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The GOP's big idea: Insuring 11 million new people
NY Post ^ | February 25, 2010 | Alan Reynolds

Posted on 02/25/2010 3:19:58 AM PST by Scanian

President Obama's new "health reform" plan boasts that it "sets up a new com petitive health-insurance market giving tens of millions of Americans the exact same insurance choices that members of Congress will have." It does no such thing.

Yet one of the "small ideas" that Republicans will offer at today's "summit" really would vastly expand Americans' choice -- and let about 11 million people go on the insurance rolls at no cost to the taxpayers.

First, the Obama idea: It's actually puny compared to the federal employees' plan, because the "exchange" that would offer the new policies would plainly be constrained by the price controls (on premiums that insurers can charge, and on reimbursments to providers) with which Democrats have festooned all of their "reform" proposals.

(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: competition; insurance; obamacare; republicans

1 posted on 02/25/2010 3:19:58 AM PST by Scanian
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To: Scanian

“You might want to follow Consumer Reports’ advice and buy a policy in Alabama or Connecticut. Unfortunately, that’s illegal unless you live in those states.”


2 posted on 02/25/2010 3:24:00 AM PST by ari-freedom (Rush:Remember to put your faith in ideas and not people. People will always, always disappoint you!)
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To: Scanian

“Which brings us to the idea of letting consumers buy insurance across state lines — which a New York Times editorial sniffs at as one of the “small ideas the Republicans are championing.” In fact, it’s huge.”

Of course it’s huge. It would allow more competition thus lowering cost.


3 posted on 02/25/2010 3:27:01 AM PST by tobyhill
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To: Scanian
I find it surprising the Democrats wouldn't want people to buy health insurance across state lines. It would in effect put the state insurance commissioners out of business and lead to national standards from big brother Washington.
4 posted on 02/25/2010 3:29:26 AM PST by Dem Guard
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To: Dem Guard

The standards would be set by the states with the fewest non-essential regulations and mandates.


5 posted on 02/25/2010 3:32:49 AM PST by ari-freedom (Rush:Remember to put your faith in ideas and not people. People will always, always disappoint you!)
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To: tobyhill

why does no one tout Health savings accounts? These are currently the plans Millions of Americans have and are Happy with them,plus they achieve goals everyone is always blabbing about. Gives you coverage for castistrophic problems but lets you pay the Doctor cash out of your tax free savings account that you own and if you keep yourself healthy at retirement you can use the money for whatever you want . It gives you an incentive to stay out of the Doctors office unless you really need it ,lowers the doctors overhead ,you pay cash for Minor visits,gives you portable coverage,why is Obama care going to make these illegal?


6 posted on 02/25/2010 3:32:55 AM PST by ballplayer
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To: Scanian

price control leads to shortages, why are the left stupid. Prices needs to change based on market supply demand. If you want things to get cheaper encourage MORE SUPPLY


7 posted on 02/25/2010 3:35:33 AM PST by 4rcane
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To: ballplayer

“These are currently the plans Millions of Americans have”

some states allow them but not my state because...there’s no interstate competition.


8 posted on 02/25/2010 3:35:34 AM PST by ari-freedom (Rush:Remember to put your faith in ideas and not people. People will always, always disappoint you!)
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To: ari-freedom

My point exactly, they work therefore they are not going to be allowed


9 posted on 02/25/2010 3:36:54 AM PST by ballplayer
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To: ballplayer

We could see all kinds of other ideas and innovations once you open up the market to anything. It’s really hard to quantify such a dynamic change.


10 posted on 02/25/2010 3:39:30 AM PST by ari-freedom (Rush:Remember to put your faith in ideas and not people. People will always, always disappoint you!)
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To: ari-freedom
The standards would be set by the states with the fewest non-essential regulations and mandates.

Maybe, maybe not.

11 posted on 02/25/2010 3:42:01 AM PST by Dem Guard
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To: Scanian

Then ramrod through amnesty for illegals and you have the death of a nation. The plan is so transparent.


12 posted on 02/25/2010 3:51:25 AM PST by SpaceBar
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To: ballplayer

“why does no one tout Health savings accounts?”

Lets you have too much of your money to spend anywhere you might like to.....no”big” campaign donating entities to get chunk of it ya see? capich?


13 posted on 02/25/2010 3:54:23 AM PST by mo
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To: Scanian; anyone
From the article: “You might want to follow Consumer Reports’ advice and buy a policy in Alabama or Connecticut. Unfortunately, that’s illegal unless you live in those states.”

Can someone please give a link to the section of either the U.S Code or the Federal Register which makes buying insurance from another state illegal?

14 posted on 02/25/2010 4:39:47 AM PST by Sandy
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To: Sandy

I don’t know about the regs, but when my sister’s family moved from IA to AZ years ago, they kept property in IA thinking that they could keep the lower premiums and better coverage for her chronic health condition. When the insurance company (operating in both states) found out, they cancelled the IA policy in a heartbeat. That left her with a MUCH higher premium in AZ, no coverage of her “pre-existing” condition, and much less coverage. It was pretty catastrophic for the family and its finances.

Personally, I can see no reason that health insurance should not be handled in the same way as auto insurance or life insurance. The state insurance commissioner still has authority to determine whether or not the companies offering products are legitimate, it lowers costs by increasing competition, and people get to make decisions with their money regarding their medical priorities. Oh, I forgot: Dems don’t want us self-sufficient.


15 posted on 02/25/2010 7:21:21 AM PST by alwaysconservative (If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention.)
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To: Scanian

It is impossible to satisfy everyone.


16 posted on 02/25/2010 7:24:26 AM PST by verity (Obama Lies)
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