Maine House Approves Health Care Overhaul (Washington, Hope: health insurance, purchasing, live in)

[221B]

I'd like to get your input on whether or not this law has any chance of passage, and whether you feel it would be a net plus or minus for Maine.
This potential change seems like a pretty bold move, especially given Maine's earlier history with health care regulation.

Maine House Approves Health Care Overhaul

[cebdark]

I'd have to know a lot more information (i.e. nitty-gritty details) than just that it's going to be a hardship for older and rural people before I'd make up my mind.

I'm not sure those are out yet. I'll have to root around for the actual bill itself when I get a minute. Does anyone have a link to the actual bill?

[221B]

Originally Posted by reloop

I'd have to know a lot more information (i.e. nitty-gritty details) than just that it's going to be a hardship for older and rural people before I'd make up my mind.

I'm not sure those are out yet. I'll have to root around for the actual bill itself when I get a minute. Does anyone have a link to the actual bill?

I found this link to the text:
HP0979, LD 1333, item 1, An Act To Modify Rating Practices for Individual and Small Group Health Plans and To Encourage Value-based Purchasing of Health Care Services

[MainerWannabe]

The link leads to Fox News.... And all the partisan nonsense spew they advocate... I'll research at a more reputable source and post my opinion on the matter

[RMoore007]

Originally Posted by MainerWannabe

The link leads to Fox News.... And all the partisan nonsense spew they advocate... I'll research at a more reputable source and post my opinion on the matter

I don't believe the op's linked article is from the Fox News Channel. I believe it's from a Fox affiliated station in Maine that has independant local news. I don't find my local Fox affiliate in Sac. has anything to do with the Fox News channel either. Don't you watch Glee, American Idol or Raising Hope?

221B posted the link above from the Maine Legislature. Good luck with that. It just doesn't look finished.

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by MainerWannabe

The link leads to Fox News.... And all the partisan nonsense spew they advocate... I'll research at a more reputable source and post my opinion on the matter

While MSNBC, CBS and ABC spew the partisan bullsh** for Obama....give the rest of us ONE outlet will ya??? If you don't like FOX don't watch it....

[maine4.us]

The graph in the BDN was correct. Given the fact the bill will pass, my health insurance compny already went up 10%. I am in Washington county. Actually, with the rider coverage I have, it's more like 13%. I just hope that the passage of the bill doesn't hike it up an additional 9%. It really takes a chunk out of my retirement now. So, I will cut 10% out of the budget. Yes, it is going to hurt the rural people. As always rural Maine gets the shaft, while south coast gets the breaks, its nothing new. For the people who can least afford it, they get the increase. This part of the state supported the Republicans, yet they forget us.

[maineguy8888]

That graph was made by the Maine Center for Economic Policy.....as far left a group as you can find. Of course, if it came from the Maine Heritage Policy Center, the tag "a conservative group" would have been affixed to its every usage. C'est la vie.
I live in one of the areas of the state that will be "hurt" by this, and I am super glad it's going to pass on Monday. It's a great piece of legislation and long overdue. The libs gave us policies that led to exactly THREE private companies issuing health insurance in Maine today. They also gave us Dirigo..........as big of a failed public policy misadventure as Maine has ever seen. This one is far more conservative (and I don't mean that in the ideological sense of the word). And it's been tested in many other states.

[cebdark]

Originally Posted by maineguy8888

That graph was made by the Maine Center for Economic Policy.....as far left a group as you can find. Of course, if it came from the Maine Heritage Policy Center, the tag "a conservative group" would have been affixed to its every usage. C'est la vie.
I live in one of the areas of the state that will be "hurt" by this, and I am super glad it's going to pass on Monday. It's a great piece of legislation and long overdue. The libs gave us policies that led to exactly THREE private companies issuing health insurance in Maine today. They also gave us Dirigo..........as big of a failed public policy misadventure as Maine has ever seen. This one is far more conservative (and I don't mean that in the ideological sense of the word). And it's been tested in many other states.

It's a mess for sure, but you're right on the 'tag line.'

I will say however, that it wasn't just 'the libs' whose policy led to 3 private companies. Laws were passed because people were getting screwed over by insurance companies and their lobbyists (which IMHO, are entirely too cozy with the legislature in general).

When the laws were passed, several companies (except those who were big enough, tucked in the most, and uh, let's say, 'philanthropic') to campaigns stayed.

The rest picked up their marbles and left.

C'est la vie indeed.

Be that as it may, something's got to give because we certainly can't go on the way it's been going.

It'll be interesting to see how federal laws such as EMTALA play a part in its passage. As I see now in the summary of the link provided (thanks, btw) emergency care will be exempted.

It doesn't take a stretch of my imagination that emergency care will continue to be a huge force to be reckoned with when people who either can't, or won't pay their emergency room bills use the ER for every little thing. Sort of like what's done now (although with walk-in care and places like PCHC it's happening less than it was historically). With the economy such as it is, one can reasonably expect that ER use will start ticking back up IMO.

As an aside, those who want to push for passage of such things as forcing people on MaineCare to quit smoking or give up their benefits, may want to consider the reality that there will be those who simply won't have any coverage, but will just be seen in the ER without paying their bill.

Or I should say, they won't pay their bill. I hope they think these sorts of things completely through before they pass it.

[MainerWannabe]

Originally Posted by Maineah

While MSNBC, CBS and ABC spew the partisan bullsh** for Obama....give the rest of us ONE outlet will ya??? If you don't like FOX don't watch it....

I don't my friend...