Posted on 05/18/2010 6:24:11 AM PDT by C19fan
When MassCare passed, it was supposed to lower the average cost of health care by getting relatively cheap young people into the system, and ending the inefficiencies of caring for the uninsured. Unfortunately, it hasn't quite worked out that way. The bill for the uninsured only dropped by about 40%; the young, cheap people turned out to almost all need subsidies, and worse, some of them figured out how to game the system by buying insurance, getting a bunch of expensive procedures, and then dropping the insurance again. There was a brief improvement in insurance prices for the individual market, because Massachusetts, with its community rating and guaranteed issue, had had a pretty sizable problem with adverse selection. But after a few years, insurance costs were still marching briskly upward, rates were among the highest in the country, and the system was putting heavy pressure on a budget that was already strained to the limit by the recession.
(Excerpt) Read more at theatlantic.com ...
This law was not well researched before being enacted. But then, that happens in MA often - especially when it comes to insurance - any type of insurance.
Why do Bay State voters keep returning so many boobs to the legislature? Idiots. They deserve what they get.
Of course Romney knew what would happen, he is a liberal. He has praised his plan. Why anyone would be surprised that this disaster in MA is going on, surprises me.
Romney has got to go.
Romney would appear to have fallen victim to Beltway Republican thinking. “We have to do SOMETHING! We can’t let them say we are the Party of No”.
Party of No works just fine where I am concerned.
I worked in engineering a long time and I never heard this. Not only that, I don't get it.
Unintended consequences? How surprising and unexpected!
So in other words, everything is going according to the plan.
Those dastardly insurere are losing their shirts. No doubt that warms the hearts of socialists state wide.
And of course the end game will be single payer.
I’m in engineering too, and I have heard that saying.
The intended meaning is “you can have 2 out of 3, but not all 3”.
It’s generally the lament of people who spend all their time sitting on their @sses rather than actually doing the job. :)
I can give you high quality widgets. Great warranty on this product, because these babies will never break down on you.
I can give ramp up production, and get 1000 widgets moving out of the factory a day, as much as you possibly sell.
I can produce widgets are phenomenally low prices too.
The thing is, I cannot do all three of these things. That would be economically impossible and would put me out of business. I can, however, do any two of these things -- you just have to tell me which two.
As an example with health care: I can provide vast amounts of health care, and I can provide is super cheap! But the quality will be frightening.
Or
I can provide vast amounts of health care, with quality second to none in the world! but the price? Hoo-boy!!!!! Don't ask!
Does anyone think that 0bamacare will be different?
Damn unintended consequences.
Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)
Its hard to believe it worked out this way considering the earlier predictions were based on a scientific statistical study. Everyone know that statistics are never wrong.
Sounds to me like problem is government price fixing... Could someone remind me again about the last time wage and price controls created a desirable effect?
Thanks, Mitt.
So, is good and cheap not really an option?
Health care example: My clinic specializes in caring for men in their 20s and 30s. The staff is excellent and the cost is pretty minimal. That's because men in their 20s and 30s have rather limited need for health care. So, good and cheap has been achieved.
But I cannot scale this up and take care of everyone in the population. My model only works on a very specific, very small scale.
You can have good and cheap. But it will take a lond time to get it.
Exclusive prep schools, Stanford, Harvard law and MBA.
So, stupid is ruled out.
It's an option, it just won't be fast.
I liked the GOP when it was the party of ideas, and they were clobbering the Dems in the elections.
I guess no one figured that the GOP would simply self destruct.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.