make a note, “Health Care Reform” is now “Health Insurance Reform”.
it was officially re-branded today by president obama in his op/ed in the nyt: Why We Need Health Care Reform…a misleading lede if ever l read one. buried in the bowels of the piece is the implication that the public option may be DOA…and this was reinforced by ms. sebelius, his hhs sec. as well:
…Apparently ready to abandon the idea, President Barack Obama’s health secretary said today a government alternative to private health insurance is “not the essential element” of the administration’s health care overhaul.
The White House indicated it could jettison the contentious public option and settle on insurance cooperatives as an acceptable alternative, a move embraced by some Republicans lawmakers who have strongly opposed the administration’s approach so far.
…Sebelius said the White House would be open to co-ops instead of a government-run public option, a sign Democrats want a compromise so they can declare a victory…
“declare a victory”…that’s rich, eh. for whom?
say good bye to the public option because it’s no longer an essential element in the plan.
that’s right, co-ops…maybe…but it’s really just a bandaid solution, essentially license for the insurance co’s to keep stealing, albeit, with some oversight and regulation. it appears to me, that health care in the future may well… will likely… continue to be dependent on the size of your wallet instead of your need.
continued…
co-ops are not change you can believe in:
Private, Nonprofit Health Insurance Does Not Promote Competition
Today, 84 of the 138 private health plans (61 percent) in the United States with at least 100,000 enrollees are nonprofit. Yet consolidation in the private insurance industry has narrowed price and quality competition. In 2008 the PPO/HMO industry’s market power was considered highly-concentrated, or anti-competitive, in 94% of metropolitan areas. A public health insurance plan option coupled with more regulation of health insurers will break the stranglehold that a handful of private companies have on the market. Most importantly, these reforms will enable consumers to vote with their feet and switch out of plans that don’t satisfy them.
Private, Nonprofit Health Insurance Does Not Control Costs.
While health care cost growth is unsustainable for individuals, businesses and the government, nonprofit status does not mean private insurance companies do not waste money. For example, many nonprofit insurers across the country have been abused by their officers and directors. For example, “Blue Cross Blue Shield of Maryland and its sister plan in the District of Columbia were poster children of nonprofit corruption and incompetence, squandering their assets on ego-building but money-losing diversification initiatives and on lavish executive lifestyles that devoted more days per year to jetting around the globe than to paying insurance claims back home,” according to one study. A public health insurance plan with public accountability and national purchasing reach would be able to slow health-cost growth and, through competition, keep private insurers honest and force them to become more efficient. Between 1997 and 2006, spending grew 59 percent faster for private plan enrollees than for Medicare beneficiaries. If private plans–either for- and not-for-profit–drop had controlled growth as effectively as Medicare, insurance premiums would be much lower than they are.
Private, Nonprofit Health Insurance Does Not Provide Stability.
Experience with Medicare private health plans shows the disruption caused when all kinds of private insurers drop out of geographic markets, change benefits, contract with different doctors and hospitals, or boost out-of-pocket responsibilities for patients. While for-profit insurers withdrew from the Medicare program more frequently, nonprofit insurers have also abandoned their Medicare members. A survey of Medicare private health plan members whose plans were scaled back or terminated suffered financial harm damaged their physical and mental health. Among enrollees seeing medical specialists, 22 percent reported they had to stop seeing that doctor, and 15 percent said they had to forgo a prescription drug after leaving their former plan.
Private, Nonprofit Health Insurance Does Not Advance Innovation.
While private nonprofit insurers in some cases have been found to perform better than for-profit insurers on several health outcomes measurements, they do not have the clout to drive other insurers and providers to adopt their practices. In addition, since they still have to compete with for-profit insurers and have fewer options for raising capital than companies that can sell shares to Wall Street, they have no incentive to share best practices with industry competitors. A new public health insurance plan would spur the development of innovative and transparent payment mechanisms, quality-of-care incentives, and evidence-based protocols. A new public health plan could follow the achievements of the Department of Veterans Affairs and Medicare and adopt large-scale use of electronic medical records, incentives for greater integration of delivery systems and improved measures of quality.
so 75% ± of the american people are wrong, and the 25% that are wacko’s win another one. frankly, this is the most glaring lack of leadership and commitment to come from the white house and the congress to date. looks like another opportunity’s about to get squandered by giving it all away without a fight.
