Disqus - Friends of billcarroll

Re: Colorado House OKs Bill on CSU Health Insurance

Guest — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 00:32:18 -0000

It all makes sense then... CSU has one of the top veterinary schools in the country. ;-)

Re: Health Care Should Be Just Another Public Service

Guest — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 15:11:49 -0000

Even the obviously biased Council on Affordable Health Insurance tackled the claim that"

“overhead for Medicare,” says Dr. Stephen Rous of Brown University, a single-payer advocate, “is 1 percent to 2 percent. The overhead for various private insurance plans (HMOs, etc.) is 15 percent to 25 percent.”

… and still came up with a much lower amount for Medicare, 5.2 percent, than the stated 15-25% for private insurers………

For an interesting discussion on the Denver Rocky Mountain News editorial, visit The Health Care Blog:
http://www.thehealthcareblo...

The 13% for Medicare is still lower than the 15-25% for private insurers in the article. Especially since Medicare is covering the higher cost over 65 age group and under 65 patients with expensive enough treatments, like dialysis, that private insurers aren’t covering.

I like the Denver Rocky Mountain News article because I think it pokes holes in the free market argument that a government system would be a bumbling, inefficient bureaucracy.

If a single-payer system would be able to utilize the enormous economies of scale you point out, insure everyone who files taxes, and still be able run equally efficient as current private health insurers, I think that would generate enormous political momentum. A single-payer system would also eliminate the cost shifting of larger emergency type visits from the uninsured and provide a more efficient system of catching those conditions before they develop into large claims.

As far as tax money going to private schools, that is a violation of the constitution if it is a religious school, which most of them currently are. If parents want their kids to learn "god did it" as an acceptable answer to a science problem, they can pay for the tuition to a tax exempt religious organization to teach them such. The defunding of our public school system and constant pressure to teach religion in science class is causing our kids to fall way behind other countries in science education. More of them may be graduating, but that is because the standards are lower.

If I want to golf somewhere, I can go to the municipal golf course. But if my religious beliefs say that each teebox must have a large gold statue of my God on it, I wouldn't expect the government to direct tax dollars into the funding of those golf courses. I would just complain about those sinful secular golf courses and how anybody who tees off without a gold statue of our God on the teebox is going to hell.

Re: Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Product Enhancements

Guest — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 12:28:38 -0000

I guess it depends on where you are in Colorado, but for our family it wasn't quite that big of a difference. For me the colonoscopy is a factor because I have to get one this year. The last time I got one I think is was like $3000? I wonder if this is something other companies cover as well or if it is just blue cross?

Re: The Best from the Health Wonks at e-CareManagement

Guest — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 14:22:39 -0000

I have a hard time believing that most republicans support socialized health care.

Re: Wealthy Candidates = No Universal Health Care?

Guest — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 14:36:15 -0000

Politicians don't necessarily try to represent the ideas of the actual "people" in their party. The real money comes from corporations. And for republicans, a big part of their interest is with the health care industry. These insurance companies, pharma, etc, give these candidates a lot of money.

Another interesting thing is the strategy employed. When a corporate interest like these gives a large sum of money to a republican candidate, for instance, they will purposely donate a little bit to their democrat opponent. This way, democrats can't say "look where he gets his campaign contributions."

Re: HSAs Only Help If You Fund Them

Guest — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 21:07:35 -0000

Jay - I hope your knee heals quickly. Dr. Steadman is the best. Did you know they have a clinic down in Denver?

Re: Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Product Enhancements

Guest — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 21:15:58 -0000

I have a "Blue Preferred" policy with blue cross and it has gone up 62% in the past 2 years. Are the rate increases like that with the Lumenos HSA?

Re: Automatic Payroll Deduction For Health Insurance Premiums

Guest — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 02:00:36 -0000

It is an interesting question. I don't think that people should be required to buy health insurance. But I also don't think anybody is making the decision to turn down health care when they get seriously ill if they don't have coverage. Bankruptcy is a much better fate than death.
You make a lot of good points in your blog though forHealth.

Re: A Non-Profit Health Care System Would Be A Good Start

Guest — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 02:05:35 -0000

I think we're starting to see health insurance companies slowly realizing the fact that it would be cheaper for them to cover more preventive care. But that is a major split with the pharma industry that would rather treat people when they become ill. And I've always had the impression that the insurance industry and pharma industry were in bed together.

Re: Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Product Enhancements

Guest — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 18:36:52 -0000

I wonder how Anthem is able to have an accident plan as a covered benefit before the deductible? I didn't think this would allow a plan to qualify as an HSA qualified HDHP?

Re: Where Does The Rest Of The Government Stand?

Guest — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 02:28:00 -0000

Good point Louise - a good health plan won't make a lick of difference without a fillibuster-proof senate.

Re: Health Insurance After Infertility Treatment

Guest — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 13:40:30 -0000

It is interesting how well intended laws sometimes aren't thought through all the way.

ForHealth,
I read through your blog. My understanding is that your idea does not have any type of payer for health care expenses other than the patient?

Re: Health Insurance After Infertility Treatment

Guest — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 02:20:39 -0000

Based on forHealth's description of the risk pool offered to her, I don't think she is in Colorado. And I don't think she wants to make her contact info public.

Re: Valentine’s Day Cav

Guest — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 13:43:56 -0000

John,
I left a reply to the post on your blog. But, yes. Employer sponsored health insurance has left people confused about the point of health insurance... insurance. So when it comes time for them to purchase it on their own, they use flawed logic in their decision to purchase or not.

Re: Health Insurance Covering Infertility Treatment

Guest — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 17:52:06 -0000

"My hospital stay alone was a little over $131,000. That doesn’t include all the doctor fees for myself and for my children."

I guess that's why health insurance companies won't even consider somebody who has gone through IVF before. If that person pays the $13,000 out of pocket for the IVF when she has coverage, the insurance company is on the hook for a big claim. Allowing them to put an exclusion on pregnancy would be a perfect solution.

Re: Physical Therapy Expenses

Guest — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 01:17:04 -0000

I guess that your insurance is really paying off right now because the physical therapy on my knee was priceless. But I know how many times I would be able to dish out $637 for a visit.... zero!

Re: Smoking Can Be Hazardous To Your Career

Guest — Sat, 03 May 2008 12:54:32 -0000

Louise and I watched Gattica last night and I can see why forHealth was reminded of that movie by this discussion.

Re: Running Out Of Benefits

Guest — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 17:19:59 -0000

Don:
A person with $250,000 net worth would only need to have lifetime medical expenses of $1,250,000 to go bankrupt with a $1,000,000 lifetime maximum. Or, they would only need $350,000 worth of medical expenses in one year to go bankrupt on a policy with a $100,000 annual maximum. Those are not uncommon amounts. So that person may or may not know about those maximums on their policy, but their assets are not protected.

Re: Obama And Individual Health Insurance Mandate

Guest — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:56:22 -0000

Don,
Thank you for a good response. I didn't see anywhere in the article where Louise mentions government footing the bill. But you're right, rich (mostly employer sponsored group) benefit packages increase the demand for many services because providers are over recommending/prescribing services and medications that really aren't needed. And consumers aren't questioning anything because the insurance is covering it with no problem.

Even though the article didn't address a government solution, I'll play devils advocate in response to the question about how such a solution would be less expensive...
Mainly, less overhead and less of a reason to try to find more ways for people to use the system (usage). In the profit based private sector system, the more people that use the products and services - the more profit there is to be had. The corporations need to show shareholders growth year after year. Pharmaceutical companies push providers to prescribe more, providers run extra tests and procedures to pad their pockets, the AMA, pharma, and the insurance industry bankroll large amounts of money to lobby lawmakers and fund think tank organizations.
Overuse and overhead are the problems. A government system discourages usage as much as possible and runs lean.

Re: Individual Health Insurance Vs Government Intervention

Guest — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 17:12:23 -0000

Don,
Good idea. When the employee carries his policy with him to the new employer, what happens if the new employer has a tighter budget and doesn't offer as rich of a plan? Does the employer still need to contribute atleast 50% toward that plan (that's how it works in Colorado)? Or what if the new employer doesn't offer health insurance as a benefit? Or what if the employee had to leave the job because of a serious illness and had no disability coverage and now has no income to pay for any of the premium along with big medical bills to pay? I have a lot more "what-if's," but I'll spare you.

Do you think a better option would be to just eliminate the patchwork and cracks in the system for people to fall into and have coverage that's more, uh, what's the word I'm looking for... universal?

Re: More Transparency For Network Negotiated Prices

Guest — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:55:06 -0000

Susan,
I was thinking of starting up an engine like that last year, but noticed there were already other sites starting that same thing. The best one I know of so far is www.carol.com, but it still doesn't have that big of a database yet.

Re: Dangerous Bill To Be Aimed at the Individual Market

Guest — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 02:22:13 -0000

If I am to contact my local representative, what do I say? There is no name of bill to refer to?

Re: Where The Uninsureds Live

Guest — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 03:01:45 -0000

If it is the US Census, I would think they are technically "documented" because the Census Bureau is documenting them. Right?

Re: Business 101 For Joe The Plumber

Guest — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 16:54:18 -0000

This is what Obama gets for going around talking to "average Joe's" like this. The McCain campaign has made sure he only talks with people who agree with him and ask him questions like "when are you going to take the gloves off" and "I don't trust Obama, he's an arab"

Re: Guest Blogger – Concerns About Health Insurance

Guest — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 17:53:20 -0000

That is a similar situation to a close friend of mine and she hasn't found any better solutions either. She had to go on cover colorado, but it has a high deductible and is expensive. She is also concerned about the $1,000,000 lifetime maximum. Hopefully somebody knows of a better solution?