OT: Anyone hear the NPR interview about the person getting dependant care coverage from parents

[Coronita]

[quote=UCGal]flu – clearly you haven’t worked for scrooge like employers.

I worked for an employer that REQUIRED you to go on your spouses insurance if they had an insurance option. You were not allowed to put yourself, your family, etc. on the company plan – even if the spouses insurance was crappy or more expensive. This was challenged by more than one employee – but the company held firm on this policy. (It was a small company – so everyone knew who was married, who’s spouses worked, etc.)

My husband’s employer covers 50% of a crappy plan for the employee. It covers NOTHING for spouse and kids. The 50% premium is more expensive than adding him to my family coverage. Unfortunately, this means I can’t quit my job, ever, since I have the family insurance. This is not the first firm he’s worked for that had limited or no contribution for spouse/family.

If you have any kind of pre-existing condition at all – it has historically been hard to get insurance. My best friend has several pre-existing conditions. When she was laid off from the dot-com in the dot-bust years she found contract/consulting work… No benefits, but it covered her mortgage. But she needed insurance so she also took a job with a local grocery store for $7/hour – for the benefits. This meant she had fewer hours for consulting (which paid better)… a total catch22. A few years later, after getting a good job then being recruited to a start up with the promise they’d give her bennies before her cobra ran out… they changed their minds… Fortunately WA state had passed a law that said if you had no lapse of coverage, you couldn’t be denied…

I guess I’ve seen too many situations that don’t fit your ideal world scenario, Flu.[/quote]

Well, as I previously stated, I do understand how difficult it would be to get insured with a pre-existing condition. I really do know…And I’m not slamming the entire health bill per se, but I was just wondering about why a 26yr adult with some part time and health can’t get affordable insurance. Since then I’ve learning from reading what you are bearish are saying about companies charging the full premium for dependent coverage. I was only looking at it from the angle that employers have paid for both employee and family insurance plans and didn’t think about companies that didn’t really pay any portion of the dependent coverage. That does put an interesting perspective on this, though at the same time it’s still are risk that the employer is taking on IF something should happen. IE autho premiums are paid in full by employee, if something major does happen to the dependent, future premiums for the entire company will be impacted. Interestingly, there’s probably some sweet spot statistically between getting more people to pay the premium and the risk of providing more coverage.

What does insurance appear to be like gambling with a bunch of odds?

[bearishgurl]

[quote=afx114][quote=bearishgurl]These “chronic health-care users” run up the premiums for all of us.[/quote]

Agreed with “chronic” users, but there’s also a lot to be said for preventative checkups. If we can catch diseases before they become exponentially more expensive to treat, we all come out ahead.

It’s no different than getting regular tuneups/oilchanges for your car. Sure, spending the time/money every few months is a hassle, but it is a lot cheaper than having to rebuild your burnt out engine.[/quote]

afx114, my policy pays 100% of preventative care and I avail myself of ALL of it, every year and I am STILL a profit center for my carrier. I totally agree that it is a personal responsibility to have these annual checkups and periodic tests.

I was referring to the same people to go to providers for repeat visits (2-4x mo) for themselves and/or their children and are usually just sent to the store to buy some ibuprofen or some other over-the-counter remedy. Since they have a very low co-pay, they just keep making appointments, even for just a hangnail. I’ve seen this phenomenon all my life, mostly with overprotective parents and hypochondriac adults.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=afx114][quote=bearishgurl]These “chronic health-care users” run up the premiums for all of us.[/quote]

Agreed with “chronic” users, but there’s also a lot to be said for preventative checkups. If we can catch diseases before they become exponentially more expensive to treat, we all come out ahead.

It’s no different than getting regular tuneups/oilchanges for your car. Sure, spending the time/money every few months is a hassle, but it is a lot cheaper than having to rebuild your burnt out engine.[/quote]

afx114, my policy pays 100% of preventative care and I avail myself of ALL of it, every year and I am STILL a profit center for my carrier. I totally agree that it is a personal responsibility to have these annual checkups and periodic tests.

I was referring to the same people to go to providers for repeat visits (2-4x mo) for themselves and/or their children and are usually just sent to the store to buy some ibuprofen or some other over-the-counter remedy. Since they have a very low co-pay, they just keep making appointments, even for just a hangnail. I’ve seen this phenomenon all my life, mostly with overprotective parents and hypochondriac adults.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=afx114][quote=bearishgurl]These “chronic health-care users” run up the premiums for all of us.[/quote]

Agreed with “chronic” users, but there’s also a lot to be said for preventative checkups. If we can catch diseases before they become exponentially more expensive to treat, we all come out ahead.

It’s no different than getting regular tuneups/oilchanges for your car. Sure, spending the time/money every few months is a hassle, but it is a lot cheaper than having to rebuild your burnt out engine.[/quote]

afx114, my policy pays 100% of preventative care and I avail myself of ALL of it, every year and I am STILL a profit center for my carrier. I totally agree that it is a personal responsibility to have these annual checkups and periodic tests.

I was referring to the same people to go to providers for repeat visits (2-4x mo) for themselves and/or their children and are usually just sent to the store to buy some ibuprofen or some other over-the-counter remedy. Since they have a very low co-pay, they just keep making appointments, even for just a hangnail. I’ve seen this phenomenon all my life, mostly with overprotective parents and hypochondriac adults.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=afx114][quote=bearishgurl]These “chronic health-care users” run up the premiums for all of us.[/quote]

Agreed with “chronic” users, but there’s also a lot to be said for preventative checkups. If we can catch diseases before they become exponentially more expensive to treat, we all come out ahead.

It’s no different than getting regular tuneups/oilchanges for your car. Sure, spending the time/money every few months is a hassle, but it is a lot cheaper than having to rebuild your burnt out engine.[/quote]

afx114, my policy pays 100% of preventative care and I avail myself of ALL of it, every year and I am STILL a profit center for my carrier. I totally agree that it is a personal responsibility to have these annual checkups and periodic tests.

I was referring to the same people to go to providers for repeat visits (2-4x mo) for themselves and/or their children and are usually just sent to the store to buy some ibuprofen or some other over-the-counter remedy. Since they have a very low co-pay, they just keep making appointments, even for just a hangnail. I’ve seen this phenomenon all my life, mostly with overprotective parents and hypochondriac adults.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=afx114][quote=bearishgurl]These “chronic health-care users” run up the premiums for all of us.[/quote]

Agreed with “chronic” users, but there’s also a lot to be said for preventative checkups. If we can catch diseases before they become exponentially more expensive to treat, we all come out ahead.

It’s no different than getting regular tuneups/oilchanges for your car. Sure, spending the time/money every few months is a hassle, but it is a lot cheaper than having to rebuild your burnt out engine.[/quote]

afx114, my policy pays 100% of preventative care and I avail myself of ALL of it, every year and I am STILL a profit center for my carrier. I totally agree that it is a personal responsibility to have these annual checkups and periodic tests.

I was referring to the same people to go to providers for repeat visits (2-4x mo) for themselves and/or their children and are usually just sent to the store to buy some ibuprofen or some other over-the-counter remedy. Since they have a very low co-pay, they just keep making appointments, even for just a hangnail. I’ve seen this phenomenon all my life, mostly with overprotective parents and hypochondriac adults.

[briansd1]

[quote=bearishgurl]
I was referring to the same people to go to providers for repeat visits (2-4x mo) for themselves and/or their children and are usually just sent to the store to buy some ibuprofen or some other over-the-counter remedy. Since they have a very low co-pay, they just keep making appointments, even for just a hangnail. I’ve seen this phenomenon all my life, mostly with overprotective parents and hypochondriac adults.[/quote]

There have been empirical research showing that a significant co-pay (like $50) is very helpful in getting patient to use medical service judiciously.

I support higher copays.

Something like a flexible spending account combined with insurance wouldn’t be bad. Give people who use very little medical services something back at the end of the year. Something substantial like $500 or more. That might work for medicare/medicaid too.

[briansd1]

[quote=bearishgurl]
I was referring to the same people to go to providers for repeat visits (2-4x mo) for themselves and/or their children and are usually just sent to the store to buy some ibuprofen or some other over-the-counter remedy. Since they have a very low co-pay, they just keep making appointments, even for just a hangnail. I’ve seen this phenomenon all my life, mostly with overprotective parents and hypochondriac adults.[/quote]

There have been empirical research showing that a significant co-pay (like $50) is very helpful in getting patient to use medical service judiciously.

I support higher copays.

Something like a flexible spending account combined with insurance wouldn’t be bad. Give people who use very little medical services something back at the end of the year. Something substantial like $500 or more. That might work for medicare/medicaid too.

[briansd1]

[quote=bearishgurl]
I was referring to the same people to go to providers for repeat visits (2-4x mo) for themselves and/or their children and are usually just sent to the store to buy some ibuprofen or some other over-the-counter remedy. Since they have a very low co-pay, they just keep making appointments, even for just a hangnail. I’ve seen this phenomenon all my life, mostly with overprotective parents and hypochondriac adults.[/quote]

There have been empirical research showing that a significant co-pay (like $50) is very helpful in getting patient to use medical service judiciously.

I support higher copays.

Something like a flexible spending account combined with insurance wouldn’t be bad. Give people who use very little medical services something back at the end of the year. Something substantial like $500 or more. That might work for medicare/medicaid too.

[briansd1]

[quote=bearishgurl]
I was referring to the same people to go to providers for repeat visits (2-4x mo) for themselves and/or their children and are usually just sent to the store to buy some ibuprofen or some other over-the-counter remedy. Since they have a very low co-pay, they just keep making appointments, even for just a hangnail. I’ve seen this phenomenon all my life, mostly with overprotective parents and hypochondriac adults.[/quote]

There have been empirical research showing that a significant co-pay (like $50) is very helpful in getting patient to use medical service judiciously.

I support higher copays.

Something like a flexible spending account combined with insurance wouldn’t be bad. Give people who use very little medical services something back at the end of the year. Something substantial like $500 or more. That might work for medicare/medicaid too.

[briansd1]

[quote=bearishgurl]
I was referring to the same people to go to providers for repeat visits (2-4x mo) for themselves and/or their children and are usually just sent to the store to buy some ibuprofen or some other over-the-counter remedy. Since they have a very low co-pay, they just keep making appointments, even for just a hangnail. I’ve seen this phenomenon all my life, mostly with overprotective parents and hypochondriac adults.[/quote]

There have been empirical research showing that a significant co-pay (like $50) is very helpful in getting patient to use medical service judiciously.

I support higher copays.

Something like a flexible spending account combined with insurance wouldn’t be bad. Give people who use very little medical services something back at the end of the year. Something substantial like $500 or more. That might work for medicare/medicaid too.

[SK in CV]

[quote=flu]
I look at it another way… Health care needs to be (or is going to need to be rationed)…Folks like this I think are taking away resources from other folks who really need it.[/quote]

I’m confused by your logic here. How does insuring someone take resources away from other folks who really need it? Indeed, the claim begs the question. You’re assuming that this person, by having insurance (paid in full, presumably by her parents) will consume health care services that are less necessary than health care services someone else could consume, who is, for some reason, more deserving of those services. The assumption makes no sense.

[SK in CV]

[quote=flu]
I look at it another way… Health care needs to be (or is going to need to be rationed)…Folks like this I think are taking away resources from other folks who really need it.[/quote]

I’m confused by your logic here. How does insuring someone take resources away from other folks who really need it? Indeed, the claim begs the question. You’re assuming that this person, by having insurance (paid in full, presumably by her parents) will consume health care services that are less necessary than health care services someone else could consume, who is, for some reason, more deserving of those services. The assumption makes no sense.

[SK in CV]

[quote=flu]
I look at it another way… Health care needs to be (or is going to need to be rationed)…Folks like this I think are taking away resources from other folks who really need it.[/quote]

I’m confused by your logic here. How does insuring someone take resources away from other folks who really need it? Indeed, the claim begs the question. You’re assuming that this person, by having insurance (paid in full, presumably by her parents) will consume health care services that are less necessary than health care services someone else could consume, who is, for some reason, more deserving of those services. The assumption makes no sense.

[SK in CV]

[quote=flu]
I look at it another way… Health care needs to be (or is going to need to be rationed)…Folks like this I think are taking away resources from other folks who really need it.[/quote]

I’m confused by your logic here. How does insuring someone take resources away from other folks who really need it? Indeed, the claim begs the question. You’re assuming that this person, by having insurance (paid in full, presumably by her parents) will consume health care services that are less necessary than health care services someone else could consume, who is, for some reason, more deserving of those services. The assumption makes no sense.

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