Why our healthcare system does not work is the subject of this blog posting.
Obamacare as it has been nicknamed is in its infancy and has many problems. The worst is the fact that it depends on young people signing up for it and if they do not they are financially penalized. Well guess what; must young people do not have need of healthcare insurance and thus they would rather pay the penalty, which is less in many cases than what it would cost for health insurance for the year.
Here is a link to a website that talks about the Pros and Cons of Obamacare. The downside to system is its dependence on everyone getting healthcare policies. If not enough people do not get them, then the financial pressure on the costs of an already highly inflated insurance system cost versus the relatively low actual insurance coverage gets even worse.
For those who are in the income level where it they do not make enough money to pay for insurance and yet do not qualify for government help; they are caught in a no mans land. This trap is no fun for them and could cost them vast amounts of money, relative to their income. There does not seem to be recognition of the fact that this is a problem for too many people; that is the working poor.
And to make matters worse the high deductibles on most of the available insurance plans can break you financially if something catastrophic happens. You end up being responsible for paying bills that in reality should have been paid by your health insurance plan, but with the relatively low mandated payments dictated by Obamacare you are the loser!
Now will President Trump’s overhaul of this crippled system be of any help is something that we will have to wait and see what reforms/changes are made.
From an article from politico.com– “draft documents show the Trump administration may loosen an Obamacare provision barring insurers from charging older customers more than three times as much as their younger enrollees. It may allow health plans to expand this ratio to 3.49:1, which would let insurers boost prices for older customers, who tend to be more expensive to cover.
The administration is also looking to slash the 2018 enrollment period in half. It would run from Nov. 1 to Dec. 15, rather than through the end of January 2018 as the Obama administration had proposed.
HHS is also considering tough new rules around special enrollment periods, which insurers complain have allowed some Obamacare customers to wait until they get sick before signing up for coverage. All individuals who sign up outside the standard enrollment window will be required to provide documentation proving they’re eligible before coverage takes effect.
The Trump administration is also proposing more flexibility on out-of-pocket costs. In a “silver” plan, for example, insurers must cover between 68 percent and 72 percent of medical expenses. HHS is proposing to expand that range by another 2 percentage points. So for that same silver plan, insurers could cover as little as 66 percent of medical costs.”
Trump’s proposal(s) could further destabilize the healthcare system if not done with some very careful work on fixing it and not just stabilizing it! I am very nervous about what might happen personally and am awaiting what the real changes will be.
Our healthcare system is falling apart and any tinkering with it could make it fail altogether because it was not crafted correctly in the first place. So beware of what is going to happen, it might hurt you in your wallet!
That is my opinion- Jumpin Jersey Mike
