R.I.P Obamacare

[Ben]

Might be the commie in me, but I'm not at all opposed to preventative care incentives - at least for basic and important stuff. While I'm fine paying for the annual physical myself, I know that I'm an oddball in that regard compared to the norm, so if insurance companies find it beneficial to do free annual physicals and blood screenings, I'm good with them catching stuff ahead of time to both treat in time and to lower costs.

I'm also fine with VOLUNTARY incentives like remote medical monitoring, which with advancements in wearable tech is going to be much more mainstream, IMO. While I might not want the insurance tracking everything I do, I might be fine with something like average pulse and blood pressure. In fact comparing the watch I've been wearing for the last four months to what the PA gets on my resting heartbeat when they rush me into the exam room (55 vs 70), I could see the benefits to my health insurance costs.

[MechAg94]

Manage this the same way that vehicle insurance is managed.

Drive well and with a good record, your vehicle insurance is low.

In the same way, demonstrate physical fitness and care for your body, and you get lower health insurance rates.  Gym members, proven hobbyist athletes, martial artists and such, who disclose their activities to their health insurer along with a yearly physical exam, get better rates than the reddit dwelling cheezypoof eating, vaping 50 year old trigglypuff.

I would be okay with a rational method to that stuff.  We already do it for things like cigarette smoking.  Overweight?  Added cost.  Lose weight?  Discount.  Daily heart monitoring?  Discount.  etc, etc.  However, I think there would be a lot of idiots complaining and sueing if someone tried to do it and I doubt even the insurance companies would be able to keep from screwing it up.


In the same way, I think airline tickets should be a base ticket price plus a charge per pound (you plus luggage).  I doubt it will happen unless there are changes.

[Ron]

You guys will roll your eyes at me I know...

We no longer live in a high social trust, low time preference, high social capital, K selected country of homogenous people with a shared common culture.

The rabbits are ruling the wolves, for now. I’ll be surprised if agreement or compromise can be reached.

Humpty Dumpty is broken, good luck putting him back together.

Half the country is economically/culturally Marxist or just purely  tribally identity politics driven.

None of our solutions are acceptable to them and none of their solutions are acceptable to us.

[Andiron]

You guys will roll your eyes at me I know...

We no longer live in a high social trust, low time preference, high social capital, K selected country of homogenous people with a shared common culture.

The rabbits are ruling the wolves, for now. I’ll be surprised if agreement or compromise can be reached.

Humpty Dumpty is broken, good luck putting him back together.

Half the country is economically/culturally Marxist or just purely  tribally identity politics driven.

None of our solutions are acceptable to them and none of their solutions are acceptable to us.

Every time you post something I think "man I'm glad there's someone here smarter than I/more eloquent to voice these ideas"


I'm prepared.  I'm at peace with my maker,  let's dance.

[Pb]

Ron, I am afraid you are right.   

[slingshot]

....The rule of law has been a dead letter for a long time.

Unless it suits you.... like the former FBI Chief Comey.  There lies the problem. Government is leaning toward persecution rather than measured enforcement.... when it suits them.

On ObamaCare, I hope the two parties reach some sort of agreement on a new plan.  National health care is hear to stay regardless. The US health care system will become like Canada's.  Too expensive and they will start restricting use.

[MechAg94]

You guys will roll your eyes at me I know...

We no longer live in a high social trust, low time preference, high social capital, K selected country of homogenous people with a shared common culture.

The rabbits are ruling the wolves, for now. I’ll be surprised if agreement or compromise can be reached.

Humpty Dumpty is broken, good luck putting him back together.

Half the country is economically/culturally Marxist or just purely  tribally identity politics driven.

None of our solutions are acceptable to them and none of their solutions are acceptable to us.

I agree.  However, it is good to discuss what ought to be done sometimes.  Eventually someone is going to ask you what you would do.  It is good to have actually thought about that so you have a good answer to start with.

[MechAg94]

I also heard the BigGov already said they are going to continue with their Obamacare stuff since the federal judge did not issue an injunction with the ruling.  So no changes until higher courts rule.

[Scout26]

Might be the commie in me, but I'm not at all opposed to preventative care incentives - at least for basic and important stuff. While I'm fine paying for the annual physical myself, I know that I'm an oddball in that regard compared to the norm, so if insurance companies find it beneficial to do free annual physicals and blood screenings, I'm good with them catching stuff ahead of time to both treat in time and to lower costs.

I'm also fine with VOLUNTARY incentives like remote medical monitoring, which with advancements in wearable tech is going to be much more mainstream, IMO. While I might not want the insurance tracking everything I do, I might be fine with something like average pulse and blood pressure. In fact comparing the watch I've been wearing for the last four months to what the PA gets on my resting heartbeat when they rush me into the exam room (55 vs 70), I could see the benefits to my health insurance costs.

So  you want comprehensive coverage and not just collision ??

[Ron]

I agree.  However, it is good to discuss what ought to be done sometimes.  Eventually someone is going to ask you what you would do.  It is good to have actually thought about that so you have a good answer to start with.

Very true. Unwinding the mess and setting it straight is going to take better ideas, ideas that have already worked here or someplace else.

When something like Trump getting elected happens there needs to be plans and people in place to make things happen.

The Republicans wasted two years. Obamacare should have been replaced. Instead they acted like it was the first time they were told to sit and look at the issue.

[Ben]

So  you want comprehensive coverage and not just collision ??

Well, as I said in my post, I'm fine paying for the annual myself (though it's covered in my current policy*). I know that it is a good investment for me in the long term, as I'm a big believer in heading health stuff off at the pass.

Some others don't think that way, so if the insurance company feels it's fiscally wise to throw in free annual physicals as incentives, I'm good with it. If they can catch a few thousand cancer patients before it gets to be real cancer, I'm guessing the savings will keep my policy lower. I'd also be fine if they had a policy option where there is a discount if you get a physical and blood work every year, and if you don't get it, your policy costs more.

*In fact my insurance at work, pre-Obama, was already covering annual physicals, or just requiring like a $5 co-pay, and always sending me email reminders to use my annual physical benefits. So I suspect their actuaries ran the numbers some time ago.

[Ron]

IBD does a comparison between our healthcare and other western nations.

https://www.investors.com/politics/health-care-reform-international-comparisons/

[Firethorn]

You buy the coverage(s) you want with the deductibles you'll pay.   And go from there.  If you want barebones that covers cancer and getting hit by a bus only, you should be able to buy that.  If you want maternity care, doctor visits, and sniffle visits covered, then you get to pay for it.

The problem with this is that a lot of the "sniffle visits", as you put it, along with doctor visits, are covered by insurance because it saves the insurance company money in the long run.  Getting you to come in when it is only a sniffle saves them from having to pay out the nose later when it does become critical and covered.

That model only works if we, as a society, are willing to let the consequences play out.  You total your ride without comprehensive insurance?  Walk.  You get knocked up without maternity insurance?  You should have the birth paid off by the kid's college.  You get cancer without comprehensive coverage?  You had a good run, make peace.

A standard birth shouldn't cost that much to pay off.  Neither should the cancer, really. 

[Scout26]

Again, if the insurance companies want to offer those benefits, then they can offer them.  But it should not be required.    There should be a bare minimum policy you can buy (IF YOU WANT) that covers major medical  (the aforesaid, bus/cancer).

But you should be able to pick the coverage(s) you want, just like car insurance.  I can opt for towing, road-side assistance, etc.  I should be able to do the same with my health insurance.  I see no reason I should be forced to have well baby care and pap smears as part of my plan.

And as far Obamacare needing to replaced with "something".  Why do we to replace it with anything??  People seem to have no problem by car, renters, homeowners, disability, and/or life insurance without .gov mandates (and little interference).  WHy does Uncle Sugar need to be involved in anyway shape or form with my health insurance.  The only thing they should say is that it's portable and can cross state lines. 

And yes, decouple it from employee benefits and make it deductible from dollar one.  (Whether you itemize or not.)

[Ron]

Again, if the insurance companies want to offer those benefits, then they can offer them.  But it should not be required.    There should be a bare minimum policy you can buy (IF YOU WANT) that covers major medical  (the aforesaid, bus/cancer).

But you should be able to pick the coverage(s) you want, just like car insurance.  I can opt for towing, road-side assistance, etc.  I should be able to do the same with my health insurance.  I see no reason I should be forced to have well baby care and pap smears as part of my plan.

And as far Obamacare needing to replaced with "something".  Why do we to replace it with anything??  People seem to have no problem by car, renters, homeowners, disability, and/or life insurance without .gov mandates (and little interference).  WHy does Uncle Sugar need to be involved in anyway shape or form with my health insurance.  The only thing they should say is that it's portable and can cross state lines. 

And yes, decouple it from employee benefits and make it deductible from dollar one.  (Whether you itemize or not.)

In principle I know the system needs to be devolved down where more decisions are made by the health care consumer.

Subsidiarity, Federalism, local control, individual choice, marketplace of options.

Your ideas flesh out what I sort of intuitively knew.

Is there any one out there in government pushing for these types of reform?

This is the type of stuff that “the laboratories of democracy” should be working on if we weren’t so dominated by the deep state Federal Government.

The Republicans have really abdicated their responsibilities by going along with this Federal takeover.

[DittoHead]

While it's a rather defeatist take, these are good points
https://www.themaven.net/theresurgent/contributors/10-misconceptions-that-are-screwing-up-conservative-health-care-policy-gDTX-KAGl0KB6k0lWYbJZg/

[TommyGunn]

While it's a rather defeatist take, these are good points
https://www.themaven.net/theresurgent/contributors/10-misconceptions-that-are-screwing-up-conservative-health-care-policy-gDTX-KAGl0KB6k0lWYbJZg/

Sadly,  I think parts of that are right.  People have become enamored of covering pre- existing conditions, for one.  
I hadn't thought of the objection to allowing people to buy across state lines,  but that Texas firms would not want to charge Texas prices for Alaskans,  where it costs more,  there is something to that.
But it sorta does rule out competition as a factor in reducing prices.

And of course, Justice Roberts' perfidy twice done over has allowed the law to become entrenched.