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Washington Examiner had a rather thoughtful oped about GOP healthcare plans.
I think they're doomed to fail. But it is rather thoughtful.
The ideas they put forward are:
1. Expand Medicaid
2. Deregulate insurance
3. Abolish tax preferences for employer-based insurance
4. Create a government-backed reinsurance program to subsidize private insurers.
#1 would work to some extent, but the pitfalls are that it is expensive for states, and it doesn't help you at $15/hr, but does at $12/hr, so it would end up being a way subsidize low-wage employers and incentivize keeping pay low.
#2 will just end terribly with lots of bankruptcies. That always happens when you de-regulate FIRE.
#3 will just punish working people with benefits by forcing them to pay more for worse plans on the exchanges.
#4 is basically a huge give-away to insurance companies, and if government insures the insurers, why can't we cut out the middle man and save money? Seems like an overly complicated way to nationalize healthcare and say you didn't. A very, very expensive and kludgy sacrifice to the appearance of free markets.
But there is starting to be a sketch of a plan here, worth keeping your eye on. Good chance healthcare's about to get a whole lot worse in America either way.
Of course, only #1 expands coverage. #2 and #4 are give-aways to the insurance industry that may bring some prices down in exchange for making coverage worse and putting taxpayers on the hook. And #3 takes benefits away from individuals and gives them nothing in return.
I think they're doomed to fail. But it is rather thoughtful.
The ideas they put forward are:
1. Expand Medicaid
2. Deregulate insurance
3. Abolish tax preferences for employer-based insurance
4. Create a government-backed reinsurance program to subsidize private insurers.
#1 would work to some extent, but the pitfalls are that it is expensive for states, and it doesn't help you at $15/hr, but does at $12/hr, so it would end up being a way subsidize low-wage employers and incentivize keeping pay low.
#2 will just end terribly with lots of bankruptcies. That always happens when you de-regulate FIRE.
#3 will just punish working people with benefits by forcing them to pay more for worse plans on the exchanges.
#4 is basically a huge give-away to insurance companies, and if government insures the insurers, why can't we cut out the middle man and save money? Seems like an overly complicated way to nationalize healthcare and say you didn't. A very, very expensive and kludgy sacrifice to the appearance of free markets.
But there is starting to be a sketch of a plan here, worth keeping your eye on. Good chance healthcare's about to get a whole lot worse in America either way.
Of course, only #1 expands coverage. #2 and #4 are give-aways to the insurance industry that may bring some prices down in exchange for making coverage worse and putting taxpayers on the hook. And #3 takes benefits away from individuals and gives them nothing in return.