Health-care rules may force some to change coverage, leaked document suggests

Washington Post ^ | June 12, 2010 | AP

[yoe]

NEWS | POLITICS | OPINIONS | BUSINESS | LOCAL | SPORTS | ARTS & LIVING | GOING OUT GUIDE | JOBS | CARS | REAL ESTATE |SHOPPING

President Obama said repeatedly during the health-care debate that people who like their current coverage would be able to keep it. But an early draft of an administration regulation estimates that many employers will be forced to change their health plans under the new law.

In just three years, a majority of workers -- 51 percent -- will be in plans subject to new federal requirements, according to midrange projections in the draft.

Plans that predate the health-care law are exempt from many, but not all, of its consumer protections. Types of changes could include offering preventive care without co-payments and instituting an appeals process for disputed claims that follows new federal guidelines. The law already requires all health plans to extend coverage to young-adult children until they turn 26.

"What we are getting here is a clear indication that most plans will have to change," said James Gelfand, health policy director for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. "From an employer's point of view, that's a bad thing. These changes, whether or not they're good for consumers, are most certainly accompanied by a cost."

The Obama administration said the draft regulation is an early version undergoing revision, but the leaked document was drawing wide interest Friday.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said it showed that Obama's assurance that Americans would be able to keep existing plans was "a myth."

"Since its passage, Republican arguments against the bill have been repeatedly vindicated, even as the administration's many promises about the bill have been called into question again and again," McConnell said.

[yoe]

"The ObamaCare bill is the establishment of Dhimmitude and Sharia Muslim diktat in the United States. Muslims are specifically exempted from the government mandate to purchase insurance, and also from the penalty tax for being uninsured. Islam considers insurance to be "gambling", "risk-taking" and "usury" and is thus banned."

This so called HealthCare bill must be abandoned, shredded, and totally repealed. Why do Muslims get a pass on Obama Care....do your research.

[thethirddegree]

Muslims get a pass because we have one in the White House.

[Williams]

“Mid range projections” means it will be way more than 51%.

[reg45]

Some Christian denominations are also against gambling, risk-taking, and usury - are they also exempt?

[libertylover]

From where did you get that quote? I couldn’t find it in the article.

[Mikey_1962]

"From an employer's point of view, that's a bad thing. These changes, whether or not they're good for consumers, are most certainly accompanied by a cost."

Gosh! Shocking!

Next we'll be hearing that those costs will be passed on to the consumer or borne by the employee!

[JimSEA]

The more private enterprises that go bankrupt the better the progressives
like it. These are clearly intended consequences.

[reg45]

Are these same Muslims also exempted from purchasing automobile insurance? Automobile liability insurance is required in almost all states before you can get a license for an automobile.

Are these same Muslims also exempted from paying Social Security which is a form of insurance?

[upchuck]

Lots of folks derrided Joe Wilson. He was right, in spades.

I was listening to the radio and they had a sound bite from nobama who was speaking reading his teleprompter to a group of Seniors. He said, paraphrasing, "Don't worry, we're not gonna mess with Medicare. And those of you with Medicare Advantage, we not gonna change that either."

I feel sorry for anyone in that crowd that was relieved.

[lovecraft]

Some to change coverage?? Oh I'd say it will be more than just some...I posted this on a previuos thread on the same subject:

The 85% loss ratio that kicks in on Jan. 1 is the real game changer for insurance companies. It basically mandates that co insurance plans must get ALL their expenses covered other than claims out of the remaining 15%. That basically means that the government has legally mandated how much profit an inurance company can make, IF they can make a profit after expenses in that remaining 15%.

85 cents out of every dollar of premium MUST be spent on claims. IF not, it must be refunded to the insured. Once met, out of the remaining 15 cents the carrier must pay for salaries, admin, customer service, underwriting fees, marketing, commissions, massive IT capabilities, and everything else that goes along with servicing millions of customers.

I can't WAIT to call customer service now! /s

But everything that people hated about health insurance NOW is about to get dramitically worse AND more expensive....and it IS by design. Not to mention all the jobs that will be cut and side industries like brokerage firms will be downsizing. No more competition (by design) as there will most likely never be any new innovation in products or services. Employers will be dumping coverage for millions of people and the health insurance exchanges will not be set up until 2014. Should be an interesting next few years in this industry.

[Cyclone59]

not sure if I am reading too much into this, but I find it repulsive that legislation, from what was supposed to be the most transparent of all, is now considered “leaked documents”. WTF is going on here and why doesn’t the right, mainly the RNC, shout this from the rooftops?

[yoe]

The 85% loss ratio that kicks in on Jan. 1 is the real game changer for insurance companies. It basically mandates that co insurance plans must get ALL their expenses covered other than claims out of the remaining 15%. That basically means that the government has legally mandated how much profit an insurance company can make, IF they can make a profit after expenses in that remaining 15%.

I believe if all Americans were to ignore these "Diktats" as unconstitutional and beyond that are illegal, this might just fail as it should.

[LADY J]

We have to be total saps to let a community organizer & his agenda driven RATS get away with changing the best health care in the world into a boondoggle that they have no clue how to run, or what it will cost.

Just like the oil spill - we all will be bogged down in the slime that they create.

This catasrophe must be stopped dead in its tracks. Waiting to do it later will be tragic.

[lovecraft]

It’d be like ignoring the IRS unfortunately. You comply or you’re shut down....end of story. You’re out of job, best case....if you fight and lose, well. It’s a hard thing to decide when you’ve got kids to feed.

[chris_bdba]

Well once again America he lied! Barack “it’s gulf not golf” Obama spends most of his time lying.

[GailA]

AMMO: Print them out and distribute them to all the seniors you know.

Seniors Must Scrutinize Medicare Mailer
IBD Editorials ^ | June 8, 2010 | NEWT GINGRICH AND NANCY DESMOND
http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article/536677/201006081815/Seniors-Must-Scrutinize-Medicare-Mailer.aspx

“Your guaranteed Medicare benefits won’t change — whether you get them through Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage plan.” According to the new medicare mailer. BTW we received 2 of those suckers.

Report: Bill would reduce senior care Medicare cuts approved by House may affect access to providers
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/14/AR2009111402597.html

Health Reform’s Hidden Victims Young people and seniors would pay a high price for ObamaCare.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203517304574306303720472842.html

Mayo clinic stops taking Medicare patients
http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article.aspx?id=517004

Seniors’ coverage options dwindle as Medicare Advantage programs close shop
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/DN-advantage_22bus.ART.State.Edition1.3c912a9.html

Weighing Medical Costs of End-of-Life Care
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/23/health/23ucla.html?_r=1&ref=business&pagewanted=all

Survey in New England Journal of Medicine Says 46% of US Doctors Will Quit If Obamacare Passes
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2798380/shocking_survey_in_new_england_journal.html?cat=75

Slashing Medicare to pay for healthcare reform an ugly shell game
Dr. Stuart M. Shapiro,
July 27, 2009
http://www.mcknights.com/slashing-medicare-to-pay-for-healthcare-reform-an-ugly-shell-game/article/140656/

Obamacare Impact on Seniors
http://www.heritage.org/Research/Reports/2010/05/Obamacare-Impact-on-Seniors

March 28, 2010 Health law’s heavy impact Paul Guppy
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/mar/28/health-laws-heavy-impact/

The Senate Health Bill: Ordinary Americans Have Been Warned
http://blog.heritage.org/2010/03/17/the-senate-health-bill-ordinary-americans-have-been-warned/

Obama Names Rationing Czar to Run Medicare
by Terence P. Jeffrey
05/26/2010
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=37186