Stanford study: Moving some public workers to Obamacare could save billions

[alp227]

Source: San Jose Mercury News

Shifting hundreds of thousands of state and local government workers to less expensive coverage under the new health care law would save California about $1.4 billion a year, according to a study released this month by a group of Stanford University academics.

Taxpayers could save almost $12 billion a year nationwide if two segments of America's public employee sector -- retirees under 65 and low-income government workers -- were moved to coverage under the Affordable Care Act, the study found.

"It's going to be very tempting," said Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, a Stanford University associate professor of medicine and health care economist who co-wrote the study with two other Stanford professors and a researcher.

Savings in health care costs have long been touted as a major upside of President Barack Obama's landmark health care overhaul, but critics say such a proposal would serve as another example of how the law deprives some consumers of health care choices.

Read more: http://www.mercurynews.com/health/ci_26013042/stanford-study-moving-some-public-workers-obamacare-could

[ErikJ]

1. Obamacare making govt smaller more efficient.

That'll explode some RWers heads.

[Yo_Mama]

4. Uh, this proposal is about shifting state costs to the federal government

Not about making government smaller or more efficient. A lot of CA government workers would get worse benefits, too.

[itsrobert]

2. Have fun getting it pass the union

n/t

[mike_c]

5. the only way my union will ever agree to this...

...is if it provides better health care coverage at lower cost to members. Period. Anything else is a take-back. We will fight hard against take-backs.

[donnasgirl]

7. Do you

Mean the same unions who dump millions into politics? I will say it is tempting to say the least but it will meet a strong resistance from the union body.

[cosmicone]

11. I am not a fan of some aspects of unions but they have an absolute right

to participate in the electoral process because they represent human voters as opposed to billionnaires who represent inanimate entities.

Without union participation in the electoral process, we would be a basket case like Venezuela.

[donnasgirl]

18. That was not my point

The Union leadership may be ok with it, but it is the Union body who will be mad as hell. I am in a Public sector Union now for over 35 years and can tell you first hand that the people who make up the Unions are very unhappy with the way things have been going.

[jtuck004]

22. I think you mean "union members" who dump millions into politics. They are not like the Kochs, they

had to work for it, and then put it toward their fight to - and I know you won't believe this - organize, in a democratic country.

The government had to step in and give people the right to organize, else they were simply killed by combinations of business, government, and other unions acting in conspiracy.

When someone says "the unions", they are talking about individuals, some who who post here, and it sounds demeaning and marginalizing of those efforts of these people who, like 99% of the people, put blood, sweat, and tears into just trying to work and not be cheated by some thieving employer or rentier.

So what the fuck is tempting?

[PSPS]

24. There's that "and unions" thing again.

[Thinkingabout]

13. Do you or have you ever belonged to a union?

Unions are not against getting good healthcare for their members. If your opinion is it will never get past then perhaps investigate how your union negotiates.

[itsrobert]

16. I am part of a union right now

for the last three years. Signed up as soon as I was hired.

[Yo_Mama]

3. It would save CA money but cost all taxpayers

Because there would be very substantial subsidies involved, which would come from the federal budget. Thus you would have taxpayers in Indiana paying for the healthcare of government workers in CA.

[itsrobert]

6. Well, Californians have been paying more than our fair share of fed taxes

All our money being sucked out by Red states.

[4lbs]

10. For every dollar CA pays in federal taxes, it gets back only 60 to 65 cents federally.

So, this would actually help to even it out.

[Thinkingabout]

19. Does it cost CA taxers now, and if the cost is lower and the care is equal

Where is the problem? The whole idea is to lower the cost of healthcare. The object of unions is to provide members with representation and negotiate benefits. If the cost of healthcare goes down then perhaps more can be received in pensions or wages.

[WinkyDink]

21. So? Most of us have been financially supporting wars and invasions that have benefitted only the 1%.

[Teamster Jeff]

8. I'm sure they will be thrilled to be moved from good plans to shitty plans. Oh,sorry "Cheaper Plans"

Romneycare, race to the bottom in health insurance.

[McCamy Taylor]

9. The privates are gonne loooove this. Is what I warned was going to happen.

[ErikJ]

15. Could be they begin a state public-option and then evolve

into single-payer.

[cosmicone]

12. Medicare for all will save everyone even more money

Hope we are headed there little by little.

[Thinkingabout]

14. Agreed, France has healthcare which costs half of what we pay here.

For all of those who thinks there are lines and long waiting periods, see what you think about three hours from the time of arrival of my friend who is not a citizen of France, broken ankle was xrayed, referred to a specialist, ankle set and walking out with crutches. When she returned to the USA it took two weeks to see a specialist here.

[CountAllVotes]

27. Fewer and fewer doctors are accepting Medicare

and that includes my own personal physician! He says he doesn't get paid enough even with the costly supplemental plan paying a portion of his bill. He has closed his practice to anyone on Medicare/Medicaid/MediCal, etc.

[LeftyMom]

17. Lower quality coverage is cheaper?!!!?! I'm sure glad some genius did a study to figure that out!

And good luck getting any state employee to agree to that. If anybody does they should be fired because they're a moron and can't do basic math.

[valerief]

20. Do a pilot program on Congress and SCOTUS. nt

[Nye Bevan]

25. Members of Congress already are subject to Obamacare (nt)

[DesertDiamond]

23. If they can be given the same affordable coverage I have with Obamacare...

that would be a big step in the right direction. Now that I have it, I want EVERYONE to have it. Before I was laid off I had coverage through my employer, but the deductible was so high I couldn't afford to use it! All I ever got out of it was my annual checkup and doctor's visits for the required doctor's note anytime I was out sick, and one visit to an allergist that was so expensive I couldn't afford the ENT specialist he referred me to. Now that I have Obamacare...

This Wednesday I get to go to a specialist about the sinus drainage cough I've had for four years, and after that for the trouble I've been having with my left eye.

Finally. Thanks, Obamacare! Now, on to the rest of America!

[IronLionZion]

26. What happened to the single payer movement in California?

that would be something the golden state could try again since Swarzenegger isn't there to veto it this time.

"but critics say such a proposal would serve as another example of how the law deprives some consumers of health care choices."

It gives more choices to a lot of consumers who had none before. And the article hasn't given much info on the differences in the plans other than costs. Are there coverage differences? This just sounds like a way to shift costs from the state to the federal government.

And all this is happening while the red states are still refusing to let their poorest get medicaid only out of spite and GOP is trying to shut down Virginia to block it.