[Winona Online Democracy] Paul,
Two issues regarding MCHA and "medical assistance" that are barriers to utilizing them (by either individuals or organizations) instead of other higher priced insurance are: 1. MCHA is only available if you have been "rejected" by other insurance for a pre-existing condition. So, as I understand it - if you were offered insurance that was overpriced and you could not afford it (or, in the case of an organization - you did not want to pay that rate), you would still not be eligible for MCHA because you were not actually "rejected" for a pre-existing condition. http://www.mhdi.org/quality/health-plan-projects/95survey/sta/mcha.html 2. I believe that "medical assistance" in Minnesota, falls under the MinnesotaCare program. To be eligible for that program, you have to have been without health insurance of any kind for at least four months. For many families, it is not practical or prudent to drop your overpriced health insurance for four months in order to qualify for subsidized insurance. http://www.dhs.state.mn.us/HealthCare/archived/eligible.htm These two items seem to be significant barriers to either negotiating lower premiums as an organization or seeking lower priced premiums as an individual. I know that insurance is a complicated issue with many rules, programs and options involved . . . am I missing something here? -Steve Kranz ----- Original Message ----- From: "Paul Double" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Online Democracy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, October 24, 2003 9:49 AM Subject: FW: [Winona] It's the Insurance Companies Rich & Others Public awareness is often critical to this discussion and is part of the reason insurance companies are so successful in maintaining the status quo. EVERY MINNESOTA RESIDENT is guaranteed the right to purchase insurance coverage, regardless of their prior health under MCHA. Those that can not afford it can be covered under medical assistance. Employers do not have to stay in a group plan to protect someone in the group who has health problems. This is one of the most misunderstood assumption most employers and employees have. WE HAVE NEVER FOUND A GROUP RATE OR COLA RATE THAT IS LESS THAN MCHA. A single payer system is "not" insurance it is used to set prices which is what most people really are asking for. The cost to process Medicare, the model most use is estimated at 3 percent. Yet Medicare contracts to private, for profit, companies for the administration of it. This would tend to reinforce the argument that no government business can do it for less. People assume single payer and government insurance for all are one in the same but that is not correct. Their are many private, single payer systems in place now and some that also do it for 3 % or less so the issue is not single payer but price negotiation, price regulation or price controls. Part of the problem we have now is driven by Medicare as non profit hospitals are forced to accept Medicare payments at less than the cost of the services which then results in cost shifting to the rest of their customers which include the 1/3 of the uninsured or self insured as I prefer to call them. This is what I think should be done and would meet the needs of the 98 % of the population. All medical expenses as currently classified as deductible should be able paid by people out of pocket until they reach the 7.5% which is currently exempted under the tax code. Every individual or their employer is they elect would pay $1.50 per the age of the person per month into a public pool of dollars. For a family of four ages 38, 35, 12 and 10 total 95 x $1.50 = $142.50 month or $1,710.00 year. Once the 7.5% is spent 100% of anything over that it is reimbursed dollar for dollar from the pool. The 7.5 % applies to those over 65 but the $1.50 is absorbed by the pool. ALL INSURANCE WOULD BE ELIMINATED. Government price controls "could be" used or price enforced under the existing Robinson-Patman law. I welcome others to run the numbers Paul Double _______________________________________________ This message was posted to Winona Online Democracy All messages must be signed by the senders actual name. No commercial solicitations are allowed on this list. To manage your subscription or view the message archives, please visit http://mapnp.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/winona Any problems or suggestions can be directed to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] If you want help on how to contact elected officials, go to the Contact page at http://www.winonaonlinedemocracy.org
