Quote Originally Posted by sicknesscity:
I know this will fall on deaf ears but I actually read an article months
ago about allowing insurance companies to sell across state lines. You
see, I originally thought it'd make sense because it'd foster
competition and eventually result in better prices for people. However,
the article, which was rather lengthy, suggested a strong possibility
is that a disproportional amount of coverage will end up occurring in
areas. The reason is that insurance companies will only be competitive
in areas they believe will garner enough business. So there's a strong
chance that many areas will be completely ignored and the lowering of
costs won't happen. I never say much positive about Trump, for good
reason, but at least this will test out how the insurance companies will
react and whether it's beneficial or not. My hunch is that rural areas will probably get screwed and costs will go up. Let's hope I'm wrong.
There are currently several states that do allow selling across state lines. I'm guessing most people, including POTUS, are not aware of this either. What has happened in those states is that nobody is selling insurance to anyone across state lines. Why? Answer is pretty simple. If your insurance company is in one state, it's expensive and it takes a lot of time to set up a chain of hospitals, doctors, doctors offices, dentists, eye doctors, specialists, etc. So why would an insurance company put all the time and effort into setting up in another state when there's no way they'll turn a profit with all the money and time they have to invest?
So you make it easier for insurance companies to sell across state lines, but even if they do sell across state lines they aren't going to be able to offer the customer anything better than insurance companies inside that persons state. Just cause insurance companies CAN sell across state lines doesn't equal better prices.
The theory of selling across state lines is actually implemented right now, and nobody is using it because it is ineffective. But explaining it like that isn't sexy in a tweet. Pe
"Letting insurance companies sell across state lines will save the consumer lots of money" sounds awesome!!! Except it's an empty promise. That system already exists, and its a failure.
The insurance plans he speaks of for small businesses and individuals are what we had before the ACA. They are insurance plans that insure people who aren't in big pools. When he says individuals and small businesses can get into big pools, that is a myth. Insurance companies don't trust "big pools" of people from different businesses or individuals. They provide big business these group rates because corporations can afford to pay the high rates. The only way they trust these "big pools" made up of small businesses and individuals is if they are made up of young, healthy people, with no preexisting conditions. And since there aren't going to be big pools like that, all the people who need insurance, like the ones who are older than 35 and have a preexisting condition are put into their own pool.
The plans these pools get are fairly inexpensive and they cover everything except pre-existing conditions, doctors visits, x-rays, birth control, hospital visits, ambulance rides, prescriptions, specialists, MRI's, chiropractors, dentists, eye doctors, ear doctors, surgeries, prenatal care, pregnancies, hospice, nursing, mental health, preventive care, emergencies, heart attacks, strokes, organ disease, immediate care, and anything associated with a spouse or child. Other than that, you're covered.
Make no mistake about it...this isn't a healthcare plan. It's a system of things to make the ACA markets unstable. The markets were actually pretty stable, not ideal, but doing OK until all the talk of Repeal and Replace. Insurance companies had to set rates for next year already, and the markets hate uncertainty, so rates went up. All these moves will make rates go even higher so POTUS can actually force the ACA markets to falter. If he gets what he wants, the markets will falter, and he will be able to claim that the ACA failed. In the meantime, millions will lose their insurance that actually covers them, and they will be forced to get insurance that doesn't cover them, but it will be much less expensive.
Who does this affect the most? People with pre-existing conditions, small businesses, individuals at companies without a group plan, and poor people.
The one thing that this regime has not done is actually talk to ACA recipients and ask their feelings on it. Except they did it once, here in my state of Indiana in July. I invite people who don't like the ACA to read this Facebook post from the Indiana GOP who asked people to post their ACA nightmares.
https://www.facebook.com/indgop/photos/a.10150239544016875.315511.54312801874/10154523183266875/?type=3&theater