Fascinating "Do It Yourself" Universal Access HC Plan on Dailykos.

There appears to be a way that Obama could provide universal access to an excellent insurance plan tomorrow. By signing an executive order opening up the federal employees health plan to anyone who wanted to apply. Alternatively, this could be done by state governors or even individual cities. Apparently SF is doing something similar.


http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/8/22/03158/2755 (Corrected link).

I know Kerry talked about opening the FEHB program to the american people, but I didn't know it could be done by executive order.

What would the premiums be for an individual or a family?

I'd like more details on this too, and especially the program that San Francisco is using. The post suggested the cost would be quite reasonable.

And about $1800 for a family per quarter. However those sound like subsidized numbers.

It is a good idea, but w/o subsidies if it ends up costing 12k for a family or 4k for an individual it'll be unaffordable like COBRA.

see what you think.

http://www.opm.gov/insure/health/rates/index.asp

to look at the total rate, not just the employee pays rate. The federal government heavily subsidizes the premiums, which wouldn't be happening if it were opened up to everyone.

for their employees, and switch to the federal plan.

I like it. Voluntary taxation. Employers switch voluntarily. USGOV charges enough to make a profit on payors and covers or subsidizes those who can't keep up.

But why would they? And if a company isn't already offering insurance, I don't see how having this available would make them offer it.

Let's say Blue Cross is charging 120% of medical costs, a medical cost ratio of 83.3333% which is higher than anyone. The fed could charge 110% of medical costs, take out 5% for admin, and the employer would get a bargain.

The employer would continue to offer employees insurance for all the same reasons that they do now.

Unless their name is Mackey (Whole Foods) and they don't believe in that shit.

edit to fix small math error

Is that my company is paying less for my insurance than a comparable plan with FEHBP (and I'm paying less too). And if they aren't paying for insurance at all, what is the incentive to start paying for it?

There would be incentives to switch.

I am not sure why your employer's costs are lower with a smaller pool. Perhaps the federal plan offers more benefits than your plan.

But in any event, as I noted in another reply, this is exactly what Obama promised during the campaign -- "If you like your insurance, you can keep it. If you don't, you can buy into the same insurance that Senator McCain and I enjoy as employees of the federal government."

in about a month, and I carefully compared everything offered by the FEHBP and nothing was as good as I have unless I want to pay more. So, when I switch jobs, our insurance will be moved to my husband (he and I currently work for the same company).

Don't get me wrong, I have no problem at all with this idea, I just think that people need to know that the numbers they see aren't necessarily what they would pay.

that Fed workers get

http://www.opm.gov/INSURE/HEALTH/INDEX.ASP

...while I agree, this goes along with President Obama's campaign promise, who is going to pay the employer portion if I decide to switch on my own because I don't like my current plan? It certainly wouldn't have to be my employer, unless everyone in the company switched.

referred in both cases to whomever is paying for the insurance.

Currently, for most people the employer picks the plan.

or one of a bunch of other private companies. Blue Cross is the most popular, I believe.

But maybe I misunderstood your post. I don't really understand what you mean by "Blue Cross is charging 120% of medical costs."

When you look at that table of coverages and rates, it gives a pretty good idea of what an insurance exchange would look like. It shows all the states and all the plans available in that particular state.

would be paying the employer portion of the insurance if you switched?

The prices are great, but aren't these private Insurance Companies???

This is not the same as Medicare or VA programs, or what the Public Option would be, or Single Payer, right???

Help me out here...

~~~~~~~

Colorado Humana CoverageFirst
CDHP Self 7T1 133.20 146.10 109.58 36.52 3.22 288.60 316.55 237.41 79.14 6.99
CDHP Family 7T2 306.36 336.03 252.02 84.01 7.42 663.78 728.07 546.05 182.02 16.08
Colorado Humana CoverageFirst
CDHP Self FC1 140.20 146.10 109.58 36.52 1.47 303.77 316.55 237.41 79.14 3.20
CDHP Family FC2 322.47 336.03 252.02 84.01 3.39 698.69 728.07 546.05 182.02 7.35
Colorado Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Colorado
High Self 651 207.92 212.06 155.66 56.40 -6.48 450.49 459.46 337.26 122.20 -14.04
High Family 652 476.13 485.61 352.56 133.05 -13.78 1031.62 1052.16 763.88 288.28 -29.86
Standard Self 654 138.65 138.65 103.99 34.66 .00 300.41 300.41 225.31 75.10 .00
Standard Family 655 317.51 317.51 238.13 79.38 .00 687.94 687.94 515.96 171.98 .00
Colorado PacifiCare of Colorado
High Self D61 223.19 242.91 155.66 87.25 9.10 483.58 526.31 337.26 189.05 19.72
High Family D62 527.45 574.39 352.56 221.83 23.68 1142.81 1244.51 763.88 480.63 51.30
Colorado UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company, Inc.
HDHP Self E91 165.32 140.91 105.68 35.23 -6.10 358.19 305.31 228.98 76.33 -13.22
HDHP Family E92 365.60 314.80 236.10 78.70 -12.70 792.13 682.07 511.55 170.52 -27.51
CDHP Self E94 New Plan 164.79 123.59 41.20 New Plan New Plan 357.05 267.79 89.26 New Plan
CDHP Family E95 New Plan 364.78 273.59 91.19 New Plan New Plan 790.36 592.77 197.59 New Plan
Connecticut Aetna HealthFund
CDHP Self 221 151.50 161.92 121.44 40.48 2.61 328.25 350.83 263.12 87.71 5.65
CDHP Family 222 348.46 372.41 279.31 93.10 5.99 755.00 806.89 605.17 201.72 12.97
HDHP Self 224 123.69 123.71 92.78 30.93 .01 268.00 268.04 201.03 67.01 .01
HDHP Family 225

ex. order can't override that.
:shrug:

that this is the sort of thing that could be accomplished in reconciliation however. Meaning 51 votes.

It is also, by the way, the most ordinary understanding of what Obama promised in the campaign. "If you like the plan you have, you can keep it. If you don't, you can buy into the same plan that Senator McCain and I enjoy as federal employees."

will be eligible for the federal health plan


those fuckers want a co-op we can give them a co-op

or not

http://www.opm.gov/INSURE/HEALTH/INDEX.ASP

Federal employees can chose from among several private insurers. The employer (the gov't) picks up the part that would be picked up by any other employer. The Fed worker pays the other part, has co-pays & restrictions just like any other employer provided health plan.

Could people be turned down ?

If so then what do we do for them?

If not what incentive is there for healthy people to start paying premiums when they can wait until they are ill?



I like this idea and am not trying to shoot it down, just curious.


edit to add


what is to stop some future puke POTUS from resending the order?

would pass both chambers nearly unanimously. The insurers aren't against that, if everyone has a level playing field.

have some points they want to make about FEHBP.