Here’s what I want to know: how will health reform being considered by Congress affect what I pay for health insurance?
The Senate bill is estimated to cost around $900 billion; the House bill around $1.2 TRILLION (gulp). That money has to come from somewhere and I can’t shake the feeling that I’m going to feel it one way or another.
A much anticipated budget analysis from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released this week attempts to address those concerns. Unfortunately, it does little to clarify the matter, for a regular person like me anyway.
Here’s why: on the one hand, the analysis suggests that the large number of Americans who currently have employer-sponsored medical insurance – like me – would not see much change in their premium costs.
But get this: the New York Times Prescriptions blog says that “calculating the proposed legislation’s effect on premiums is so complicated that the budget office pegged its analysis to a single year, 2016.”
A single year?! How does an estimate for a single year inspire confidence that reform won’t cost me, or the country, a heckuva lot of money?
Here’s another head scratcher: those who buy health insurance on their own would see an increase, but about half would have that increase offset with government subsidies. Subsidies that would artificially lower premiums.
Many in Congress would like me to believe that health insurers are to blame for rising premiums. The hard truth is that premiums go up because medical care is expensive and we use a lot of it. And what happens to premiums is dependent on whether reform can lower health care spending.
Please understand, I support health care reform but I’m concerned that all we’re doing is expanding access to a dysfunctional system. There’s still time though. I’ve been hammering on my elected representatives to give me better answers.
I don’t want a fairy tale, I want accountability because we all deserve a health care system that works for everyone.
–Laura at Regence
