Ailing ‘uninsurables’ may face long wait for care

[DearAbby]

Reform plan to cover the sickest who lack insurance calls for 6 month delay

updated 9:10 a.m. MT, Thurs., Nov . 5, 2009

WASHINGTON - You're afraid your cancer is back, and a health insurance company just turned you down. Under the health care bills in Congress, you could apply for coverage through a new high-risk pool that President Barack Obama promises would immediately start serving patients with pre-existing medical problems. Wait a second. Read the fine print. You may have to be uninsured for six months to qualify.

"If you are a cancer patient and have cancer now, you can't wait six months to go into a plan because your condition can go from bad to death," said Stephen Finan, a policy expert with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. He called the waiting period in the Senate bill "unacceptable."

Advocates for people with serious health problems, as well as some insurance experts, are raising questions about one of the most important upfront benefits in the Democratic health care legislation: a high-risk pool for the medically uninsurable.

Obama proposed the pool in his September health care speech to Congress. Intended to serve the most vulnerable as a temporary fail-safe, it would stay in place until 2013. That's when insurance companies would be banned from denying coverage because of medical problems. Government subsidies to make coverage more affordable for millions of uninsured would also start that year.

More at Link
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33654867/ns/health-health_care/

[dgibby]

1. This does not bode well, does it?

Just another reason we need Medicare for everyone.

[DearAbby]

2. News looks pretty dismal

Is this one of the bad days of this roller coaster ride, they talked about? It looks more and more like it did in 1993...Delay, delay, then delay some more.

[pitohui]

3. well what do you suggest?

right now if your cancer comes back, you just don't get treatment at all -- there is no requirement that anyone treat you other than to stabilize you if you don't have insurance

we've got to do something and at least those fortunate people in faraway 2013 will be able to get care

at some point we have to do something more than nothing

if we let the best be the enemy of doing anything, we're going to keep what we have -- which is bake sales for cancer victims which maybe raises something if it's a cute kid but it's my friend who is 50 he is just going to be left to die

nothing is going to be implemented today and i feel terrible for the people who are already dead and those who are now dying, but they aren't going to be helped if we just dig in our heels and say "nope, not good enough, send it back to the kitchen," and people who haven't yet (but will) fall sick will be hurt

pass something, get something going, and then modify is better than nothing at all?

asking not telling here

[eridani]

15. We let disabled people into Medicare early

Why not high risk people?

[sandnsea]

4. Which is why we need to support the House Bill

and stop wasting time talking about the Senate Bill at all.

Does DU still not understand the concept of a positive movement?

[Egnever]

7. Clearly not

Its either bitching cause the bill sucks or bitching cause it wont start soon enough. Its a truly amazing thing to see.

[Faryn Balyncd]

10. Sadly, it's clear much of the movement, rather than being positive, is simply a slow bait & switch:

Wait until we control Congress...

Wait until we control Congress & the White House...

Wait until we control Congress, the White House and 60% of the Senate...

Don't worry that only lobbyists get invited to the committee, and Single Payer supporters get arrested, wait until the bill's written, and see what it says.

Don't worry about mandatory insurance, the insurance companies will have to agree to take all comers, and the "public option" will force prices down.

Don't fight a bad bill in committee, just pass it and fix it on the floor!

Ooops! Only a small per cent can sign up for the public option? So what if insurance companies still get to cherry pick? So what if all the sick are forced into the public plan, forcing the premiums up?

Don't sweat the details!!!


Just pretend you're seeing "positive movement"!






:sarcasm:

[sandnsea]

12. That's mostly fantasy

Nobody ever said there would be a single payer bill.

Nobody ever said employers would be forced to manage an array of insurance choices. That would make health coverage more expensive, not less.

This is exactly what was always planned, except for the mandates which the LEFT demanded.

Negotiating public option payment rates is fair and the Medicare/Medicaid rates will be the basis to start negotiations. It is no less "robust" because there are negotiations.

The main thing that should be opposed is the Senate subsidies because they aren't enough and people will be screaming for repeal within a year if that's what goes into effect. But I don't expect anybody to listen to that until maybe Robert Reich wakes up and starts screaming.

[eridani]

18. It is movement backwards

Just let high risk people into Medicare.

[DearAbby]

5. Congress Dithers-122 Americans died today

I have called, faxed, emailed..only thing I haven't done is go there directly. People want this, People need this, and they dither.

[Vincardog]

6. I haven't had insurance for over 6 years can I start now? Have I waited long enough?

[DearAbby]

8. I hear ya...in the same boat...n/t

[Faryn Balyncd]

9. What happened to the "No pre-existing condition exclusion" for "mandatory insurance" trade?

The rationale for forcing the mandatory purchase of insurance was precisely because insurance companies would NO LONGER BE TURNING DOWN PEOPLE ON THE BASIS OF PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS.

These bastard lobbyists have 1000 ways to perpetuate their racket.

[eridani]

16. You can charge peoplw with pre-existing conditions twice as much

--if that pre-existing condition is old, but not old enough for Medicare.

[quiet.american]

11. For the love of Mike, here we go again. Not true. Yes, indeed -- read the fine print.

The opening paragraph of this article conveniently leaves out these passages in the bill through which a cancer patient would still immediately qualify for the high-risk pool (page 19, HR 3962):

MEDICALLY ELIGIBLE REQUIREMENTS.

For purposes of subsection (c)(1)(B)(ii), an individual described in this subsection is an individual who, *during* the 6-month period *ending on the date* the individual applies for high-risk pool coverage under this section applied for individual health insurance coverage and

(A) was denied such coverage because of a preexisting condition or health status; or

(B) was offered such coverage-

(i) under terms that limit the coverage for such a preexisting condition; or

(ii) at a premium rate that is above the premium rate for high risk pool coverage under this section; or

(2) who has an eligible medical condition as defined by the Secretary.

What in the world is the matter with those quoted in this story? Can't they read?

[sandnsea]

13. And this is temporary

So that people can start getting help right away. As soon as the rest of the provisions are in place, this won't be necessary anymore.

[quiet.american]

14. Good point, sandnsea. nt

[eridani]

17. Notice how coy they are about the premium rate?

Just fucking let them into Medicare!!