Four Very Good Points From The CBO Report (and why the HCR Bill Will Pass)

[berni_mccoy]

1. It extends Medicare solvency by 9 years
2. No more gap in Medicare prescription coverage (the ol' donut hole is closed)
3. It reduces the deficit (what many of the undecided blue-dogs were waiting for on this final version) by $130 billion in the first ten years and 1.3 TRILLION in the next ten.
4. It provides access to health care for 32 million more Americans.

from: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/3/18/847395/-BREAKING:-CBO-ON-HEALTHCARE-OUT!-And-its-GOOD-NEWS

Vote is scheduled for Sunday at Noon.

[Beetwasher]

1. Home Stretch, Baby!

:woohoo:

[ShortnFiery]

2. This is only the beginning. We don't "win" until Congress passes a viable PUBLIC OPTION. eom

[berni_mccoy]

6. I agree, this is not everything that is needed. But it is a start.

[ShortnFiery]

7. We have to keep Congress "on task."

At least on this issue, we agree. :hi:

[zipplewrath]

13. Dream on

When this is over, there will be very little interest in any more effort on health care or health insurance. How are those NAFTA fixes coming along?

[Beetwasher]

11. It's All Good

That would make it better, but it's still damn good and we all win, regardless.

[yodermon]

3. no PO in the one the CBO scored, correct? n/t

[berni_mccoy]

8. Not to my knowledge. I still don't understand the rumors about the PO being in it

or that the Dems are trying to sneak one through. Doesn't seem plausible.

Unfortunately, the closest we'll get to a PO are the state-based exchanges. I wish the anti-trust exemption had been removed.

[NYC_SKP]

9. Exchanges will include non-profits and CO-OPs instead. Not bad, IMO.

...American Health Benefit Exchanges
States will create the American Health Benefits Exchanges where individuals can purchase insurance and separate exchanges for small employers to purchase insurance. These new marketplaces will provide consumers with information to enable them to choose among plans. Premium and cost‐sharing subsidies will be available to make coverage more affordable.

* Access to Exchanges will be limited to U.S. citizens and legal immigrants and subsidies will only be available to those without other coverage or whose share of the premium for coverage offered by an employer exceeds 9.8% of their income. Small businesses with up to 100 employees can purchase coverage through the Exchange.

* Although there will not be a public plan option in the Exchanges, the Office of Personnel Management,which administers the Federal Employees Health Benefit Program, will contract with private insurers to offer at least two multi‐state plans in each Exchange, including at least one offered by a non‐profit entity. In addition, funds will be made available to establish non‐profit, member‐run health insurance CO‐OPs in each state.

* Plans in the Exchanges will be required to offer benefits that meet a minimum set of standards. Insurers will offer four levels of coverage that vary based on premiums, out‐of‐pocket costs, and benefits beyond the minimum required plus a catastrophic coverage plan.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7943735

[cilla4progress]

18. I'm thinkin' and hopin'

Obama and team are going to show us how to maximize use and access once it's in place.

Tell me again: WHY ARE THE REPUBLICANS SO DUG IN AGAINST THIS? Boehner: "it will never ever EVER pass..." Is it all binary for them? Win-lose? Or do they actually have a reason? Shit, it can't be that this hurts private insurers, as it delivers them up all those additional customers...

[yodermon]

23. "non‐profit entity"??? Blue Cross NC is a "non-profit entity"

:puke:

[NJmaverick]

4. K & R for the factual truth

[NYC_SKP]

5. I want to add that the pre-existing exemption begins with children only, but expands to all.

This seems to have been a sticking point for some.

Let's see, what else?

Oh, exchanges will include at least two multi-state non-profits and funds for CO-OPs, so the argument about lining the pockets of HC Industry executives is kinda weak.

:kick:

[berni_mccoy]

10. There is the high-risk pool for adults with PEC

however, they are limits on that as well as have been pointed out here. For example, the high-risk pool may not start for 90 days after the bill is passed; there are eligibility requirements as well (i.e. a 6-month gap between being covered by an exchange-based plan which means people may need to pay full premiums, i.e. COBRA, for that time period).

[Beetwasher]

14. Two NP's On Exchanges??? Oh, That's Good!

I can't wait to dig into all the details! I'll bet there's lot's of good stuff in there. It will be a damn solid foundation!

Let me tell you what's going to happen; the exchanges are going to very successful and they WILL be EXPANDED so that most people and businessess get their insurance through the exchanges.

The foot's in the door.

[NYC_SKP]

15. That's my take, too. More and more will go toward the NPs and CO-OPs...

And the competition is gonna be deadly to the HC industry.

But we're going to have to be vigilant that the powers that be don't successfully sabotage these.

We thought we'd have electric cars in California and that didn't happen due to the efforts of many private and public entities.

:patriot:

[dkf]

16. Didn't I see articles on the outlandish salaries CEOs of non profits are making?

Non profit doesn't mean there are no crazy abuses of compensation

[Beetwasher]

22. Didn't I See An Article Claiming People Who Post Nonsensical Bullshit On The Internet

Without back up have mental problems? I'm sure I saw that somewhere. :eyes:

I answer to the question about you seeing an article; the answer is no, you saw no such article, you just made it up.

[zipplewrath]

12. Buzztt. No, thank you for playing

4. It provides access to health care for 32 million more Americans.

It mandates access to health INSURANCE. There is no requirement for them to actually recieve, nor have access to, health CARE. Even those additions to medicaid are going to find out how few medical services will be open to them, especially in more rural areas.

[rocktivity]

17. Does it still mandate that those 32 million Americans to pay for their access

with money they don't have in this economy? And isn't the total number of U.S. ununsured closer to 45 million?

:eyes:
rocktivity

[zipplewrath]

19. Some will be exempt

There is a small class of people who are exempt from the mandate. It is based upon a certain combination of income and insurance costs. But if your income is too high, but the costs of insurance additionally too high, they'll allow you to go without insurance.

[Ozymanithrax]

21. It doesn't mandate 32 million pay for acess...

People who qualify for Medicaid (the working poor and poor famlies), Medicare, who have health insurance through an employer, or COBRA because they are out of work, and people who purchase an individual plan will not pay the mandate. From what I have seen, it makes it much more difficult for employers to simply not offer health care. Such companiees pay a penalty.

Only those people who refuse to get health care of any kind at all and choose to take their chances will pay the mandate. It will be interesting to see howmany actually do that.

[NYC_SKP]

20. potaato potahto.

Insurance is the access point to care, unless you're indigent or use cash.

Before you go on about this, yes, insurance, when it sucks does, not ensure care will be provided.

That's what most of the other 2300 pages are about.

If we were to mandate people to buy insurance without these other informs you'd be absolutely right, insurance is not the same as care.

But the "reform" part seeks to change that.

By the way, Medicare doesn't automatically lead to care either.

Trust me, I've been managing the HC affairs of both parents for a couple years and have more experience with Medicare than I ever wanted to have.

:donut:

[zipplewrath]

28. Seeks?

The reform "seeks" to change that? It is very specific about the penalty for not buying insurance. But it "seeks" to change access? How? CHC's? They already exist. Where is the effort that anyway matches the give away to the insurance industry or Big Pharma? No, maybe it is in the abortion restrictions.

[Fire1]

24. Long overdue! n/t

[leftstreet]

25. Anyone have a link for the CBO scoring on Single Payer?

:shrug:

[NYC_SKP]

26. Yes, leftstreet. I have it for you. The server is very busy, however.

I've been sitting on it.

http://www.cbo.gov/

It's a pdf on the left of the page.

:P

[slipslidingaway]

27. The Dems never bothered, if they did it might enter the discussion. :( n/t