April 19, 2011

Tea Party Rally

Yesterday I was asked to speak at the Tea Paarrty Rally about health insurance.  Got to admit that I was nervous, but think I survived it?    I want to write here my "call to action":

Minimum Credible Coverage (MCC)

As a consumer I have to buy one family plan that insures myself, my wife and my daughter.  We are all in good health and have no prescriptions.  The ideal plan for me would be a catastrophic plan that had a $5,000 deductible and no prescriptin coverage.

The Commonweallth of Massachusetts, however, has instituted minimum amounts of coverage that a residennt needs to buy in order to avoid the state penalty    If I was to buy a plan described above, I would not meet MCC and would be subject to the state penalty.

If nothing else, if the Commonwealth of Massachusetts merely removed the requirement to have prescription coverage in order to meet MCC, my premiums would drop 10%.  That would not mean that I could not buy prescritpions,I would just need to pay out-of-pocket.   Considering companies like Walmart that now have over 400 prescriptions that cost $4 for a 30 day supply waiving prescription coverage is a viable option.

Contact your State Rep and State Senator and tell them to remove prescription coverage from the MCC standards.

13 comments:

Steve Foley said...

Bill,

Are there health plans with high co-pays for prescriptions that would exclude the $4 Wal-Mart prescriptions?

The newer drugs on the market are priced out of reach of most consumers, and require an insurance plan to cover them. Is it possible to get a plan that will cover only those drugs that are too expensive for the ordinary consumer, in the same way that your catastrophic plan covers events that would likely bankrupt the ordinary consumer?

If such a plan is available, does it qualify as Minimum Credible Coverage?

Bill Randell said...

Steve

If you had the need for new higher cost drugs, they most likely are not on the Walmart list of 400. You would be better off buying a plan with prescription coverage.

My point is that a consumer should be give the option and not be forced to buy prescription coverage. This is no different then Medicare.

Typicallys a retiree has Medicare part A and part b that is deducted from their social security check. From there the retiree buys 1) medicare supplement and 2) a prescription plan. Here is the key point the retiree is not forced to buy a supplement and prescription plan or face penalty from the Commonwealth.



Bill

jahn said...

"Is it just me" or is anyone else getting tired of the lies and 1/3 truths about Clark Univ, Main South, and C's Pilot Payment(PP).

Lie #1:

C's PP is continunally touted as 262,000. A 1/3 truth. Fact is C was allowed as part of PP deal to convert taxable propeties to tax exempt status. These 22 properties pay 156,000 in RE taxes to Worc. which is now lost.

Lie #2:

A so called "hearing" about selling C a stretch of Downing St. Ok the city might be hearing from area residents about this street closure, but rest assured no one at the city is heeding the area residents concerns. The decision to sell Downing St to C was made 6 months ago. Please city hall, enough of the posing and posturing.

Lie #3:

The so called partnership with Clark and the city. Here's the reality of thsi P'ship. C wants it neighborhood "cleaned up". SO the city dutifully extracts millions and millions of taxpayer dollars from Washington and Beacon Hill to be spent in the C area. Taxpaying property owners cannot get this kind of treatment, never mind tax exempt property owners like C. getting thsi free money. How's it working out for the hood with C's sharing of that new zillion $$$$ Boys Club? The only Boys Club taxpayers need to know about is the club that has only two members, the city and C.

Lie #4:

C is heavily invested in the Main South neighboroohd. Heavily invested compared to who? I suggest the taxpayers are much more heavily in vested in the neghborhood than C is or ever was.

Lie #5

Barbara represents the neighborhood. MMMMMM. Similar to how Barbara represents the the Mason St. neighborhood?

Steve Foley said...

Bill,

I realize that I should get a plan that covers anticipated needs. What I'm talking about are unanticipated needs. Lets say I develop some rare liver disorder that can only be treated by a $1,000 per month prescription. Right now, my only choices are to cover all prescriptions, or no prescriptions.

If you are covered by your catastrophic plan, you won't get your $1000/month prescription.

I'm wondering if there's a plan that would pay for some of the $1000/month, unanticipated prescription, but doesn't bother covering the $4 prescriptions in Wal-Mart.

Something like a $250 co-pay for prescriptions.

Bill Randell said...

Steve

No there is no product like that right now since it does not meet MCC.

That is the problem if we did not require prescritpion coverage in order to meet MCC, products like you suggest may become a reality.

Bill

Bill Randell said...

Steve

Let me explain better.

If there was a product like you suggest, it would not meet MCC and you would get penalized by the state for not having health insurance.

That's my point. If the state simply removed prescription coverage from MCC, an insurance company may very weel create a product like you suggest, people may buy and not get hit with penalty.

Bill

Anonymous said...

Check out Bill lookin' all presidential in that photo!

Harry T
Worcester,MA

Jahn said...

Bill, ya know, you are lookin pretty good up there.

JFK-esque.

You go boy.

Do I smell a campiagn kick off speech this summer at NOLA fest.

BTW, WTH is that Davis Sq Irish Setter?

Jahn said...

OH....and BTW, here's a littel history of FORMER city streets in the Clark area.

Shirley St which runs off Park Ave where yrs ago there used to be Texaco/Sunoco?(?) station ( now a used caah lot)..well Shirley ST now runs to Florence st but years ago Shirely St ran beyond Florence St and then turned left and came out on Downing St, which section of Downing St, C is now going to acquire.

Woodland St ran from Downing to Maywood St. behind C's Jonas Hall.

So FWIW, this is now C's 3rd land grab/street grab from the city.

Evidently, the last land grabs occured when C built the lieberry and the paaaaaaking garage which was about late 60's to early 70's.

Sumday they will own awl the way to Park Avenue.

There is taking of private property for public use called eminent domain (E.D.)......then there is reverse E.D (no not after poppin a blue pill !!)....reverse E.D. would be taking of public property for private purposes..........just what Clark is doing now...except with eminent domain the gubmint has to pay the private property owner..........with Clark style revcerse E.D. they dont even pay the city for their private taking of public lands.....

I mean WTF is the CC on this anyway ??????? Worried about Blunts and tabbakki sales?

Paulie's Point of View said...

I am in Chatham relaxing before I head off to New Orleans and Pensacola for three weeks...Worcester bores me lately

Anonymous said...

JAHN!!! "BTW, WTH is that Davis Sq Irish Setter?" ROTFLMAO !!!!!

Harry T
Worcester,MA

Steve Foley said...

Bill,

What are the specific requirements of prescription coverage? All I could find was that prescription coverage is required, but not what co-pays are limited to.

My plan would offer prescription coverage with a $100 co-pay.

Jahn said...

HARRY !!!!!!!! you know who the Irish setter is :)

Paulie stay the hell outta The Squire.......and dont try to slip one of those license plates under your jacket !!!!!!! :)

Dittos for the Land Ho, Yard Arm, and Brax :)