Health Care for All Rhode Islanders
I refer here to a new report released by by the non-profit group The Commonwealth Fund.
"We wanted to look at what people's experience was in the private health insurance market," said the report's lead author, Commonwealth Fund assistant vice president Sara Collins. "You really don't have much choice out of the employer-based system."
When people lose their health-care coverage, many turn to individual private insurance. But too many find private plans either unobtainable or unaffordable, Collins reported....
Moreover, people with high-deductible health plans, whether private or employer-based, are more likely to delay needed health care or to forego buying prescription drugs, Collins said. In addition, they often incur high medical debts, sometimes using credit cards to pay for their health care. This is particularly the case among low-income families, who are especially at risk, the report found.
"People with private plans spent a lot more of their income on health care," ....
Collins said she believed that private insurance can still be a good option for people seeking health insurance.
"What we really need to do is to open new forms of group coverage for people that lose their employer-based coverage," she said. "This could include opening up the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program or expanding Medicaid or Medicare." [federal level]
Without these changes, Collins said, she expects that health insurance costs will continue to rise....
One expert blamed government regulation for the high cost of private insurance.
"If we are going to solve the problem of access to health care and health insurance, we must find a way to get costs under control," said Grace-Marie Turner, president of the Galen Institute, a consulting group that advocates a free-market approach to the health care industry.
Lifting government rules and regulations that drive up the cost of coverage would help millions more people to afford coverage, she said....
One industry representative had harsh words for the new report.
"They are making this up. These are invented statistics that have no credibility," said Greg Scandlen, the founder of Consumers for Health Care Choices, a health care industry lobbying group.
"In most cases, individual coverage is affordable," he added. "It ain't cheap, but it is affordable."[I do believe that he is actually made up. No one could be so stupid]
Since the federal gov't has shown no interest in doing anything, we need to look for solutions on the state level. High deductibles are not the answer. I've heard too many stories of people putting off needed care because of cost. Newport County also has the highest number of uninsured in the state. remember, these are not elderly or handicapped or low income families. We cover them. These are working people, often with families, who can't afford health insurance. I have no reason to believe that lifting regs will make things better (quite the opposite).
Controlling costs is most certainly part of the solution and what Mass. in its universal health care coverage has NOT done & will end up bankrupting them without some changes. I've written on this MANY times. I support having Blue Cross become the state’s main insurer and using the Health Commissioner’s office & various state agencies make this a reality AND affordable to everyone with an ending of double digit increases.
I'm also hearing more complaints out there on the "donut hole" in Plan D. Many just don't see how they will be able to afford full meds cost & may do without. I'm hearing complaints that many were better off before this plan was passed & they are paying more now than before.
"We wanted to look at what people's experience was in the private health insurance market," said the report's lead author, Commonwealth Fund assistant vice president Sara Collins. "You really don't have much choice out of the employer-based system."
When people lose their health-care coverage, many turn to individual private insurance. But too many find private plans either unobtainable or unaffordable, Collins reported....
Moreover, people with high-deductible health plans, whether private or employer-based, are more likely to delay needed health care or to forego buying prescription drugs, Collins said. In addition, they often incur high medical debts, sometimes using credit cards to pay for their health care. This is particularly the case among low-income families, who are especially at risk, the report found.
"People with private plans spent a lot more of their income on health care," ....
Collins said she believed that private insurance can still be a good option for people seeking health insurance.
"What we really need to do is to open new forms of group coverage for people that lose their employer-based coverage," she said. "This could include opening up the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program or expanding Medicaid or Medicare." [federal level]
Without these changes, Collins said, she expects that health insurance costs will continue to rise....
One expert blamed government regulation for the high cost of private insurance.
"If we are going to solve the problem of access to health care and health insurance, we must find a way to get costs under control," said Grace-Marie Turner, president of the Galen Institute, a consulting group that advocates a free-market approach to the health care industry.
Lifting government rules and regulations that drive up the cost of coverage would help millions more people to afford coverage, she said....
One industry representative had harsh words for the new report.
"They are making this up. These are invented statistics that have no credibility," said Greg Scandlen, the founder of Consumers for Health Care Choices, a health care industry lobbying group.
"In most cases, individual coverage is affordable," he added. "It ain't cheap, but it is affordable."[I do believe that he is actually made up. No one could be so stupid]
Since the federal gov't has shown no interest in doing anything, we need to look for solutions on the state level. High deductibles are not the answer. I've heard too many stories of people putting off needed care because of cost. Newport County also has the highest number of uninsured in the state. remember, these are not elderly or handicapped or low income families. We cover them. These are working people, often with families, who can't afford health insurance. I have no reason to believe that lifting regs will make things better (quite the opposite).
Controlling costs is most certainly part of the solution and what Mass. in its universal health care coverage has NOT done & will end up bankrupting them without some changes. I've written on this MANY times. I support having Blue Cross become the state’s main insurer and using the Health Commissioner’s office & various state agencies make this a reality AND affordable to everyone with an ending of double digit increases.
I'm also hearing more complaints out there on the "donut hole" in Plan D. Many just don't see how they will be able to afford full meds cost & may do without. I'm hearing complaints that many were better off before this plan was passed & they are paying more now than before.
