p { margin: 0; }

I also had a couple of more thoughts on this. The days of a $10 copay are long gone. If you are going top buy any type of insurance, the type of insurance a person should buy is a high dedutible health plan that has a tax benefit. If you cannot afford to pay a doctors charge of $75 then there are other issues you have.

There is already a subsidzed market in every state. Thereare CHIP and other forms of subsidized coverage. Medicaid.

www.benefits.gov

A lot of times people try and get coverage too late. They also do not have enough insurance. They do not want to spend money on the coverages they need and have been marketed but choose not to buy it and then expect everyone to pay for it around them.

Most of the time I read an article in the paper and find it usually comes down to not purchasing disability coverage.

The private programs are the most regulated industry in the country. There is not one industry that is more regaulated than health insurance. Regulations just lead to increase in costs to the consumer.

Pre ex can be taken out if everyone is mandated coverage. It can only be done if everyone buys in. If someone falls out of the risk pool, pre -ex will and should be enforced.

Create tax advanatges for individuals to purchase insurance.

Create clinics where people can access care easier.

mandate catastrophic coverage so people can get quality affordable coverage.

p { margin: 0; }

The cost of care is expensive. We pay for technology and the latest and greatest machines and treatments. Consumers have no idea of what it costs to get a service like an MRI. If we go down the road of a public plan option, the private insurance market will not market any plans. The CMS reimbursement rates are so low providers cannot produce a profit. Talk to a physician and see if they can support a practice on CMS reimbursement schedules. It is unsustainable. Medicare is going bankrupt now, why would we add people to this program? Look into Medicare Entitlement.

Large Risk pools already exist in the form of private carriers. All the risk in given markets are pooled together. Associations do not work. I am talking about organizations like Chamber plans or other types of assocaitions. Good for three years and then a mountain of claims come pouring in.

I have been designing and implementing plans for years. I have worked for carriers and I have worked as a consultant. I am very experienced with risk and pooling.Crowiding out would occur in the private insurance pool.

People have access to COBRA and in most states, there is a guarantee issue plan. There is coverage available for most americans and no doctor will ever refuse care.

If you have a public plan option, you will see these items occur:

Private insurers pull out of the marketplace- They are not going to compete unless there is a fair playing field.

Doctors and Hospitals will close

Prescription will become less available. I am not talking about everyday drugs, these would speciality items.

The public option would be very limiting, procedures, tests and surgerys will not be covered. Long wait times will be a reality.

You will see less specialists available.

here is a breakdown of all the costs.

86% of all premium goes out to pay claims

5% goes to consumer marketing, providers, and facilities- Directories

6% gonvernment

3% Profit

There are a lot of factors at work here. Somethings you see in the form of a bill asnd others you do not. Besides what hospitals charge, insurance companies also will give them a lump sum payment to hospitals and doctors. You never see this in the form of the bill. This large sum is carried out in healthcare financing. The other aspect to this is private insurers supplement what the gov't does not pay for medicare and medicaid. Premiums ahve increased but CMS lowers payments to doctors.
Getting a catastrophic policy from a reputable company is important. Insurance should be purchased on the back end claims, what you cannot afford, and not on a $10 copay at the doctor.

most states have a public fund to get insurance through a carrier. The reason why there is pre-ex is because insurance companies do not want to get hit with bad risk. A person has 60 days to continue coverage if they lose it without pre ex becoming a factor. Two states with 2 different insurance methodology. NJ is a state where it is guarantee issue they enforce pre ex but only ofr 12 months. The insurance rates are extremely high in this state for this product. PA is not a guaranteed issue state and enjoys competitive premiums. It also has a guarantee issue plan that works well for people that are sick. Again, pre-ex is also enforced.
Work with an agent to get affordable coverage. I work with many clients to find the best fit. Sometimes I do not get paid for that. go to nahu.org
The cost issue is another story. Just because you will nationalize something does not mean you will get lower costs. It isonly when rationing begins that you will see costs go down.