| So now that health reform has passed and has | | | | will not ever think about health insurance much |
| been written about and reported on so | | | | less buy it no matter what the law. Not to |
| extensively, the only topic left to cover is what | | | | mention that health care costs have risen wildly in |
| effect it will have on us health insurance brokers, | | | | the time it took you to read this article. And finally |
| and our individual health insurance market. I am | | | | and most importantly, young people and most of |
| about to give a scenario which is based on the | | | | the uninsured right now for that matter will not |
| current law (yes health reform is now a law), and | | | | buy health insurance because the law only |
| what has happened in states like New York and | | | | penalizes them $695 which is not even significant |
| Massachusetts where this model originates. | | | | when compared to what premiums are and what |
| In my opinion (which is based on the General | | | | they will become under this law. |
| Accounting Office numbers which probably also | | | | Most Americans, probably don't realize this, but in |
| qualifies as an opinion), individual health insurance | | | | New York for example if you shop individual plans |
| will eventually end, at least in terms of agents, | | | | right now, the cost for an 18 year old male is the |
| just like it has in Massachusetts. where everyone | | | | same as a 64 year old with diabetes and any |
| buys insurance from the exchange. So again, | | | | other condition you can think of. And this |
| individual health insurance will still be available, but | | | | premium is about $1000 per month for both the |
| only in health insurance exchanges where each | | | | 18 and 65 year old to get only average benefits. |
| state is responsible for their own exchange and | | | | Under this new law, the only people buying health |
| which companies offer plans through it. | | | | insurance will be people that have insurance now |
| For our current jobs in individual health insurance | | | | (though many of them will elect instead to pay |
| to stay viable, everyone would need to do as the | | | | the penalty, I know I probably would) and |
| law intends, which means buying health insurance | | | | everyone that has been declined. The rest will |
| or getting it through their employer. The rest of | | | | head towards Medicaid and to their employer. |
| course will either qualify for premium assistance | | | | Not to mention that the 80% rule, (80% of |
| to make up the difference or Medicaid which is | | | | premium must go to health care costs) this is the |
| slated to expand to cover 35 million more | | | | final nail in the coffin for us as health insurance |
| Americans. In an of itself, this is a fallacy, as the | | | | brokers. There will be little to no room to pay us |
| state budgets are already so bankrupt and deficit | | | | as brokers when factoring in administrative costs. |
| ridden that they have been cutting benefits and | | | | I though, am not opposed to the 80% rule and |
| coverage to people that really need it since the | | | | believe that this is fair and reasonable. But looking |
| recession began. In fact Arizona just got rid of | | | | at the final bill that passed, I am amazed at the |
| their CHIP program (health insurance for children) | | | | problems that it will cause, and more importantly |
| and would have cut even more, had this law not | | | | it is a financial death blow to this economy. What |
| passed which specifically demands that the states | | | | is my solution? As I said all along, replace the |
| not cut any programs nor make it more difficult | | | | 2400 page document with a 10 page document |
| to qualify for government health insurance | | | | that sets up a single payer system while at the |
| programs. | | | | same time, leaving people the option to purchase |
| Further, this new health care law is based on the | | | | private health insurance much like Europe. |
| fallacious notion that younger and healthier people | | | | Everybody wins here, and more importantly it |
| will buy health insurance through the health | | | | makes our health care system become a |
| insurance exchange. This will inevitably not happen | | | | significantly less important piece of our gdp. In the |
| because premiums for younger Americans are | | | | end though however maybe in 10 years, that is |
| going to surely (yes there should be no doubt) | | | | what this new law will cause because health |
| become so expensive because this health car e | | | | insurance companies will be unable to make |
| legislation will leave insurance companies with no | | | | enough money to rationally survive. I am quite |
| choice because this law has provisions that keep | | | | certain that the people who wrote this bill know |
| premiums for the young and old within a certain | | | | that as it seems like this bill will cause enough pain |
| ratio and because the young and healthy simply | | | | to force us into it. |