Government health care plans are being developed within the Obamacare similar to the ones government employees have says the NY Times

Government health care plans are being developed within the Obamacare similar to the ones government employees have says the NY Times

The NY Times is reporting that the public option was deleted from the new healthcare law, but a privately run public option (as a substitute for the government run public option) goes into effect to compete along with other plans in the insurance exchanges each state is supposed to set up. Many of you who have shopped for insurance are aware of how rediculous the cost is for the single consumer to insure their family. If you have a small group of two or more employees, the cost is less and if you have 50 or more employees, the cost is even less.

Many of our patients who work in government jobs have Blue Cross National multi state plans as well as other insurance plans that were negotiated by the government for employees. Most of these plans are rich in benefits and may actually level the playing field for the average consumer, making it more affordable for many of us to buy the same insurance plans government workers have. Since the government has quite a bit of clout, they can demand better rates from the insurers so you have an opportunity to buy better insurance for a lower cost.

Is it no wonder that the fight for repeal of Obama care has been so ridiculous, and now it seems there was a reason. It is quite likely that your legislators have been paid through political donations to make sure if the president loses, that they will likely attempt to gut provisions such as this which can help most of you who own small businesses buy better health care plans more affordably. Shame on them, especially since the plans are private insurers, not an expansion of Medicare which should pacify most people with a socialist phobia when it comes to government run insurance.

The exchanges should help many of you find more affordable and comprehensive health care plans, however, the American health care system needs a ton of work and we need to get back to basics by emphasizing more primary care with financial incentives rather than over specialization and rethink the ethics of using medical technologies in situations that merely extend suffering and do nothing to improve the quality of life or natural processes at the end of life.

Check it out here

U.S. Set to Sponsor Health Insurance

By
Published: October 27, 2012

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration will soon take on a new role as the sponsor of at least two nationwide health insuranceplans to be operated under contract with the federal government and offered to consumers in every state.

These multistate plans were included in President Obama‘s health care lawas a substitute for a pure government-run health insurance program — the public option sought by many liberal Democrats and reviled by Republicans. Supporters of the national plans say they will increase competition in state health insurance markets, many of which are dominated by a handful of companies.

The national plans will compete directly with other private insurers and may have some significant advantages, including a federal seal of approval. Premiums and benefits for the multistate insurance plans will be negotiated by theUnited States Office of Personnel Management, the agency that arranges health benefits for federal employees.

Walton J. Francis, the author of a consumer guide to health plans for federal employees, said the personnel agency had been “extraordinarily successful” in managing that program, which has more than 200 health plans, including about 20 offered nationwide. The personnel agency has earned high marks for its ability to secure good terms for federal workers through negotiation rather than heavy-handed regulation of insurers.

John J. O’Brien, the director of health care and insurance at the agency, said the new plans would be offered to individuals and small employers through the insurance exchanges being set up in every state under the 2010 health care law.

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