New healthcare law can work by using smart conservative fixes (barf alert!)

[antigop]

http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/11/20/5355619/new-healthcare-law-can-work-by.html

What strategy, then, would move us closer to the patient- and consumer-focused healthcare system that conservatives desire while also recognizing the facts on the ground?

The answer might be simple: Propose changes that will make plans more affordable and drive enhanced competition among insurers and providers.

In other words, make Obamacare a Trojan horse for conservative healthcare reform.

The Obama administration has quietly introduced regulatory decisions that have made the exchanges a viable market for high-deductible, health-savings-account-eligible health plans.

Over the course of a year, the choice of an HSA plan can lead to significant savings.

Watch for these proposed "fixes":
Eliminate community rating
Re-instate high-risk
High deductible plans with HSA
Increase ratio from 3:1 to 5:1, so older people can be charged five times what a younger person pays
etc, etc.

[Beartracks]

1. "Let's fix the ACA by making it more like pre-ACA!"

Cuz there's nothing about progress that can't be fixed by regressive politicians.

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[Beartracks]

2. What is the "patient- and consumer-focused" canard supposed to mean?

I see it all the time as a descriptor for the [non-existent] conservative health care reform plan...

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[antigop]

3. the "consumer" gets a voucher to go shopping for a high-deductible plan. nt

[antigop]

6. a good description here...

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2013/11/why-does-health-care-cost-so-much-in-america-ask-harvards-david-cutler.html

in a nutshell....

In a lot of parts of the country, they're just saying, "Look, if you want this service at all, you're going to pay a lot of money." The trend in health care nationally is to put more and more on the patient.

[Beartracks]

7. Oh, like pay-to-play, but pay-to-live. Isn't that just exortion? n/t

[antigop]

8. well, it's sick and demented, that's for sure. nt

[area51]

4. Well, the ACA

was dreamed up by the Heritage Foundation and Newt Gingrich, it doesn't surprise me that now they have opinions on how to "fix" their plan.

[Doctor_J]

5. Hilarious

patient- and consumer-focused healthcare system that conservatives desire