Insurance lobbyists oppose co-ops also.

Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin

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Mon Aug-17-09 08:00 PM
Original message

Insurance lobbyists oppose co-ops also.

Edited on Mon Aug-17-09 08:00 PM by Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin

From today's Wall Street Journal (last three paragraphs)

Robert Laszewski, a consultant at Health Policy & Strategy Associates, said nonprofit co-ops aren't necessarily an easy victory for insurers, though. If they don't work down the road, and the government has to bail them out, they might be a precursor to a stronger government role in health care, he said.

He pointed out that the barriers to entry for new insurers are high: They need to set up information-technology infrastructure, build networks of providers and raise significant capital to hedge against catastrophic claims. A co-op that doesn't navigate those challenges smoothly runs the risk of being shunned by potential customers.

America's Health Insurance Plans, the lobbying group that represents the industry, is also cautious about the idea of co-ops, saying it hasn't seen any details on how such a system would operate. Robert Zirkelbach, a spokesman for the group, said that reforms the insurers have proposed -- such as accepting patients with pre-existing conditions -- are enough to fix the health-care system. "If we do those things, a government-run plan -- including a co-op -- is not necessary," he said.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125043830465934883.html

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robinlynne

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Mon Aug-17-09 08:02 PM
Response to Original message

1. This just makes me laugh. (not at you the poster...)

theya re cautious? Who gives a good god damn what they think? They should NOT be involved in any of the conversation. And noone who took moeny from them should be allowed to vote on the bill either. (I know, that removes Obama.....)

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babylonsister

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Mon Aug-17-09 08:02 PM
Response to Original message

2. So just about no one besides Kent Conrad wants co-ops? The RNC

also doesn't like them.

So Dems should feel free to do whatever they want in our best interests and ignore the party of 'no'.

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peacebird

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Mon Aug-17-09 08:05 PM
Response to Reply #2

3. Exactly so. Don't let the party of NO manage to water down the bill til it is NO real change

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Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin

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Mon Aug-17-09 08:06 PM
Response to Reply #2

4. Exactly.

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HughMoran

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Mon Aug-17-09 08:06 PM
Response to Original message

5. There won't be any insurance companies if reform doesn't pass anyway

They may want to get on the right side of history before we overrun their offices.

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andym

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Tue Aug-18-09 12:09 PM
Response to Original message

6. It's clear they want NO competution

No matter that even national co-ops are fairly weak competition, the insurer's don't want them.
So no need to compromise, might as well push as strong a deal as possible.

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