For years, we’ve been hearing people claim that they want the same plan that fed employees & congress gets. This IS the same plan that they get. It will be a cafeteria-type plan where you can choose your benefits. If I read it right, there will be a market available if you wish to purchase additional coverages.
However, the two things I would add to this are the following:
1. Ryan’s plan should be tested at the state level, in several regions of the country, to iron out the problems. Pilot programs.
2. Starting at age 18, I’d immediately institute a HSA program. A % of earnings deposited into a HSA to cover present & future healthcare, tax shielded. No death panels, full choice of doctors, etc.
My sweetie was apprehensive back in 2008 (during the election) when I suggested he should enter the HSA program at work, rather than traditional insurance. Finally, in 2010 he had to, as the premiums were chewing up too much of his paycheck to make ends meet.
He absolutely LOVES it. He is saving 30% on his health care bill, and this is a widower with 4 school aged kids. It’s blissfully simple, he keeps his own doctors (his doctors love it too). To the best of my knowledge, HSAs are the only system that actually brings costs down.
Btw, this is the one strong area for Mitch Daniels. I believe he converted his state Medicaid program to HSAs and they have been a hit.
HSA’s are indeed a large part of the answer. Dubya was touting them as best he could for years, so has Rush. They just make sense.