On Friday, Minnesota insurance officials said that it will
offer some of the lowest health insurance rates in the country on the state
health exchange it will launch this fall to satisfy the passing of
Obamacare. Under this new law,
insurers will not be allowed to turn down customers with pre-existing
conditions. Maternity along with mental health services will also be
covered. Young, healthy citizens
of Minnesota will be able to receive low-level coverage for about $90 per month. Seniors can receive coverage from $244-$407,
and these numbers do not take into account government subsidies that may even
further reduce these prices for some.
Officials pitch that these numbers are proof that many people will gain
access to health care coverage for the first time. However, many Republicans look to studies that show for some
states, premiums will actually RISE under Obamacare. Analysts say that even though these low prices are
attractive, there could be an unintended consequence of tempting consumers to
purchase low-cost health insurances plans that don’t provide them with the
coverage they need, which could leave people with bigger bills if they do end
up needing significant care.
Overall, this is obliviously a positive sign that we are
moving in the right direction toward lowering health care costs. In turn, people will be more likely to
receive basic care.
From this article we see a bright future for Minnesota implementing
Obamacare, but the Republicans argue that some states will actually suffer with
the new law and people may actually be unprotected from major, expensive treatments. It’s important that
we work toward finding a method that everyone will benefit from (if possible),
which could be different on a state-to-state basis. The implications of Obamacare will be huge, affecting all
parts of our economy and changing public health in our country. As we move forward in
lowering health care costs, we must work to implement policy that works to
limit negative effects/consequences and assure that the American people will be made better off.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/sep/6/minnesota-boasts-low-coverage-costs-under-obamacar/
In Arkansas, policymakers have been pretty pleased with the rates that were released earlier this week with regard to the monthly premiums being touted under the Arkansas health exchange. Reports suggested that the rates were up to 25% lower than what was initially expected. The fact that the enrollment sites were overloaded with curious consumers speaks (I think) to the demand for affordable health coverage in our state and nationwide. Some states have already enrolled thousands of people onto their state exchange. Let's hope the momentum continues because high enrollment numbers may make politicians think twice about defunding Obamacare for fear of public backlash. This might also make elected officials who speak out against worry about their chances of retaining their seat during the next election cycle.
ReplyDeleteThis is exciting news, especially for Arkansas. When analysts say "it could come with an unintended consequence of enticing consumers to buy plans with less coverage than they need", it could easily be countered with good advising when purchasing coverage. Even with the basic coverage, it still will encourage people to visit physicians for preventative measures, which could decrease the amount of major care needed. I don't believe government is overstepping its boundaries. This is something that most Americans want, and its for the benefit of all.
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy to see the lower than expected premium rates. I'm still on the fence about how I feel in regards to all that's going on. Health care is beneficial to all but the fact that is now being a requirement is problematic in that people feel that they're losing their power to make their own decisions to the government. I understand that having the low rates is attractive in that a lot of people will purchase that plan, but this makes people underestimate the major care they might need in more expensive plans should they encounter such a situation. I think it's a good foundation though. At least everyone is covered in some way slightly, even if it might not be enough for every individual.
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