Good job greek, you are at least thinking about the issue seriously. Still , I see quite a few problems:
thegreekdog wrote:Problem - Poor people don't have insurance.
Solution - Government provides health insurance (including preventative care) for poor people
Poor people are not the problem, at all. In fact, poor people get Medicaid, particularly kids. In PA that means anyone making less than about $39,000 for a family of 4, in PA -- not all that poor by my book, even! AND anyone who's employer does not offer insurance (you don't qualify for adults if your employer offers insurance of
any kind, no matter your income, but kids will be covered if you make less than $39,000).
The problem is that insurance companies plain won't insure people after they get really sick,
unless they have already pre-paid a pretty nice policy. (and, I know you said your wife is sick, but is still getting covered -- I also know that the $5 co-pay policies are the top tier, not anything like what most people have AND I know that even your policy has a lifetime limit that will likely be exceeded -- including a lifetime family maximum).
The other problem is that insurance companies negotiate somewhat reasonable rates with very large companies, getting back profits in sheer volume. However, small business owners and other individuals who don't get employer-provided insurance get charged through the teeth. Ten years ago, some friends of mine in MISSISSIPPI (hardly the high income capitol of the world!) would have had to pay $600 a month for their family of 4. That was not for a fancy policy, it was just basic hospitilization, etc.
In short, insurance companies get to pick and choose who they cover. So, of course, they choose to cover mostly healthy people.
Ironically, PA right now does offer CHIP to anyone who is without insurance at a half-way reasonable rate. However, again, anyone with even the poorest policy in the world does not qualify. This means that MY taxes support the insurance policy of people who make $100,000 and more a year, but folks at my husband's old plant, who make far less than the $39,000 WIC and reduced lunch limit, get zip. THEY get to pay $25 for every visit to the doctor,
plus a $500 minimum deductible and then 80% after that until they reach $4000 in one year. (unless they have a disabled kid.... then, again, they get covered
)
Real solution: Require insurance companies to cover everyone, without regard to pre-existing conditions. Further, set a minimum standard for coverage. (Require them to offer a minimum of services.) They may offer more at a higher price, but the legislator sets out the minimums. Some insurers will balk, will get out of the business. However, that's life.
thegreekdog wrote:Problem - Lower middle class, middle class get screwed when they have accidents/illnesses because insurance won't pay.
Solution - Government regulates when insurance companies have to pay.
They sort of do. They have to provide the coverage listed in your policy. However, few people really bother to read those policies until something happens. Also, insurance companies can drop you as soon as you file a claim, paying that claim, but denying any and all future claims.
Again,
the problem is not so much getting insurance companies to pay, its getting them to just cover people and keep them covered! The solution is the same as above, require everyone to be covered at a minimum level. If insurance companies won't, then the government can and should step in with broad, basic coverage.
thegreekdog wrote:Problem - Rising healthcare costs because of litigation.
Solution - Cap damages for medical malpractice law suits and/or impose stiff penalties on attorneys/plaintiffs bring frivolous suits.
Ironically, litigation is actually not the biggest factor in healthcare costs, though it is a significant factor. The biggest factor, by far, is beauracracy. When I was young, I can remember going to doctors offices where you had 1 receptionist and 2-3 doctors. Sometimes there was a nurse, but not necessarily. Now, you see 2 doctors and maybe 8 people who do little but paperwork. In a few cases, they are nurses who may do injections, etc. However, the overwhelming amount of everyone's time is in just completing paperwork.
This is one place where a unified paying system would benefit. I do like a single-payee system, but even just standardizing insurance forms, agreeing a little more on what is and is not covered in various circumstances would save
everyone both time and money!
thegreekdog wrote:This is "my" plan.
Again, you obviously put some thought into this, but what you speak of is more the perception that has been put forth by various vested interests, rather than the true reality of why healthcare is so expensive and insurance is just not working.
