Do Rates Matter?

[JMO Fan]

Research says health rates don't matter much

Price Cuts Add Few To Ranks Of Insured; Study Says Costs Just One Hurdle To Health Coverage
[FONT=tahoma,helvetica]Copyright 2007 Gannett Company, Inc.All Rights Reserved USA TODAY Julie Appleby [/FONT]

[FONT=tahoma,helvetica]A 50% cut in health insurance premiums would only reduce the number of uninsured Americans by 3%, estimates a Rand study out Monday, which suggests that incentives and government tax cuts won't lead to universal coverage. [/FONT]
[FONT=tahoma,helvetica]Instead, a federal requirement that all people have insurance may be the only way to achieve such a goal, says study author Susan Marquis, an economist at Rand, a think tank. [/FONT]
[FONT=tahoma,helvetica]...[/FONT]
[FONT=tahoma,helvetica]The study, published online Monday in the journal Health Services Research, says cost is just one obstacle to health coverage, with many uninsured citing other barriers, such as the hassle factor of buying insurance, the desire to spend money on other things or a belief that coverage is not necessary. [/FONT]

[FONT=tahoma,helvetica]"A lot of people aren't willing to pay for insurance; they have other things they feel are a priority," Marquis says. [/FONT]
[FONT=tahoma,helvetica]The study found consumers generally prefer health insurance with lower deductibles, even if they have to pay higher premiums. [/FONT]
[FONT=tahoma,helvetica]Still, cutting by 20% the amount of the annual deductible, which is what policyholders pay before benefits begin, would increase the likelihood of uninsured purchasing the policy by less than half a percent. [/FONT]
[FONT=tahoma,helvetica]"Price does matter, but it matters less than many people would hope," Marquis says. [/FONT]
[FONT=tahoma,helvetica]Copyright © 2007 LexisNexis, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. [/FONT]
[FONT=tahoma,helvetica]Terms and Conditions Privacy Policy [/FONT]

So what should government do? What should insurers do? What should agents do?

 

[BKrocko]

"...cost is just one obstacle to health coverage, with many uninsured citing other barriers, such as the hassle factor of buying insurance, the desire to spend money on other things or a belief that coverage is not necessary"....""A lot of people aren't willing to pay for insurance; they have other things they feel are a priority,..."

This is one of the few times I have seen an honest report. Let's see if any of the well known media outlets pick up on it. They like to present it as people being uninsured due to anything other than personal choice.

The only thing we can do is lead a horse to water. Some people will only get insured if it if free, and then proceed to abuse it. I think if that is the solution, make it so that those folks can only seek treatment at "City General Hospital" and have to wait in line with the crack heads, drunks and street walkers. People with private individual coverage will continue to gain access to the better treatment centers. You get what you pay for.

 

[Pre-Paid Legal]

What should agents do?

Take them to court on behalf of their clients. And for $25 a month it can be that easy.

 

[BKrocko]

Take them to court on behalf of their clients. And for $25 a month it can be that easy.

Troll :bump:

 

[senior-advisor-indiana]

. Why are they letting him roam around here?

 

[Pre-Paid Legal]

Do you need travel insurance. I can get you hooked up with IMG.

. Why are they letting him roam around here?

 

[newmindfashion]

I assume you're kidding. Its doubtful that anyone on this board needs help w/ being set up with IMG.

 

[Frank Stastny]

...They like to present it as people being uninsured due to anything other than personal choice.

The only thing we can do is lead a horse to water. Some people will only get insured if it if free, and then proceed to abuse it. I think if that is the solution, make it so that those folks can only seek treatment at "City General Hospital" and have to wait in line with the crack heads, drunks and street walkers. People with private individual coverage will continue to gain access to the better treatment centers. You get what you pay for.

A-men!