No cost for preventive care????

[Chris the CPA]

High Five



You do realize that those already exists right?

That is misleading in that a doctor will not turn you away if you can pay out of pocket in the US. In other countries the death panels control access to doctors even if you can pay out of pocket. That is when those people come to the broken down crappy system in the good ole US of A to receive their live saving treatments.

 

[Anne34]

We still pay co-pays for well visits. We have Blue Cross and have hefty premiums, the co-pays go up every year, etc..... Don't think it will get any better with Obamacare.

 

[Acklander]

We still pay co-pays for well visits. We have Blue Cross and have hefty premiums, the co-pays go up every year, etc..... Don't think it will get any better with Obamacare.

Since the affordable care act limits how much insurance companies can charge for overhead/profits this should help with slowing the increases. I know several people who have already received refunds because of the limits.

 

[mks18412]

Just read an article that said 13 percent of businesses will cease to carry healthcare for their employees bc they cant afford it. It would be cheaper to pay the tax. Thats is what irks me the most. Yes, everyone should have healthcare, but not to extinct of jepordizing peoples jobs. This is far from free healthcare. Its costing trillions of dollars and peoples jobs. Trillions of dollars we dont have, this will affect many generations. What happened to a choice? You either get hc or pay a tax, really, this obsurd. If they can tax you on not having hc what else can they tax you on??? There are tons of people who will rego getting the hc and pay the tax bc its way cheaper to pay the 2k a year. This is not a very popular agenga.

 

[Acklander]

Just read an article that said 13 percent of businesses will cease to carry healthcare for their employees bc they cant afford it. It would be cheaper to pay the tax. Thats is what irks me the most. Yes, everyone should have healthcare, but not to extinct of jepordizing peoples jobs. This is far from free healthcare. Its costing trillions of dollars and peoples jobs. Trillions of dollars we dont have, this will affect many generations. What happened to a choice? You either get hc or pay a tax, really, this obsurd. If they can tax you on not having hc what else can they tax you on??? There are tons of people who will rego getting the hc and pay the tax bc its way cheaper to pay the 2k a year. This is not a very popular agenga.

This makes no sense whatsoever. If a business is exempt from offering an employee plan (not enough employees or whatever) they previously had the choice of offering insurance for xxx amount of dollars or offering nothing for free. Why would they drop the insurance to pay a tax instead, when previously they could have dropped it for free? If they were looking for the cheaper option, wouldn't they have done that already???

 

[Jenny3]

Since the affordable care act limits how much insurance companies can charge for overhead/profits this should help with slowing the increases. I know several people who have already received refunds because of the limits.

Yep, I just got a check for $194 last week because of the 80/20 law.

IMO, one of the biggest issues with our health care system is that it is so closely tied into employment. I can't tell you how many people I know stay in their horrible jobs or are too afraid to venture out on their own because of health care costs.

 

[Chris the CPA]

Yep, I just got a check for $194 last week because of the 80/20 law.

IMO, one of the biggest issues with our health care system is that it is so closely tied into employment. I can't tell you how many people I know stay in their horrible jobs or are too afraid to venture out on their own because of health care costs.

Have you ever received a refund from other insurance (besides when cancelling)? You transfered the risk but you got a refund back. So basically you received services without paying for them.

You can buy insurance outside of their employers. It is just cheaper because your risk pool is larger and you have more buying power with a larger group.

 

[Acklander]

Have you ever received a refund from other insurance (besides when cancelling)? You transfered the risk but you got a refund back. So basically you received services without paying for them.

You can buy insurance outside of their employers. It is just cheaper because your risk pool is larger and you have more buying power with a larger group.

Not always. When I went out on my own I wasn't able to buy insurance because I had cancer when I was in my early 20's? It wasn't easy for many.

 

[mks18412]

This makes no sense whatsoever. If a business is exempt from offering an employee plan (not enough employees or whatever) they previously had the choice of offering insurance for xxx amount of dollars or offering nothing for free. Why would they drop the insurance to pay a tax instead, when previously they could have dropped it for free? If they were looking for the cheaper option, wouldn't they have done that already???

How does this not make sense??? I dont think you are comprehending what I am saying.

 

[skhermsmeyer]

A lot of insurance companies already paid for preventive care, but the definition of what is preventive varies a lot. For example, my insurance has covered annual gyn exams and labs for years, but something like an annual skin cancer screening (which is also preventive) wasn't covered and still isn't. They added adult vaccines last year because they were going to have to anyway with healthcare reform and this year included birth control. So, no, it isn't your doctor's office at all. It is your insurance company probably adopting changes they are going to have to down the road anyway.

I never looked at this care as free, I'm already paying health insurance premiums....the cost is covered in those fees.

+1 might I add very high premiums for minimal family coverage

All of this. Our well visits are supposed to be 100% covered, like our shots, kids wellness visits, etc. But our physicals (DH & I) and my annual check up aren't considered "well/preventive" visits based on how the DR's office CODES them.

Needless to say, I haven't been in a few years (we hardly EVER go to the dr. We just ride out the illness).

 

[disneysteve]

Our well visits are supposed to be 100% covered, like our shots, kids wellness visits, etc. But our physicals (DH & I) and my annual check up aren't considered "well/preventive" visits based on how the DR's office CODES them.

I'm not directing this at you personally but this made me think of something else. Some patients who know they get an annual well visit "free" will neglect coming in for regular visits for their chronic health problems and assume they can all be addressed at the well visit, thus avoiding a copay. Sorry, but it just doesn't work that way. That visit will get coded based on what diagnoses were addressed and what services were provided. If all that was done was an annual physical, that's how it gets coded. If 4 other things were taken care of, that's what will get coded.

 

[Jenny3]

Have you ever received a refund from other insurance (besides when cancelling)? You transfered the risk but you got a refund back. So basically you received services without paying for them.

You can buy insurance outside of their employers. It is just cheaper because your risk pool is larger and you have more buying power with a larger group.

I don't think it's a bad thing to require companies to spend at least 80% of the money they make from customer premiums on things that will actually improve the quality of health care, rather than shoving it in the CEO's pockets or other non-health care related things like advertising. I'm glad insurance companies are being held accountable.

I wouldn't say I didn't pay for any services; $600 a month for lousy insurance that didn't cover squat with high co-pays and a high deductible. This was a private policy, btw, as my husband was an independent contractor at the time. It was a nightmare to even get covered; the application and underwriting process was ridiculous. Not only did they triple my 2 y/o son's rate, they outright denied me at first.

Yes, employee insurance is MUCH cheaper and so much better because of the risk pool and buying power. Which is why there should be a public option so those that are independent contractors or under-employed can take advantage of those benefits. My husband is now employed and we pay $60/week for excellent coverage. Thank God.

Experiencing the differences between private insurance and employee insurance really opened my eyes to what a mess the system is. It's no wonder to me at all why people choose to go uninsured and rely on the system if they are not lucky enough to work full time for a company with benefits. A plan comparable to what we have now would have cost us about $1200/mo.

 

[sanfran22]

I hope no one really thinks these are "free". Someone is and will pay for it somewhere down the line.

 

[IDoDis]

I hope no one really thinks these are "free". Someone is and will pay for it somewhere down the line.

We pay almost $600 a month through our public school employer, so I'd hardly consider the preventative care as being "free." However it is nice not to have a co-pay for these visits. Yesterday I took DD 16 for her well visit & physical that she needed for school sports. Next week I have my yearly visit with my gynecologist and separate mammogram appointment. Last month I had my yearly check- up with my primary doctor, and yesterday DH and I had to go in for bio-screenings which is required for the insurance premiums to not increase (finger pokes to check cholesterol, blood pressure, weight, BMI, etc.).

Our premiums have not gone up in 3 years, but the hospital co-pay doubled 2 years ago. So it's obvious that preventative care is what our employer pushes with the no-cost visits, yet a huge ding if you are hospitalized. The no-cost preventative visits have saved us a lot of money.

 

[Chris the CPA]

I don't think it's a bad thing to require companies to spend at least 80% of the money they make from customer premiums on things that will actually improve the quality of health care, rather than shoving it in the CEO's pockets or other non-health care related things like advertising. I'm glad insurance companies are being held accountable.

I wouldn't say I didn't pay for any services; $600 a month for lousy insurance that didn't cover squat with high co-pays and a high deductible. This was a private policy, btw, as my husband was an independent contractor at the time. It was a nightmare to even get covered; the application and underwriting process was ridiculous. Not only did they triple my 2 y/o son's rate, they outright denied me at first.

Yes, employee insurance is MUCH cheaper and so much better because of the risk pool and buying power. Which is why there should be a public option so those that are independent contractors or under-employed can take advantage of those benefits. My husband is now employed and we pay $60/week for excellent coverage. Thank God.

Experiencing the differences between private insurance and employee insurance really opened my eyes to what a mess the system is. It's no wonder to me at all why people choose to go uninsured and rely on the system if they are not lucky enough to work full time for a company with benefits. A plan comparable to what we have now would have cost us about $1200/mo.

First, they are accountable to their shareholders. Insurance is a business and their first priority is to make money for their shareholders. Improving the quality of healthcare could be a secondary priority or could not be a priority. The board controls the compensation of a CEO and often time that has stock options included so the actual cash paid is not what is reported.

If you could buy private insurance across state lines like you can with auto insurance then it would be considerably lower. However, since most people are insured they their employers the risk pool is much smaller for private insurers and they must be considerably more strict in underwriting.

Your plan that you have with your employer probably does cost $1,200 a month. You employer is paying the difference. See what it would cost for you to buy that policy through COBRA and you will have a truer cost comparison.

If an insurance company has to pay 80% in claims that only leaves 20% for administrative cost(salaries, benefits, systems, building, etc.) and profit. Most insurance companies net profit is usually less than 5%.

 

[disneysteve]

Improving the quality of healthcare could be a secondary priority or could not be a priority.

If an insurance company has to pay 80% in claims that only leaves 20% for administrative cost(salaries, benefits, systems, building, etc.) and profit.

Improving the quality of healthcare frequently reduces the cost of providing that care. I'm involved in a couple of major initiatives to do just that. The goal isn't to cut costs just for the sake of cutting costs. The goal is to reduce inefficiencies, identify best practices, streamline operations and, in the process, improve care while reducing healthcare spending. That's really where things are heading.

 

[Minnesota!]

This has been the case for my insurance for as long as I have carried it myself (15 years). We have never had a copay for well child, yearly physicals, and after my first appointment each pregnancy...no copay..

 

[Acklander]

First, they are accountable to their shareholders. Insurance is a business and their first priority is to make money for their shareholders. Improving the quality of healthcare could be a secondary priority or could not be a priority. The board controls the compensation of a CEO and often time that has stock options included so the actual cash paid is not what is reported.


.

And this is exactly why so many want a public option. When profits take priority over lives we've lost sight of what's important.

 

[fakereadhed]

And this is exactly why so many want a public option. When profits take priority over lives we've lost sight of what's important.

Of course it's about profits. That's how insurance works. Insurance reform was sold as "healthcare" but it isn't. That would be like calling car insurance "car care" and making Progressive pay for my oil changes. Two different businesses.
That wouldn't have anything but a negative impact on auto insurance costs.

 

[disneysteve]

When profits take priority over lives we've lost sight of what's important.

Insurance companies are finally starting to realize that better care is actually cheaper care, so profit isn't such an evil thing. Many insurers are starting to team up with doctors and hospitals to improve quality of care, improve outcomes and, in the process, reduce costs. The one thing that neither the doctors nor the insurers can fix, however, is the malpractice system. There needs to be reform there so that doctors stop being forced to practice defensive medicine, racking up billions of dollars in unnecessary tests and procedures in the process.