What we can look forward to, Part 1

Higher Premiums


Why, you ask? Well......


You must buy a policy that covers ambulatory patient services, emergency services, hospitalization, maternity and newborn care, mental health and substance use disorder services, including behavioral health treatment; prescription drugs; rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices; laboratory services; preventive and wellness services; chronic disease management; and pediatric services, including oral and vision care.


You’re a single guy without children? Tough, your policy must cover pediatric ervices. You’re a woman who can’t have children? Tough, your policy must cover maternity services. Don't drink, smoke, have adrug habit? Tough, your policy must cover substance abuse treatment. (Add your own violation of personal freedom here.) (Section 1302). I would also add that if you live in California, and don't need a sex change? Tough, your policy must cover it.


Think you’d like a policy that is cheaper because it doesn’t cover preventive care or requires cost-sharing for such care? Tough. Health insurers will no longer be able to offer policies that do not cover preventive services or offer them with cost-sharing, even if that’s what the customer wants. (Section 2712).


You are young and healthy and want to pay for insurance that reflects that status? Tough. You’ll have to pay for premiums that cover not only you, but also the guy who smokes three packs a day, drink a gallon of whiskey and eats chicken fat off the floor. That’s because insurance companies will no longer be able to underwrite on the basis of a person’s health status. (Section 2701).


One of the biggest reason medical coverage is so expensive in many states, many Liberal states, oddly enough, is that these sorts of regulations are forced on them. All the hell they had to do was deregulate these restrictions, and prices woud have dropped dramtically, without spending a God damn dime.


Oh, and do your parents or grandparents have a nice Medicare B package, that they worked hard for and which allows them benefits than just the basic not-very-good-at-all standard Medicare package? Tough, that's one of the parts of Medicare they're gutting to help pay for this shit sandwich.

That one alone makes me want to kill someone.