Comments on: Uninsured by Choice

By: andersonsmith

andersonsmith — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:45:28 +0000

Health care economists have lately reached a remarkable consensus regarding the best approach to solving these problems. Alternatively called consumer choice, defined contribution, and voucher system. These new approaches explicitly limit the role of purchasers in making health care decisions and put the marketplace power into the hands of consumers. ____________________________ Anderson smith Addiction Recovery Kansas

By: Physicians in Pennsylvania

Physicians in Pennsylvania — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 08:35:20 +0000

Physicians in Pennsylvania

Why didn’t anyone tell me about this blog earlier? Lol. Seriously, awesome work on this post (along with your other posts…) Keep it up!

By: Symptoms of Celiac Disease

Symptoms of Celiac Disease — Fri, 11 May 2007 15:30:24 +0000

“They decline because they are young, feeling that they don’t need it or older and not wanting to pay for it.”

I agree that that a major reason why people are uninsured by choice

By: John

John — Sun, 29 Apr 2007 23:03:34 +0000

I am an insurance broker. I’ve been a proponent for the HSA, as far back as the beginning, when they were known as the MSA. When the MSA arrived, I told people about them and some, some of the people thought it was a lie.

Our current system has some problems of efficiencies and things like pre-existing situations. What will get me on my stump, the stump where I will cry foul is on the uninsured figures we hear from the government.

How many times I can not count, that I’ve had small employers present the idea of health insurance to their employees and the employees decline. They decline because they are young, feeling that they don’t need it or older and not wanting to pay for it.

Just 10 minutes ago I received an e-mail from someone that I had quoted an HSA plan. They finally responded by saying, ” i have put our names on the waiting list for Pennsylvania’s adult basic. it is the only way we can afford insurance”. Their family makes more money than my family but I somehow can pay for my own medial insurance. I don’t have that brand new car like they do and I didn’t take that trip to the Caribbean but I do pay for my own insurance. The previous scenario plays out all the time for me, a small broker. I can only imagine how many times it plays out across the landscape of the entire USA.

So when I hear the 44 million uninsured figure I know…because I know, that many are uninsured by their own choice. I believe that the tide too strong to turn the politicians away from socialized medicine. It will be fitting that those that by choice, refused to pay for health insurance will by law, pay for it through taxes. It is kind of ironic and a fitting end to their false sense of entitlement.

By: Fred Chittenden

Fred Chittenden — Sun, 21 Jan 2007 04:06:57 +0000

The big deal about being uninsured is not that the insured don’t have tax deductible health insurance, but that the politicians haven’t seen fit to grant their health care costs tax deductible equity with those with insurance.

It’s perhaps the largest form of discrimination remaining in the US laws that insurance paid for health care is totally tax deductible, while virtually ALL other forms of paying for health care remain not tax deductible. This includes people who take out loans prior to, or after receiving care. Interest as well as principle isn’t covered while the 15-20% overhead of insurance enjoys tax deductibility. Also included in tax deductibility is the copayments for care not covered by insurance (which discriminates against those with more frugal insurance plans).

The books are heavily stacked against equality in means of health care financing…

By: peter

peter — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 16:33:17 +0000

john goodman receiving the pioneer in health economics award from Consumers for Health Care Choices:

http://www.scribemedia.org/2006/12/17/john-goodman/

By: Matt

Matt — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 20:40:37 +0000

Donna, would that be similar to how you believe juries aren’t smart enough to determine malpractice or the compensation for the harm it causes? In fact, aren’t you one of those “wonks” who expressly advocates to remove those functions from individuals?

By: Donna B. Rovito

Donna B. Rovito — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 15:52:03 +0000

I can see why they don't actually USE the term – "uninsured by choice" would suggest that individuals should HAVE a choice about health care, which most policy "wonks" seem to think they aren't smart enough for…. Donna B. Rovito Editor, Liability Update

By: Don McCanne

Don McCanne — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 15:46:02 +0000

Dr. Goodman, My take on this Urban Institute study was quite different, and anticipated your comments (which you have made previously): http://www.pnhp.org/news/2006/november/can_the_uninsured_af.php I've often tried to visualize any reform on which we could agree. I draw a total blank. Best regards, Don Don McCanne, M.D. Senior Health Policy Fellow Physicians for a National Health Program http://www.pnhp.org

By: Rodney W. Nichols

Rodney W. Nichols — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 15:36:55 +0000

Congrats for YOUR efforts to bring clarity and integrity to the public chattering. Rodney W. Nichols Consultant on Science and Technology Policy