Co-Ops Are No Substitute for a Public Health Insurance Plan
Posted on September 16th, 2009 by ICR Bloggers in From Insurance Company Rules
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Senator Rockefeller gives Senator Baucus evidence that health insurance cooperatives are “untested and unsubstantiated — and should not be considered as a national model for health insurance.”
The Citizens of the United States of America need a comprehensive Public Health Care Plan NOW. Co-ops will only continue to feed the greedy Insurance Companies and help them to continue to fill their already overflowing coffers with the money of the poor and monetarily squeezed middle class. Why have the the tax payers spend more of their tax dollars to subsidize the insurance coverage of the poor by giving more money to the insurance companies? That Subsidy money will go right into the pockets of the super rich insurance companies. Why not put that same subsidy money into a public option health insurance plan where those tax dollars would be used to provide competitive, affordable insurance for those are financially unable to pay for insurance. Let our tax dollars stay with the government for the people.
I commend Senator Rockefeller for standing up for what is right and as an Insurance Agent who sells both property and health insurance in his state I can tell you 1st hand that any and all plans without a Public Option will raise rates and result in more Uninsured Americans and I really believe the numbers of these Uninsureds will double.
The minute that you tell a Health Insurance Carrier that they will have to accept people who are diabetic or had a heart bypass or other illness then rates will skyrocket because they will refuse to accept less profit.
Every opponent is shouting Socialism but think about it just a minute
What if we took all the pressure off the oil companies?How high would gasoline,heating fuel,groceries that are trucked in rise to?
What if we done away with public service commissions that control water,electricity and natural gas rates?
Just how high would these prices rise?!
We are told by opponents of a public option that competition will lower or control cost but United healthcare,Aetna etc.. are purchasing the smaller carriers in record time in order to control the markets and then raise rates and increase dividends to shareholders.
Health Insurance is a necessity just like food,water and electricity and these commodities cannot be left unregulated allowing corporate greed to takeover.
The Republican Conservative Party who I used to belong to has had 8 years to do something to get this situation on the path to correction but has done nothing other than claim that they solved the Medicare drug problem and though it does help some it leaves a huge gap for those with serious health issues that are prescribed a large number of medications.
It is really hard for a widow living on a fixed income of Social Security to afford groceries,utilities,a medicare supplement and drug plan and many go without.
This is shameful when these CEO's are making 25 million a year.
A not for profit Public Option is the ONLY answer and to those of you who disagree then tell me this.
Why have these caring Insurance Carriers refused for over 60 years to do anything of substance to help the most needy in this Country?
We hear Opponents worring that we will put these companies out of business but they did not worry about anyone but themselves so like Grandma used to say:What goes around comes around!
Next time you hear a Republican or Democratic Politician speaking against a public option log on to opensecrets.org which is non partisan and type in their name and see just how much money they received from the Health Insurance Industry.
You will probably be shocked.
Max Baucus wasted months coming up with a plan that will only benefit the Insurance Industry and Agents like myself because everyone will be required to have health Insurance though a Health Insurance company and with no public option and co-ops that will do not one solitary thing to solve the problem.
Sometimes we have to do what is right for the greater good and not just ourselves.
Thank you Senator Rockefeller and I am proud that you represent our State.
Obama claims that the public plan will be cheaper because it will waste less money on paperwork, advertising (and I would add: lobbying.)
The opponents of healthcare reform argue that everything government run is inefficient. So why don't we just try it and find out? If the public plan is inefficient nobody will sign up for it. So why are the insurance companies so terrified of it?
Great Point.
They do not want any competition and their plans are to raise rates just as soon as there is a law requiring everyone to have health insurance but a public option will limit that rate increase.
We need the public plan..I work in a medical office and see what the insurance companies try to get away with..they have multiple confusing forms..many have multiple (up to 20 plans) that are hard for the public to wade through..People hesitate to come to the Dr. because they can't afford the ever increasing co-payments. For everyone who has insurance they have all experienced this…So I don't know why they are afraid of a public plan that would compete and keep their co-pays down.
I am disgusted with the lobbying and the buying of the vote that goes on in congress. meanwhile too many people are suffering with health and the financial issues that come with loss of jobs and insurance. We need to counter the right-wingers with facts of what each senator or rep is paid for their vote against the public plan. These need to be published in the newspapers and other media..sign for sign..at every public meeting..
Yes we can