The GOP Solution To Health Coverage For Pre-Existing Medical Conditions

[Modbert]

The GOP Solution To Health Coverage For Pre-Existing Medical Conditions - Rick Ungar - The Policy Page - Forbes

The GOP has been quick to jump on the bandwagon of opposition to mandated health care, despite the fact that the initial idea came from stalwart conservative institutions such as The Heritage Foundation.

So, how would the Republicans provide for coverage of those with pre-existing conditions without the need for mandated purchase of health care? Their answer is to create government supported high-risk insurance pools, operated by the states and funded with federal financial assistance for those with pre-existing medical conditions.

The concept is not a new one. High-risk pools already exist in some 34 states, each reliant on federal government cash to keep the doors open. So far, the government contributions have not been anywhere near sufficient to make these programs operate with any degree of real success, leaving those who can get into the programs responsible to pay premium costs priced at 125-200 percent of standard premiums.

Thus, experience informs us that the only chance these high-risk pools have to succeed is if the federal government is prepared to budget the required funds to give the approach a chance to work.

In the alternate health care legislation introduced last year by soon to be House Speaker John Boehner, $4 billion was budgeted for contributions to high-risk insurance pools once the program was fully phased in –despite the fact that Douglas Holz-Eakin, while serving as chief economic advisor to the McCain presidential effort, estimated it would take between $7 and $10 billion per year to cover all the medically uninsurable in high-risk pools when proposed by candidate McCain.

In order to counter the problem of people seeking coverage only after they fall ill, every state high-risk fund in existence excludes coverage of pre-existing illnesses for six to twelve months, leaving the very condition that drives one to the high-risk pool uncovered for up to a year.

There are no people with pre-existing medical conditions currently admitted into the private market insurance pools. If applicants with a pre-existing condition were able to buy health coverage and join these insurance pools, we would not be having this discussion!

Yes, there are people in the pools who have gotten sick subsequent to their getting their insurance coverage. But that is not the issue being addressed in this instance. That’s a separate matter of prohibiting insurance companies from tossing out people when they get sick.

Well, I couldn't see this particular idea ending well.

 

[Shiddique]

I would like to thanks for your informative information.

 

[Bfgrn]

Representative Alan Grayson said it succinctly: "Republicans Want Sick People To Die Quickly"


"Republicans approve of the American farmer, but they are willing to help him go broke. They stand four-square for the American home--but not for housing. They are strong for labor--but they are stronger for restricting labor's rights. They favor minimum wage--the smaller the minimum wage the better. They endorse educational opportunity for all--but they won't spend money for teachers or for schools. They approve of social security benefits-so much so that they took them away from almost a million people. They think modern medical care and hospitals are fine--for people who can afford them. They believe in international trade--so much so that they crippled our reciprocal trade program, and killed our International Wheat Agreement. They favor the admission of displaced persons--but only within shameful racial and religious limitations.They consider electrical power a great blessing--but only when the private power companies get their rake-off. They say TVA is wonderful--but we ought never to try it again. They condemn "cruelly high prices"--but fight to the death every effort to bring them down. They think American standard of living is a fine thing--so long as it doesn't spread to all the people. And they admire of Government of the United States so much that they would like to buy it."
The President of the United States of America

 

[Revere]

Eight thousand people accessed the new Obamacare benefit covering pre-existing conditions last year.

You need to force tens of millions of people to buy health insurance so 8,000 people get this benefit?

Health - WSJ.com: Only 8,000 enroll in health plan for preexisting conditions