- The Licensing Racket
- Trump Adm. downgrades state approved medical marijuana.
- The No Surprises Act: When the law passed, government officials estimated that about 17,000 cases would go to arbitration a year. Instead, doctors brought 1.2 million such cases in the first half of last year, and won around 88 percent of them (NYT)
- “We find that Millennials had a real median household income that was 20% higher than that of the previous generation, a slowdown from the growth rate of the Silent Generation (36%) and Baby Boomers (26%), but similar to that of Generation X (16%).”
- Claim: “Nicotine can cure or prevent Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, glioblastoma brain tumors, hypothyroidism, and even atrial fibrillation.” (NYT)
- Around 14% of those who enrolled in ACA plans this year didn’t pay their first monthly bill.
Category: Affordable Care Act
NYT: Independent Dispute Resolution Appears Biased and Out of Control
Arbitrators are not free to set fees. Rather, the process is a type of baseball arbitration. Each side offers what is supposed to be their best offer and the IDR board accepts one or the other, presumably the offer that is the most reasonable. Except that is not happening. Arbitration boards are awarding physician groups fees that are hard to fathom, often an order of magnitude above usual & customary in-network rates.
WSJ: Ways to Cut Medical Bills Without Health Insurance
Obamacare is a boondoggle for those who need medical care. As I have stated before, somewhere between 80% to 90% of enrollees do not surpass their health plan deductible in a given year. Nearly three-fourths of ACA plans are Silver or Bronze plans. Health plan deductibles for Silver plans average $3,727, while Bronze plans average $5,304. That means most people are paying the bulk of their day-to-day medical expenses out of pocket regardless of whether they have coverage. Some people are questioning the need to buy coverage and prefer to use their premium dollars directly for medical care.
Farm Bureau Health Plans a Cheaper Alternative to Obamacare
Public health advocates and advocates for disease conditions do not like the plans because they allow a type of underwriting. Yet, they admit that ACA plans are so expensive that many people are looking for alternatives. However, they never admit that the ACA’s so-called consumer protections are what is driving up the cost of Obamacare to levels few people can afford without generous government subsidies. Farm Bureau plans sound like a great option for many people.