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04-17-2012, 06:23 PM
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The other thing that Obamacare supporters ignore and outright refuse to learn about is that since 1976, individual states--now numbering 35 states-- HAVE high-risk health insurance pools for people who cannot get private insurance because of pre-existing conditions, or for having exhausted lifetime limits, etc. etc.!!!!
"Since the first state high-risk health insurance plans were established in Connecticut and Minnesota in 1976, risk pools have grown in number and have evolved in their role in addressing inequities and inadequacies of the health care system.
Today, risk pools are accepted, proven programs that serve special needs, and contribute an element of stability in key individual markets of the insurance system.
Health insurance risk pools serve two primary roles-- they provide a means for guaranteed access to insurance, that enables individuals to protect themselves from catastrophic medical bills; and they are increasingly recognized for the role they play in helping to keep the individual insurance markets viable for companies to continue to compete in.
About Pools
Health insurance risk pools are special programs created by state legislatures to provide a safety net for the "medically uninsurable" population. These are people who have been denied health insurance coverage because of a pre-existing health condition, or who can only access private coverage that is restricted or has extremely high rates.
Each of the state risk pool-type programs is different. Generally, the programs operate as a state-created nonprofit association overseen by a board of directors made up of industry, consumer and state insurance department representatives. The board contracts with an established insurance company to collect premiums and pay claims and administer the program on a day-to-day basis.
Insurance benefits vary, but risk pools typically offer benefits that are comparable to basic private market plans -- 80/20 major medical and outpatient coverage, a choice of deductible and co-payments. Maximum lifetime benefits vary by state from as low as $350,000 to $2 million."
Read more: About Pools
See States with High-Risk Pools:
States with Pools
See State-by-State Analysis in 2010 in free report sections here:
***Especially see "Claims as a Percent of Premium", and "Sources of Funding" 2010, to see the premium to claims ratio (claims paid out exceed premiums received in almost all states), and how in most states, ASSESSMENTS to insurance companies balance that ratio and pool funding!
Quick Checks
Now....After reading these links and their subsection links, would somebody then explain why we need a new 2,000-page federal law, without known costs and without knowing what the taxpayer will pay for in it......to cover the uninsurable population in the 15 states that do not have a state pool like these listed above??
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