The Connector Board yesterday moved forward with plans to introduce “competition” into the bidding process for insurers selling to those buying coverage within Commonwealth Care (CommCare).
CommCare: more than 160,000 residents – individuals who earn less than $31,000 a year or families of four that earn less than $66,000 and have no access to insurance through an employer or through Medicaid – obtain fully or partially subsidized health care at a projected cost of $822 million to taxpayers this fiscal year. (adapted from SHNS, 2/10/11)
For some, myself included, a chuckle escapes whenever the word competition is raised as a novel cost saving method, and we shrug our shoulders wondering why this is new concept to the Connector. Simultaneously, we wait to get the full details because we know there will be strings and mandates to follow.
But first things first. I welcome any talk of competition at the Connector, because they have been behind the eight ball on this front. Instead, the history of implementation of the health care law has focused on standardization and raising the cost of insurance by minimum coverage mandates.
My initial concerns with this “novel and innovative plan”….. click for more: http://bit.ly/hMazxk
A family of four, with self-employed parents or parents who work for an employer without health insurance, who earn $67,000.00 can expect to pay $1600.00 a month – or more if they want truly good coverage. That comes to $19,200.00 in after tax income, or roughly 1/3 of their income.
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p>How do I know? I am self employed, and for a fairly stripped down policy, for just myself and my husband, the connector had ZERO and there is ZERO subsidy. Thankfully, I own and operate a small professional office – i.e. I work in the dreaded private sector – and with the assistance of the Massachusetts Business Association I pay $1003.00 per month for my husband and I, with co-pays, deductibles, etc. – but as even a minor event such as pain from a herniated disc and MRIs can run $7000 in a community hospital (forget the Partners Healthcare level costs), we do at least have catastrophic coverage. However, 90% of the time we won’t use $1000.00 worth of healthcare in a given month – so the winners in Mass Healthcare Roulette are the insurance companies, including sucking down $822,000,000.00 in taxpayer dollars.
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p>Remember, health insurance is NOT the same as access to needed healthcare.