White House ready to accept health co-ops?

[PLYMCO_PILGRIM]

Yes

So, there may still be a need to raise taxes to cover these people. But the GOP is OK with this as long as government isn't running the program. Is that about the jist of it?

i can't speak for the GOP but i'm not cool with raising taxes on anyone. They can figure out a way to cut back other wasteful spending to free up funds for this. Lets start by taking the remainder of the stimulus bill, plus the 20 billion the banks have paid back, and use that money. Thats would be more than enough to fund the co-op option.

Then cut all the political gifts and boondoggles out of HR3200, along with the pork, and they can probably come up the rest that way.

 

[nodoginnafight]

Initially the percentage of subsidized members would (probably be high). However if the cost to savings ratio is substantially lowered we will see many businesses dropping their traditional high cost plans and enrolling in the coop systems. If the cost of the coop plan is cheaper for me than what is offered through work I may simply join my local coop.
So over a period of time the number of non subsidized members will increase exponentially and if the system and services are applied properly you'll see the subsidies reduced to less than 5% over time.
Just the opposite of what a government public option would have created.
Of course all of this is moot until we see what the final bill look like.

But if the subsidies drop off to that level, then again, my problem would be are we just shifting who is covering the already insured?
Not a big benefit IMHO.

No, you misunderstand. the subsidies remain, the numbers needing subsidies fluctuate mildly but as the membership grows with the influx of paying members help drive individual costs down, lowering the dollar amount needed to be subsidized. eventually the number of self payers far exceeds the number of subsidized members.

The primary issue for many of us has been the government run public option not the need for reform to help those who (truly) lack health care or are suffering due to the high cost destroying their life's savings.
The coop option is privately (member) run, addresses the issues pro-public option proponents (minus the publicly run aspect) have while keeping the cost to taxpayers relatively low. A pretty good compromise, wouldn't you say?
The only thing that would be the icing on the cake would be tort reform but since tort lawyers are one of the largest blocs of contributors to the DNC it don't see that happening.

My reaction - admittedly a knee-jerk - is that this sounds pretty optimistic. Unless your pulling a whole lot of people out of their current coverage and shifting them into the co-ops.

Admittedly I don't have any good numbers to support this position, so if the co-op option is the one we wind up going with, I sincerely hope those estimates prove to be spot on.

 

[EriktheRed]

It would appear that the Republicans have handed Obama the BIPARTISAN victory he has been looking for. Good show!

What are the pros and cons of co-ops? I hear they're total bullshit but I haven't looked into the specifics about them.

 

[nodoginnafight]

But IMHO we shouldn't be making it any more difficult for private companies to offer healthcare benefits to their employees. I think this is the very best solution and the one that should be encouraged. People get coverage and it doesn't cost the taxpayers a cent. I don't think these employers or employees should be penalized in the least. In fact, we should be encouraging this option as often as we can.

 

[Ringel05]

But if the subsidies drop off to that level, then again, my problem would be are we just shifting who is covering the already insured?
Not a big benefit IMHO.

No, you misunderstand. the subsidies remain, the numbers needing subsidies fluctuate mildly but as the membership grows with the influx of paying members help drive individual costs down, lowering the dollar amount needed to be subsidized. eventually the number of self payers far exceeds the number of subsidized members.

The primary issue for many of us has been the government run public option not the need for reform to help those who (truly) lack health care or are suffering due to the high cost destroying their life's savings.
The coop option is privately (member) run, addresses the issues pro-public option proponents (minus the publicly run aspect) have while keeping the cost to taxpayers relatively low. A pretty good compromise, wouldn't you say?
The only thing that would be the icing on the cake would be tort reform but since tort lawyers are one of the largest blocs of contributors to the DNC it don't see that happening.

My reaction - admittedly a knee-jerk - is that this sounds pretty optimistic. Unless your pulling a whole lot of people out of their current coverage and shifting them into the co-ops.

Admittedly I don't have any good numbers to support this position, so if the co-op option is the one we wind up going with, I sincerely hope those estimates prove to be spot on.

Like I said in another post, until we see the final bill (and it's real world application) this intire discussion is moot. An exercise in postulation, though based on existing real world models.

 

[nodoginnafight]

It would appear that the Republicans have handed Obama the BIPARTISAN victory he has been looking for. Good show!

What are the pros and cons of co-ops? I hear they're total bullshit but I haven't looked into the specifics about them.

Co-ops are great - imho. I have a good deal of experience with co-ops that has been very positive. I get my electricity from a co-op and my rates are a lot lower than the rates paid by customers of investor-owned utilities. My rates are even lower than the vast majority of municipal-owned utilities.

I'm sorry, I don't remember which poster outlined this very well previously, but co-ops are businesses that are owned by the customers who use their services. Customers typically elect the board of directors that oversee the operations.

 

[nodoginnafight]

Apparently Sebilius (sp?) spoke a bit too quickly