Health "reform"

[freyley]

So it seems one of the current healthcare bill being considered is one with an individual mandate and no public option. This means that you, yes, you (and definitely me) would be required to purchase health insurance, whether you can afford it or not, from the companies that will not, currently, sell you health insurance. I'm really angry about it

Comments

[vrimj]

*nod*

I am confused and upset about how that would even begin to work

[daniel_t_miles]

I don't know what if anything Wyden had to do with the text of this bill but, you've just described his "Free Choice Proposal."

[sweetbenny]

Would the bill also force Insurance Companies to accept people with pre-existing conditions? Or would we just get a industry of insurance companies that sell you "insurance."*

*=Something that looks like insurance on paper but won't actually help you if you get sick.

[freyley]

There are two additional features that are sometimes included in the "we might pass this?" trial balloons: no more pre-existing condition exclusions, and no more rescission (where they find an excuse to end your coverage as soon as you get sick).

A problem, however: let's say you've got a company making a profit, and you tell them: you, you have to take people, regardless of how expensive they're going to be to you (pre-existing conditions) and you have to cover them, regardless of how long they stay expensive (rescission). But they have to buy your insurance, or they're breaking the law.

Every single insurance company out there is going to raise its rates in response to that. Probably by a lot.