeps took their business from the too big to fail banks like me and my husband. We have our money in a credit union. Some peeps with a local banks. The real power is in what we do with our money.

[banned from Kos]

60. I have a degree in finance - Taibbi does not.

Barney Frank is to be trusted over a Rolling Stone reporter.

D-F absolutely handles TBTF by setting up a Resolution Authority to unwind a big bank (death panel) when their capital falls below a new high standard.

Taibbi is a fucking idiot.

But I repeat myself.

[bvar22]

120. Yes. You DO repeat yourself.

.... like the embarrassing drunk at a party who doesn't know when to quit,
and it just keeps getting sadder!

Have you tried to get back on Kos?

Please?

[sendero]

70. Dodd-Frank beats Glass Stegall?`

[snot]

97. Seconding that ROTFL.

[rudycantfail]

101. I'm afraid I can't laugh anymore at ridiculous statements

from the loyalists. Apparently Democrats are every bit as delusional as Republicans. They just buy into a different personality cult.

[banned from Kos]

105. You can't even spell "Steagall" properly. You know nothing about this subject.

Ignorance is nothing to be proud of.

[lark]

117. You seem to be misinformed

Dodd-Franks is small time potatos and half measures. Glass Steagall is the real deal and need to put put back in place. It was very effective at controlling the greed and theft on the part of the 1%

[Hissyspit]

140. Why?

Neither of you seem to know what you are talking about.

Depending on people's vague memories of what actually happened.

[bluestateguy]

10. "Yeah but if the Supreme Court had struck it all down that would've paved the way for single payer!"

Seriously, some idiots on this board actually believed that.

[freshwest]

18. The cheerleaders for bloody revolution didn't learn from history.

Even though the thought of slaughter in the streets appeals to a certain mindset, it doesn't ensure a progressive and humane result.

[Scootaloo]

85. I think we stretch too far to give such people the benefit of the doubt

They're not progressives. Never have been. Fuck 'em.

[freshwest]

86. Ah, Scootaloo. for that and a number of posts, I've become one of your fans. No kidding.

[avaistheone1]

11. I don't mind if you laugh at me at all.

First of all it would be worth your laughs it if we could get something like a single-payer, medicare for all plan in this country.

Secondly, it is the people who advocate and agitate for REAL change that make things happen in my experience. This first round of ObamaCare is much better than nothing. But the tide won't REALLY change until all Americans are covered by affordable health care insurance.

Laugh away.

[pasto76]

22. dont flatter yourself. they passed what they could, planning to build on it.

your 'agitation' barely affected this.

[JNelson6563]

34. Yes, it was ranting on DU that did it!1!

Congratulations!

Julie

[avaistheone1]

50. Ssshesh i never said that.

You are sounding rather foolish when you make such an assumption.

I can't congratulate you on that!!

[bvar22]

12. It is never wise to spike the ball...

... before crossing the goal line.

That said,
I welcome the rumor of a discussion of the future attempt at the implementation of a form of a Public Option,
and await to see what actually happens after the election.

[JNelson6563]

38. No one's spiking the ball.

I believe all the changes we want to see will happen incrementally. That is how it's been going and will continue to go.

I was taking issue with the people who always think in all-or-nothing terms. The health care bill that was passed...was it a step in the right direction or a "sell-out"?

How one answers that question reveals much about their understanding of how it all works.

Julie

[bvar22]

118. And your immediate response to this rumor of good news...

...is to attack, insult, and divide good Democrats.
THAT reveals much about your understanding of how it all works.

Cheers.





You will know them by their WORKS,
not by their rhetoric, promises, or excuses.
[font size=5 color=green]Solidarity99![/font][font size=2 color=green]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[/center]

[JNelson6563]

126. It was well deserved.

How many times we had to try to explain this is a gradual process while the we-want-everything-now-or-it-doesn't-count!1! crowd hurled insults. What were we who were glad of the progress? Oh yes, I think we were "cheerleaders" practicing our "blind loyalty" and such? Yeah, stuff like that.

Many of us saw this coming, many refused to think beyond the next ten minutes and were real assholes about it. I won't lower my voice and put some pearls on so get over it.

If you count yourself among those my comments in this thread have been aimed at, well there's little I can do about that.

Julie--who thinks those who like to dish it out need to consider well before spewing what they dish...

[bvar22]

129. The fact that you are cluthcing at a rumor...

... for something that hasn't happened yet,
and trumpeting this as supporting your Milquetoast Centrist Incrementalism is revealing.

People who do victory dances and hurl taunting insults at their OWN team players based on nothing more than rumors of perhaps something good that might happen maybe sometime in the future ...well, those people have lived a life with few real victories.

How sad for you.



You will know them by their WORKS,
not by their rhetoric, promises, excuses, or bullshit rumors.
[font size=5 color=green]Solidarity99![/font][font size=2 color=green]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[/center]

[U4ikLefty]

132. bvar22, excellent response as always.

I have grown to respect your posts here on DU.

Solidarity

[bvar22]

133. Thank You.

[font color=firebrick size=3][center]"If we don't fight hard enough for the things we stand for,
at some point we have to recognize that we don't really stand for them."
--- Paul Wellstone[/font][/center]
[center][/font]
[font size=1]photo by bvar22
Shortly before Sen Wellstone was killed[/center][/font]

[font size=5 color=firebrick]Solidarity![/font]

[font size=2 color=green]

[argiel1234]

72. public option or bust

or single payer. Steps in the wrong direction that strengthen companies that profit off of peoples lives is the wrong direction.
Its not baby steps in the right direction, its continuing for profit to exploit peoples health for money.
avarice, greed

Push hard for the P.O.

[MoonchildCA]

119. A public option is great

single-payer, even better, but to say this is not baby steps in the right direction is completely wrong. Had it not been for these "baby steps" I would not have my PCIP insurance, and would not have been able to have a surgery to remove a 9 lb. tumor that could have eventually taken my life, and was certainly affecting the quality of it. My best friend, who has fibromyalsia, along with many other debilitating issues was able to get on the same insurance, and was just diagnosed with cancer. What would we do without this pre-existing insurance plan (Obamacare)? We would die.

It's far from perfect for the whole country, long term, but it is saving lives now, and it IS a step in the right direction.

[freshwest]

13. The strong must take care of the brokenhearted. It's all good.

[PSPS]

28. This is nothing to gloat over.

Private insurers will simply tailor their plans to appeal to the young and healthy with low premiums and coverage limitations. The rest will find private policies priced so high that they'll "choose" (get dumped onto) the Federal program. This is a nightmare scenario -- completely contrary to the proper "pooled risk" model of health insurance.

[a2liberal]

96. Exactly

That is the sort of problem that breaks any sort of public _option_. The same problem that insurers would complain about if there was no mandate. But of course the cheerleader crowd here will ignore that inconvenient fact.

[mzmolly]

47. Hear hear

J!

[JNelson6563]

53. Hey you!

[mzmolly]

57. Hi there!

[6502]

61. I saw this coming...

... if there is one thing that Black folk understand, it is the idea that oftentimes, to get to what you need (voting rights, fair access to schools and public accommodations, etc) it requires supporting people and things that will not get you the whole loaf now, but, in the meantime, only half a loaf or a slice of bread or some crumbs or nothing at all, but tactically, in the long game puts you on the road to the very things you need.

Blacks, for the vast majority of us, do not vote race... we vote for the path that moves the stone forward.
(Notice how that Black fellow with the pizza chain that ran on the GOP ticket got 0% support from Blacks -- 2 places to the right of the decimal doesn't count)

When you are black:
You will have to vote for the lesser of two evils.
You will have to support things that you abhor.
You will take one step back or more to guarantee two steps forward down a better path.
You will sacrifice your crumbs today for a slice for your children or grand-children.

I recognized what Obama was doing not because Obama is Black -- that is silly.
I recognized it because I'm Black.
I've seen this before.
It was done for me before.
And...
I've done it before.

[freshwest]

95. +1. Patience borne of wisdom.

[patrice]

66. I did. It makes sense. I believe Senator Sanders also spoke of THIS soon after passage of ACA.

[AllyCat]

93. I heard Sanders say it. Made me feel better about ACA as a whole to hear him say that.

And he was right. Imagine that! I hope this comes to pass. Really want four more years for our President!

[bklyncowgirl]

67. Good news.

[blackspade]

75. Joy.

There is nothing better than an adult stomping their feet and shouting "I told you so!"

[JNelson6563]

99. See yourself in there do ya?

I'm enjoying those who are outing themselves.

Julie

[blackspade]

137. Thanks for the laugh!

It's like watching a teenager that thinks they just won their first argument with an adult.

[Recursion]

109. Err... anybody who followed the ACA's legislative history

This was a crucial part of getting it through the House and out of committee in the Senate.

[daleanime]

111. If we get the single payer that we need....

I don't care if you beat my body with a wooden bat. But thats after it happens, or are you telling me that Americas are not still dieing every day from lack of heath care?

[JNelson6563]

125. Ok, wow.

Should we have just abandoned what we were able to get passed because it wasn't everything right away?

A great many people now have coverage that didn't before the new law. Eventually everyone will have access because the current law will be expanded.

What's your problem with this?

Julie

[daleanime]

130. Did I said anything about repeal?

These are all nice steps inthe right direction, but thats all. We need, and can do, better. So I guess that makes me a 'doom+gloomier'.

Because if it comes down to it, I will gladly sent more tax money to my government instead of helping some insurance CEO pay off their 4 or 5 Mansion.

[Coyote_Bandit]

141. The "long view"

doesn't mean shit to those without meaningful access to healthcare who do not have the luxury of waiting to perhaps possibly eventually receive care in the not immediately forseeable future. The issue is one that has profound life sustaining and on-going quality of life issues for many, many people. Political gamesmanship and long-term strategies are completely irrelevant to these folks. Many of them do indeed grasp the concept fully and completely - and they recognize that it means that they are shit out of luck. What is long-term strategy to some means that others currently go without treatment that could prolong or improve their lives. I would suggest that the value of that long-term strategy stuff is one of perspective.

[jumptheshadow]

131. Hooey

People get to advocate for core Democratic values on the Democratic Underground. And, how short-sighted it is to be so divisive a week before the election.

[Hissyspit]

139. Actually, people were asking for MORE than the public option, which was plenty faulty in its own

way, and then saw that it was going to be sold out, which it was. There were a lot of things that were done wrong. People called things correctly and were trashed for it. Obamacare is fairly weak soup, but I support it because it AT THIS POINT is better than nothing.

What you base your gloating is not really all that accurate.

[avaistheone1]

4. Sounds good. I would like to hear more about it.

Ideally I would like to see a single-payer health care program.

[bluestateguy]

5. We'll see how things pan out

But maybe--just maybe OK-- this is why Obama deep sixed the public option in the bill. He had to do it to get it passed, and figured that language in the bill would allow the HHS to administratively create a public option anyway.

All this of course is contingent on Obama winning and having the HHS next year in the first place.

[Schema Thing]

14. something a few of us took notice of all along.

still don't know on what planet crazy it made sense to criticize the ACA so harshly from the left.

[freshwest]

17. Triggers in Obamacare showed the private insurers they were going to die out.

One of the most telling was the provision to hire their claims people to work for the government at the same pay and benefits, so no job loss, which was encouraging to the lower ranks. Only the heads of the private companies ripping off the consumers by padding the bills and denying people medical care are losing in the change. And more money going to providers of care, not people denying or advertising. It's a win-win, but the people at the top of fhe food chain paid for propaganda to frighten the gullible.

[freshwest]

7. I KNEW IT WAS COMING! Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black):

[avaistheone1]

15. k&r

[musiclawyer]

8. Smart timing for "release"

Of this info

[Schema Thing]

9. "Robert E. Moffit, a senior fellow at the conservative Heritage Foundation....

Robert E. Moffit, a senior fellow at the conservative Heritage Foundation, said he worried that “the nationwide health plans, operating under terms and conditions set by the federal government, will become the robust public option that liberals always wanted.”

[freshwest]

20. We knew this... It's the rational thing to do.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

33. he is worried that the corporations will lose money

[antigop]

23. Obama, Please have a press conference and get this out... K&r n/t

[BenzoDia]

24. Wondeful news. Possibly better than the CO-OPs. nt

[Schema Thing]

30. and the co-ops sound pretty damn good!

[northoftheborder]

29. I thought this was in the Care Act all along, just not very well understood or publicized.

[BlueCaliDem]

89. Well, considering the feverish attacks from Republican AG's filing one suit after the other

in order to overturn the ACA, and with a challenge in the SCOTUS where it could have very well been overturned, I can see why they didn't publicize it all too obviously. They didn't want to awaken sleeping dogs.

I believe President Obama pulled a FDR on this obstructionist congress by working around them, just as FDR had with the New Deal - if I'm not mistaken.

[Doctor_J]

32. Bad timing

here come the "government takeover" ads. I must say I don't get the timing on this at all

[WallaceRitchie]

82. Exactly

Republicans will spin this as Obama's government takeover of healthcare... socialism blah blah blah.

[BlueCaliDem]

90. I believe it's to gin up more enthusiasm from the Left Base.

I'm pretty sure that's the case. Fact of the matter is, there are more center-left to left people in this country than there are TeaBaggers, and President Obama needs every vote he can get to ensure re-election. I doubt he's forgotten elections 2010.

[Myrina]

102. Or, more negative voters from the right,

... depending on the source. I'm on a sketchy connection & can't research more.

[Hosnon]

37. Is this confusing or am I just high?

The title implies that the program in the article is the actual public option. But the post states that it was part of Obamacare, and we did not get the public option in Obamacare.

And this:

"These multistate plans were included in President Obama’s health care law as a substitute for a pure government-run health insurance program — the public option sought by many liberal Democrats and reviled by Republicans."

could either mean that the program is replacing the actual public option or that program is the actual public option replacing universal healthcare (Medicare for All).

[kpete]

39. i am confused too

and i posted it???

peace,
kp

[BenzoDia]

40. It sounds like a plan offered by a private insurer but promoted by the government. And one of them

has to be non-profit.

[ciking724]

52. The article indicates that what they will do is open up

the plans currently offered to federal employees, like congressmen, senators, and cabinet members, to the general public, which makes sense, because as taxpayers, we are kinda like government employees. These plans are the best in the country, and if you have one (my brother-in-law worked for USDA), healthcare providers love them, and they are affordable.

[24601]

71. How do you pay the premium? The 2012 annual premium for BCBS Standard (for a family)

runs $15,935.58. Of that amount, the employee pays $5160.48 with the employing department or agency paying the remaining $10,773.10 as part of the total compensation package. Some FEHBP plans are more, and some are less.

But, no, taxpayers aren't kinda like government employees unless the government is directing your work and paying your wages. The general population of taxpayers are not the employees but the employers.

[BenzoDia]

80. Ah, I've hears good things about the health plans for federal employees.

I had military health care growing up and am mostly satisfied. Docs could've had a more in the way of bediside manners

[Schema Thing]

114. wtf do you mean "and we did not get the public option in Obamacare"?

yes.you.did.

[Hosnon]

116. Not as understood during the healthcare debate.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-reich/public-option-supreme-court-ruling_b_1598796.html

Why the fuck do you arrogantly respond to posts without knowing what you're talking about?

[bvar22]

123. BOGUS

...but not your fault.
There is a BUNCH of bogus mis-information being presented as fact in this thread.
HERE is the TRUTH.

Health Insurance Exchanges in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA)

President Obama promoted the concept of a health insurance exchange as a key component of his health reform initiative. Obama stated that it should be "...a market where Americans can one-stop shop for a health care plan, compare benefits and prices, and choose the plan that's best for them, in the same way that Members of Congress and their families can. None of these plans should deny coverage on the basis of a preexisting condition, and all of these plans should include an affordable basic benefit package that includes prevention, and protection against catastrophic costs. There are those who strongly believe that Americans should have the choice of a public health insurance option operating alongside private plans. The belief is that will give them a better range of choices, make the health care market more competitive, and keep insurance companies honest."[10] However, the public health insurance option was ultimately dropped from the reform legislation; [font size=3]the insurance sold on the health insurance exchanges in the United States will, therefore, now be exclusively from the private insurers."[/font]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_insurance_exchange

[argiel1234]

41. kick

hope this is the real deal. We could use a real Public Option in this country

[Samantha]

42. OMG - I am speechless

The reason this was ruled out during the negotiations for our health insurance policy was that Republicans flat out told President Obama this was a deal breaker. It truly upset Dems when Obama relayed the message the public option was out because the Republicans did not want it. Evidently, he now realizes that what Republicans want and don't want is not material to the best interests of the citizens of this Country, and he is confident he can implement something like this without Republican support. It would obviously force costs down.

Sam

[JNelson6563]

63. Wow, you are so wrong.

The public option was "out" because he couldn't get it passed without that concession.

The President, unlike some, is capable of taking the long view. He knows that "no" doesn't have to mean "no forever" but "no for now".

It's very sad to see so many cannot grasp such a concept.

Julie

[argiel1234]

69. Obama does not need to give concessions

He knows that "no" doesn't have to mean "no forever" but "no for now" is such a condescending a rude description. What do you think of our President? That he is a child who "knows" as you put it, that no means no?

You need to excuse your apologizing for Republican garbage tactics

Why would you try apologizing for President Obama in this fashion to humiliate himself in front of obstructionist republicans?

[JNelson6563]

98. No apologies.

Obama is a grown up and knows the importance of taking the long view.

Unlike some of is detractors.

Julie

[Corgigal]

44. I need this for my college age son

I hope they tell us when to start shopping because I will be there on day 1. His Aetna plan that cost 150 a month with 5 office visit and has dental (as long as the filling is in the back because if it's a front tooth and the dentist doesn't use the old silver filing is cosmetic, yep found that crap out the hard way) with a 5 thousand dollar deductible. My son is lucky because his college gives him a 5 thousand dollar insurance card for free.

I can't wait to get him a better plan, and hopefully a better price.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

45. Wondered why Obamacare wasn't even discussed in the debates. This will have to do.

[libdem4life]

46. Here is where the $716 billion is ... my neighbor's true story ... insured with UnitedCare

teacher retirement insurance. She had a 4-day stay in the hospital which resulted in a $63,000 bill. She almost fainted. UnitedCare paid $12,000 or so, and short story and after proving she was unable to come up with the rest, she paid her $1,250 deductible and they "settled" for account closed. That same scenario with an uninsured person, without a national private insurance company advocate, would or could have resulted in bankruptcy.

There has been no significant rise in health care costs as we used to think of costs...there has been an obscene rise in charges which enrich the shareholders and owners. Same for prescriptions. In Canada and Mexico they are 70-90% cheaper...and I know for certain, that they are the same or better than the rip off pharmas...they just scare the elder folks to death.

The proper term is health care ponzi scheme. The people are beginning to get it.

[AllyCat]

94. Rise in charges. That makes sense.

[underthematrix]

49. I cannot wait to purchase one of the public option insurance plans

phuck the private insurance companies.

[craigmatic]

51. This is why Obama has to win this election. Only he will get this done.

[tinrobot]

54. So... essentially we'll be able to buy from the same entities covering federal employees?

Sounds pretty good to me.

[JDPriestly]

55. Will the plans be for-profit or not-for-profit. Because if they are for-profit,

what is the advantage?

I would like to see non-profits competing with the for-profits. That would be great.

Kaiser does a good job providing healthcare for a lot less than the big, greedy for-profits. But it doesn't operate everywhere. (It should at least in urban areas.)

[JohnA1]

79. The article says one of the plans is Non Profit

Sounds great to me!

[BenzoDia]

81. State wide CO-OPs are non-profit too.

[Recursion]

103. One must be not-for-profit

Last edited Sun Oct 28, 2012, 10:24 AM - Edit history (1)

And keep in mind profit by insurance companies is only one of many factors that make health care so expensive in this country -- my current insurance plan is non-profit but it's not any cheaper than my last for-profit plan was.

[JDPriestly]

124. A not-for-profit is subject to more public disclosure requirements and more oversight

at various government levels. That's what would be better about non-profit insurance companies. They can do things that for-profits cannot do but also have a lot of limitations on how sneaky they can be. They also don't have to pay their CEOs so terribly much. There is less discretion regarding the use of money since their is more disclosure about who gets what, where the money goes.

[GetTheRightVote]

56. I knew it was not far behind, I just knew it...

thought that an adjustment could and would be made, this is great news for everyone.
I hope it happens, hurray!!!!

[Schema Thing]

112. It's not "not far behind", it has been part of Obamacare from day 1.

There are many things in the law that don't kick in until 2014, and some things that don't kick in until as far out as 2017.

[alfredo]

58. This is like the Federal Employees Health Benefit plan. It has a big pool of customers, and

that many potential customers gives the plan real clout. The plans sets the code of conduct for the insurance providers.


I've had an FEHB plan since the late eighties. I haven't found any reason to drop out of the plan.

[WRH2]

64. Interesting starting point, But

We would be better served by starting with 2 things;

A) medicare buy in for those who wish
B)re negotiate pharmacy price to be competitive with Canadian medications prices. Currently were are 200-300%

[WinkyDink]

65. If it costs me less than $600/month, I'm taking it!

[limpyhobbler]

73. So are you only eligable for this if you're employer does not offer insurance?

Or can anybody get it?

[Recursion]

110. These plans will be offered on the exchanges

So if your employer does not offer health insurance that is deemed "affordable" by the formula (9% or less of your salary in premiums) this will be one of the plans you can purchase on the exchange in 2014. Also, many medium-sized businesses will find it's better for their bottom line to pay the fine and drop their insurance coverage, which would expand the exchange's market (and increase take-home pay for employees).

Keep in mind this is not a silver bullet: many insurance companies are already non-profit and that hasn't stopped prices from going up. But it's a good thing.

[blackspade]

74. Where do I sign up?

This has got to be better than the high-deductable plan I have now.

[eridani]

76. Excellent! Don't quit working on state single payer though

Obama has given the go-ahead to state experimentation.

[The Wizard]

77. This should be enough

to give Rash Limbaugh a stroke, Eric Cantor convulsions and Mitch McConnell Tourette's.
Pox News explode and Glenn Beck will commit suicide on the air. It will be teabilly Armageddon.

[MrModerate]

78. Keep in mind that it took a generation and a half . . .

To work out most of the kinks in Social Security (and some fine tuning is still called for even now). The same is likely to be true on the road to a sane, single-payer system.

But let's never forget who risked his entire political future on establishing a durable beachhead in the ongoing battle.

[patrice]

83. Agreed!! & Let us commit ourselves to work for this good for all of us. nt

[BlueCaliDem]

91. Exactly! I believe President Obama has been more FDR than

he's been given credit for. FDR had to circumvent Congress in order to get his New Deal through, too.

President Obama was relying on the laziness of congress not reading bills to get this through, and ditto for the SCOTUS. It passed right under their noses! Clever!

[SoapBox]

84. Kicked

[BlueCaliDem]

92. K & R, kpete! We need to keep this at the top for as long as possible! eom

[FrenchieCat]

100. Kick!

[mother earth]

104. It's inevitable & will be the most productive change ever! K & R!

[bemildred]

106. Chess, anyone? nt

[lonestarnot]

108. Tee hee.

[and-justice-for-all]

113. That is awesome!!!! KICK!!!

[sonibeth]

115. Exciting. Anyone know any specifics on timeframe beyond articles "soon"?

[Schema Thing]

128. http://healthreform.kff.org/en/timeline.aspx

2014 : Multi-state health plans

[harun]

127. Sorry but this is BS. They are no more for a Public Option now than they were before.

[David Zephyr]

134. So encouraging.

!

[wordpix]

135. this sole proprietor is ready to sign up

[Angleae]

136. Sorry to put a damper on the festivities, but the funding bill for this will die in congress.

And so will the insurance plans.

[surfer53]

142. What's the truth on Obamacare?

http://surfer53.wordpress.com/2012/11/05/obamacare-the-truth/