Comments for Health Policy News

Comment on Genetic Profiling, Healthcare, and Insurance by Lynsey Ploof

Lynsey Ploof — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 17:24:00 +0000

Its really about getting used to it. I used to take a class that would wear me out before I finished it. Now, the class is so easy that I don’t take it anymore. It took about a month to get through it without feeling exhausted, and every time I went to class it got easier. Just take a class every day and do what you can. Tell the instructor that you are new (they usually ask who is new), and they give advice, just keep moving. All you can do is to stay with the class, don’t leave early and keep pushing yourself. I’ve been at my gym almost 3 yrs. There are girls that look the same now as they did then because they don’t try. My body has improved so much since I joined because I make good food choices, I stop eating when full, if I crave something I get a small version, and I work out daily. You can do this too. I am 5′5 and weigh 112 lbs, and I’m 42 yrs. old. Good luck.

Comment on Why Buying Health Insurance across State Lines might Not be a Good Idea by zxthed

zxthed — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 22:41:18 +0000

They idea that care would get worse if insusures were allowed across state lines is rediculous. Well maybe if it’s Medicare/Medicaid. Ezra Klein wrote that if this were to happen, it would create confusion about what is covered and what isn’t, and his plan is a gov’t option-which do what he warned people against. Gov’t itself doesn’t know what should/shouldn’t be covered. Look at the NHS in Britain. They may mean well, but they make terrible decisions based on cost containment. Some of you may think that the private insurers do the same, but if you made the deduction you’re missing one important point-insurers make a profit, allowing them to make more flexible financial decisions. Medicaid, Medicare, and any other gov’t option does not have that luxury.

Comment on Why Buying Health Insurance across State Lines might Not be a Good Idea by nibbles

nibbles — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 03:10:26 +0000

I am sorry, but I do not want anyone coming into to Pennsylvania to sell their insurance policies. From my understanding, our state has very tough laws that requires insurance companies to offer a “minimum” amount of services on their coverages. allyThis is a consumer protection that our legislators provide for our citizens. Hospitals and doctors should also be protected as well. They need to know that the services that are needed to treat their patients will be covered and payed for.

Comment on Why Buying Health Insurance across State Lines might Not be a Good Idea by Doug

Doug — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 10:50:26 +0000

Conservatives are always espousing the competitive cost benefits of allowing insurance companies to sell across state lines. I agree with Obama that it would likely lead to insurance companies “cherry picking” the healthiest customers as well as circumventing tough insurance regulations in highly regulated states in favor of selling their products “across state lines” from whatever loosely regulated state allows them to offer the least protections to consumer. HOWEVER, my real confusion over this entire idea is how insurance companies can offer their “product” in any state without having a program in place to manage reimbursement costs in each state.

I live in NYC and there are many insurance providers to choose from here. Nevertheless I have to check with each doctor to see whether they accept a particular provider’s insurance. No doctor is in every available insurance network and that’s when we’re talking about maybe a dozen to choose from. What would it mean for 1300 insurance companies from across the country to offer their “product”? Insurance companies make money by negotiating reimbursement rates to health providers that choose to join their plan (ie – are “in network”.)

I just don’t see 1300 insurers setting up networks in every state and I certainly don’t see doctors joining 1300 networks. So what happens when I buy an insurance policy from a health insurer in Wyoming. How does that insurer cover my expenses in New York. Are we talking about departing from the HMO / PPO co-pay model and returning to patients paying all expenses out of pocket and then submitting bills to the insurer for some percentage of reimbursement? If that’s the case, I don’t think it would make sense for most insurers and it certainly doesn’t seem like it would be cheaper or easier to manage for patients who would have to lay out huge sums of money for treatment and then pray for reimbursement (not to mention meeting deductibles and other requirements.)

Basically, I want to know on what basis insurance companies from outside of a state can compete with those insurance companies already well-established and well-entrenched within a state.

Comment on Why Buying Health Insurance across State Lines might Not be a Good Idea by Bob

Bob — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 05:44:38 +0000

I love all the presumptions about what unregulated companies would do for high risk candidates if they were flooded with healthy low-risk members. Let’s face it, they will do less, and it will be worse. What is their motivation to take on high risk patients? Answer -none – those people will be priced out of coverage. The insurance industry is all about low risk and high shareholder profits, it’s not about which company will feel the most charitable once they get rich. This isn’t about selling cars or cell phones, it’s about people’s lives, what this “deregulated across state lines” policy will do is turn healthcare into a hit-and-miss gamble on people’s lives. If there are proper regulations for all companies then that may stave off the run to the state with little or no regulation, so Federal regulation HAS to be a starting point.

Another poster mentioned that physicians ‘probably’ won’t care where your insurance is from – WRONG – they most certainly WILL care, I have insurance from what many consider one of the top insurers in the country and I’ve had 2 doctors already drop them due to failure to pay for tests, visits, and certain office procedures. Can you imagine the massive amount of office time this will incur, not to mention the constant back-and-forth with any one of 500 insurance companies with different policies and coverage plans? This will require Federal regulations to work efficiently, there is no doubt.

Comment on Why Buying Health Insurance across State Lines might Not be a Good Idea by doug

doug — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:16:24 +0000

If the goal of purchasing insurance across state lines is to reduce the cost of health care, then why not end all regulation of health care. No licensing in the states or federal jurisdictions. Eliminate medical malpractice suits and you have a perfect world. I’l quit fixing lawnmowers and start doing orthopedic surgery.
Or is this issue one of replacing state laws regulating insurance with a federal beurocracy to do the same thing. If that is the case then why not one national police force. One big school district. One highway department. Interesting that the proponents espouse smaller federal government.

Comment on Save Money on Your Healthcare in 2009 by ella session

ella session — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:53:53 +0000

more like a request. need 2009 out of pocket prescription plan paper work mail to my CPA for state tax purposes (505) 294-7628. please e-mail me if you need any further info. i am currently on SSDI & SSI. can’t find acct. info w/policy no., b-day, May 12, 1953. thnx you, Ella

Comment on Why Buying Health Insurance across State Lines might Not be a Good Idea by Roland

Roland — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 21:48:53 +0000

Every law has a reason. Laws are passed in order to protect some” interest” and that “interest” is hardly ever what’s best for the people. Lately , I’ve been noticing comments from numerous investigative reporters saying ,”When things don’t make sense, follow the money”. I really don’t think Doctors would really care if they have to deal with insurances across state lines, especially if those insurances are in bordering States. I truly believe the main objection comes from Lawyers. Think about it. It is relatively easy for lawyers in State “A” to go after an insurance company from the same State “A”; but if the insurance company is from any other State, they would have to be licensed in that State or tie in with a law firm from that State and split the commision. A vast number of our elected politicians are Lawyers and are not to anxious to do anything to change the status quo. Just a thought.

Comment on Why Buying Health Insurance across State Lines might Not be a Good Idea by doctor house

doctor house — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 06:39:08 +0000

Some very good points but as always, there must be peer-reviewed scientific studies to back up any statements.

Comment on Why Buying Health Insurance across State Lines might Not be a Good Idea by GM from MN

GM from MN — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 02:40:32 +0000

Jerry Hawthorne Says:

October 17th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
Doctors waste enough time now fighting with the few insurance companies that are in their state. Add all the different regs. from many other out-of-state companies and the will have to hire more office staff to deal with them. And guess who will eventually pay for that?

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I think that purchasing across state lines may beef up competition like the advocates of it says. However when you examine the average profit that insurance companies get from health insurance it only amounts to about 4-5% from personal research. So if we eliminated all the profits it could amount to about 4-5% in lower premiums.

I think Jerry’s tidbit is an EXCELLENT one. It estimated that Adminstrative costs amount to around 7% of health insurance. And mixing up the market with more and more paperwork may in fact back fire and cause adminstrative costs to skyrocket.

http://www.kaiseredu.org/topics_im.asp?imID=1&parentID=61&id=358