Giving credit where due...

[livendive 8]

So I was just reading this article and figured I bash Bush often enough that I should offer up atta-boys when appropriate.

I'm not sure of the cause, nor how widespread this problem is, but over the last 4 years my medical insurance premiums have skyrocketed while the coverage has decreased substantially. I just started a new job in December with what would by all counts be considered a "large" employer, and the options were the worst yet. When I did the math, simply accepting the catastrophic medical coverage ($3000 deductible followed by 100% coverage) almost made sense for me. The problems (currently) are a loss of all unused tax-sheltered money sitting in a medical savings account at the end of each calendar year, and the fact that I'm also covering my daughter who is getting to the age at which she makes her own health care decisions while not having sufficient disposable income to cover her costs. For these reasons, I went with a standard PPO plan and figure I'll continue with that until my daughter has another option for insurance. The cool thing about that article is that it says senior GOP politicians, including Bush, are pressing for making the health-care savings account contributions rollover from year-to-year and employer-to-employer. That way, those of us who rarely get sick can bump the account up to one year's deductible amount and then just let that ride while paying minimal premiums and sufficient annual contributions to hold it there. I'm not going to invest the effort of analyzing what role government should play in trying to "steer" market forces, and I'm not sure they should at all. Given that, and that the "market" seems to be trending toward such coverage, it appears Bush and his boys, in addition to taking care of his primary financial backers (big business), are trying to do something that will help us little guys cope with the results. An additional benefit I suspect we could see is a lot less money being spent for & against HMO legal protections, as HMO's would become obsolete. Also, it seems charges for services rendered would likely drop as consumers start to flex their muscle in a somewhat freer market.

My point was that I read about something Bush is trying to do and my first thought was "Well I guess that's cool." Not something that happens very often.

Blues,
Dave

"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

[wmw999 2,642]

Glad you posted that. I hadn't seen it, and would love to see it. Right now I try to make sure I have almost enough for projected expenses.

It would be good to see that happen.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)