My main opposition is that I read the Caterpillar, 3M etc complaints of how much it would cost them and that heads would roll. I thought America was heading down a scary road. HOWEVER, we are not seeing these negative effects. Without these negative effects, the positives might outweigh the negatives:
(1) Getting rid of preexisting condition:
No one cares about this until it effects you personally. My brother-in-law has MS. His ex-wife and him had insurance through a corporation she started. With the marriage over 4 months ago. she dropped him immediately from her insurance. Not sure if anyone knows the cost of MS, but its enormous. The drugs are insane and the doctor visits and test cost an arm and a leg. Its nutz. After she dropped him, he tried to get insurance. Guess what! He couldn't get it ANYWHERE! He went to the Ichips program, it has a 8 month waiting period and then it doesn't cover his doctors and not all his medicine. In other words, he is screwed. Its been months since he has had his medicine and he is getting decidedly worse.
(2) Requiring everyone to get insurance:
It sounded unfair at first, but when you think about it. Its pretty damn unfair that MY insurance bills are so high to cover all the people without insurance. Young people who seem healthy today (like me - I haven't been in a doctors office, other than a physical in 5 years), can get sick tomorrow or get injured. Sorry hospitals shouldn't have to force the bill upon payors.
What I don't like:
(1) They didn't allow for further competition across state lines
(2) They didn't find a way to get insurance away from employer based plans.
(3) Did nothing to deal with the 10 lb Gorilla in the room! Illegal immigrants destroying emergency rooms budgets and getting free healthcare at our expense!
All and all I am going to look at the bill in a new light and wait until we start seeing how it changes things and withhold my opinions until then.
(1) Getting rid of preexisting condition:
No one cares about this until it effects you personally. My brother-in-law has MS. His ex-wife and him had insurance through a corporation she started. With the marriage over 4 months ago. she dropped him immediately from her insurance. Not sure if anyone knows the cost of MS, but its enormous. The drugs are insane and the doctor visits and test cost an arm and a leg. Its nutz. After she dropped him, he tried to get insurance. Guess what! He couldn't get it ANYWHERE! He went to the Ichips program, it has a 8 month waiting period and then it doesn't cover his doctors and not all his medicine. In other words, he is screwed. Its been months since he has had his medicine and he is getting decidedly worse.
(2) Requiring everyone to get insurance:
It sounded unfair at first, but when you think about it. Its pretty damn unfair that MY insurance bills are so high to cover all the people without insurance. Young people who seem healthy today (like me - I haven't been in a doctors office, other than a physical in 5 years), can get sick tomorrow or get injured. Sorry hospitals shouldn't have to force the bill upon payors.
What I don't like:
(1) They didn't allow for further competition across state lines
(2) They didn't find a way to get insurance away from employer based plans.
(3) Did nothing to deal with the 10 lb Gorilla in the room! Illegal immigrants destroying emergency rooms budgets and getting free healthcare at our expense!
All and all I am going to look at the bill in a new light and wait until we start seeing how it changes things and withhold my opinions until then.
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