You do realize that everything you’re citing now is after many of the changes that ObamaCare has brought in?
That only NOW are pre-existing conditions covered that were acquired before the person turned 19?
That I’m talking about what we had BEFORE ObamaCare?
That COBRA and high-risk pools are now better federally subsidized AT THIS TIME?
Everything that I’ve been talking about is from the years of desperate research I’ve been doing to better prepare my son for his life as a chronically ill adult.
Long stretches of unemployment and loss of coverage because he’s too sick to work, but it’s not permanent enough to qualify him for disability. Health insurance that makes you wait months or even years before they’ll cover pre-existing conditions. Adults who can’t get insurance because of a birth defect that was corrected or an illness that they beat as a child.
These are the realities.
So you can do all the research you want, but you won’t be addressing the basic question: “Once we repeal ObamaCare, what are we going to do to address these very real problems? What do we put in it’s place?”
And I’m not even getting into the issue of the single adult man who loses his job, has a heart attack and can’t get coverage once he recovers and tries to get back on his feet.
Do NOT think that I’m arguing for ObamaCare. I think that it’s a horrible plan. But there were problems that have been addressed by it.
“You do realize that everything you’re citing now is after many of the changes that ObamaCare has brought in?”
No, wrong. Texas’ high risk pool has been in business since the late 1990s. HIPAA (which started the ball rolling toward portability of coverage) was passed in 1996. HIPAA provided that anyone with continuous coverage (or with a break of 63 days or less) could not be excluded for pre-existing conditions, or subject to a waiting period.
“That COBRA and high-risk pools are now better federally subsidized AT THIS TIME?”
I don't think COBRA is federally-subsidized. State-run high risk pools have generally been subsidized, either by in-state insurance companies, or directly by the state government. That's part and parcel of the high risk pools. Part of the original concept.
I understand your difficulties and am sympathetic, but frankly, most of what you're posting just isn't true, or is badly distorted.
COBRA has been around for decades, HIPAA (which is first and foremost about health insurance policy portability - that's what the "P" in HIPAA stands for) for nearly 20 years, and subsidized high risk pools since at least the ‘90s.
Even WITH HIPAA, it's been tough for folks who aren't continuously employed, that's true.
However, if you would ACTUALLY READ Gov. Romney's website, greater insurance policy portability is ALSO addressed by Gov. Romney's proposals. He has a number of policy points that play into this issue, but two key ones are:
“- End tax discrimination against the individual purchase of insurance
“- Allow consumers to purchase insurance across state lines”
Sen. McCain also proposed these in 2008. The Kenyan anti-Christ badly, knowingly lied about the first point, and Sen. McCain didn't respond adequately to all the lies. But it is truly key in separating out employment from health insurance, and permitting true portability of health insurance.
Frankly, having had to follow this issue fairly closely for nearly 30 years, and having someone in my family who would generally be “uninsurable,” I'm fairly pleased Gov. Romney's health care proposals. As any conservative would be, who took the time to actually read his website’s page on the issue.
sitetest