The US Is On The Road To "The British National Health Care Model" -- July 10, 2016

This is really cool. Great Britain has a two-tier medical system: a national health service to which everyone belongs, and  private insurance (in addition to NHS) for those who can afford it. I don't know if folks have caught it, but Hillary Clinton has proposed the very same thing. Whether "we" want it or not, or whether it's "good or bad" for the US, we are moving toward the British system. There will be a lot of resistance, but it will happen ... the only question is how long will it take.

It's really cool, not because I necessarily support it, but the way "it" developed.

I'm not going to provide any links. I mentioned it in passing in an earlier post.

I think it's a big, big deal. Again, I'm not saying I'm "for" or "against" it; I'm just saying it's going to happen. At least the tea leaves told me that earlier this morning.

[For the record, I don't drink tea. But while brewing my daily cup of coffee, I also brew a cup of tea to read the "tea leaves." It's easier (and less messier) han reading the entrails of some gopher.]

*******************************

How Bad Is It?

Link here.

Health Alliance Plan, Priority Health and Federated Insurance have decided to continue offering small-business customers with two to 50 employees the option of continuing through 2017 health plans that do not conform to new benefit and rate-setting rules mandated by the Affordable Care Act.

After President Barack Obama was criticized for his campaign promise that individuals and businesses could "keep their policy if they wanted," he deferred to state insurance commissioners in November 2013 whether to allow health insurers to extend plans that were not Obamacare-compliant through 2017.

Under Obamacare, health insurance policies must include a minimum of 10 essential health benefits — including wellness, mental health, ambulatory and maternity coverage — set prices using an age rating system, and comply with other affordability requirements.

Michigan's health insurers were allowed to choose whether they wanted to extend existing plans for three years starting in 2015. Only a few allowed small businesses to continue their existing plans with price increases that reflect historical trends.

********************************