Quote:
Originally Posted by
bionicarm http:///t/390368/catholics-vs-abortion-vs-obamas-mandate/320#post_3461703
The premise behind Obamacare was everyone had to pay "something" to get viable coverage. Why should providers charge more for services just because more people who do pay some amount sign up for their services? Oh wait, insurance companies only make money when the receive more premiums than what they pay out for services. So I suppose they charge more with the expectation that people who sign up for healthcare insurance will actually use something they're paying for. I've been paying over $4,000/year to provide auto insurance for 4 cars. Both my daughter's had accidents in the last year (one totaling her car) that were their fault. Now my premiums are over $5,500. Why? Because my insurance carrier had to pay out approximately $25,000 in claims to me and the individuals my daughter's had an accident with. Even though I've essentially paid that amount in the previous 10 years with no accident or claims filed, the insurance company still wants me to pay more so they can recover their losses. That's how the inurance industry works.
Everyone who hates Obamacare wants it to remain status quo. Only keep those who can afford to pay for "normal" health insurance in the program so insurance costs only go up slightly because insurance providers are insuring a smaller sector of people. They receive the same premiums, but end up making more because there are fewer people out there to file claims. Meanwhile, those who can't afford health insurance will rack up humongeous medical bills, or end up using free services that get paid for by taxpayers and these same elitist who can afford to pay for health care.
How your wife's premiums haven't gone up the previous 3 years seems unusual to me. In the 30+ years I've had health insurance coverage, I can think of only 5 or 6 years where my premiums remained the same, or actually went down from he previous years. I know that since 2000 I have seen an increae each and every year. With that, I've also seen my deductibles and Out Of Pocket maxes rise, not to mention my prescription costs.
Your wife' premiums may not have gone up, but did your deductibles and OOP max levels rise during those years?
Pretty simple concept. Make those with pre existing conditions pay higher co pays to cover those conditions, and just like car insurance ALLOW health insurance companies to charge higher risk individuals (overweight, smokers, those with recent history of high usage) higher rates. That right there would do more to lower costs and improve people's health than anything the Democrat party has even suggested in the last 50 years. You make people put a little skin in the game based on behavior and you'll change that behavior in many cases;
The only real change to the wife's insurance was the addition of an online pharmacy, not sure when they added that. Back in the 90's when I was still working my boss was pretty good at negotiating with the insurance company to keep costs down. One cool thing she had was the dental insurance. It was a 70/30 plan accept if you went in for a check up (cleaning and X-rays) the following year your deductible dropped to 20%, then 10% then zero. Smart people will find a way to keep costs down if you can keep the idiots who work for the government out of their way.
