The President just announced hell let health insurers extend existing health plans on the individual and small-group markets into 2014. At least this is better than the fix Republicans have been pushing (and will be offering tomorrow in the House) that would allow insurers to sell those same old plans to new customers, and thereby circumvent the Act entirely. But the Presidents concession is still dangerous because it opens the door for Republicans to argue that people ought to be able to choose whatever health insurance policy they want -- next year and beyond. Not only would this undermine the minimum standards in the Act. It would also enable healthier people to leave those who are sicker or with pre-existing health problems behind in the new federal system. The obvious result would be to drive up premiums and costs of the federal system so high it couldnt be maintained. Remember: The Act requires insurance companies to take people with pre-existing conditions and bars them from dropping policies of people who become seriously ill. Republicans have never supported this. They apparently dont give a damn about these people, and dont want healthier and younger people to have to subsidize them. They prefer social Darwinism, survival of the fittest.
Posted on: Thu, 14 Nov 2013 19:08:18 +0000
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