Why did the Senate allow insurance companies to exclude pre-existing conditions for adults

[still_one]

until 2014? What are they thinking?

Don't they realize that a lot of people have lost their jobs, and are in an age group where they are too old to find a job easily, but too young to qualify for MediCare, and have pre-existing conditions, such as hypertension, high cholesterol, and more serious issues?

That at least was part of the house bill.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

1. Right or wrong policy, it's *political* suicide

If the next year features TV stories about being being denied over pre-existing conditions it will appear (fairly or not) that this whole thing was a lie.

[still_one]

3. Do you think there is any chance it will reconcile with the house bill to all it? /nt

[RaleighNCDUer]

16. And there's the trick - with interlocking corporation boards, are the

insurance companies going to allow their media company partners to air any such stories?

If any REAL news gets out it will be on the web, because the media/insurance/government has a vested interest in seeing to it that this 'reform' is a resounding success - therefore no tweaking need be done.

[Captain Hilts]

2. Why were health ins. companies permitted to retain their anti-trust exemption?

[Eric J in MN]

4. Harry Reid dropped the repeal for Ben Nelson.

I want that restored in Conference.

I think Nelson would still vote Yes, with all the other things he got.

[Captain Hilts]

5. Nelson needs to be fried for that. nt

[still_one]

6. That is another good point, but the pre-existing exclusion for adults until 2014 will potentially

kill people. The anti-trust exemption will protect insurance companies, but the pre-existing condition exclusion is an immediate threat to a lot of people

[RaleighNCDUer]

18. In Stalin's words - One death is a tragedy, a million is a statistic. nt

[Echo In Light]

8. Sickening

[ixion]

7. because the insurance lobby wrote the bill

that's why.

[ThomWV]

9. Influence by the "Baby-Lobby" I suppose.

[damntexdem]

10. Because the leadership blinked when opposed by senators in the pay of the insurance companies.

And even in 2014, the companies can't reject coverage, but they CAN charge much more for what they deem to be pre-existing conditions.

The good of the people has nothing to do with it.

[SharonAnn]

11. I think these things will get changed, and soon. But it will be a real battle.

If we don't get a bill in place, then there's nothing to improve upon.

In a way, it's kind of like a house addition/remodeling that we just went through. After the structure was up and we were ready to do the interior of the master bathroom and realized that we didn't have the remaining $$ to do what we wanted to do (major replumbing of the main sewer line was required and not planned for).

So, we took the approach of doing what we wanted on the major portions (shower, tub, tile floor, toilet) and cut costs on portions that could be easily replaced (vanity and countertop). I sanded and painted old cabinets for the vanity and we used laminate for the countertop. That cut thousands from the cost and these are easily replaced later. To replace the tub, shower, or floor would've required a major redo.

Sometimes you just have to get what you can and prepare for potential changes later.

While I'm disappointed that this is the best we could get, it's a heck of a lot better than nothing (which is what we've had).

After it's passed in final vote we can then prepare for what needs to be done to improve it. Not now.

BTW, we love our bathroom and it functions terrifically. The vanity and countertop don't quite live up to the rest of it, but they're OK and they work.

[still_one]

12. If they don't get changed soon it WILL be a disaster /nt

[kiva]

13. It's great that you were able to start your remodeled

bathroom with a tub, shower, toilet, and floor...but what if your remodeled bathroom started without those items? What if your toilet was a hole in the untiled floor? What if you had to take sponge baths in your sink because you didn't have a tub or shower? You would still have the four walls and unfinished floor, so you should be happy, right?

This health plan is the equivalent of that bathroom - no price caps, major provisions such as guaranteeing adults with pre-existing conditions coverage that won't take effect until 2014, the option of companies capping annual benefits - and there is no guarantee that those items will be installed (i.e. fixed) in the near future.

Now imagine that the city is going to require that you pay a fee for your new, improved bathroom. But, you say, it isn't really usable as it stands. Tough, says the city, you've got four walls and a floor, the rest are luxuries you don't need.

I understand why you used the analogy of the remodel, and that you believe that this bill is a start; I just don't have the same faith that the health care remodel will be as usable as your bathroom.

[change_notfinetuning]

14. Because our country is anti-Christian and anti-Golden Rule. n/t

[ipaint]

15. 180,000+ dead americans is acceptable to democrats.

Those people must sacrifice their lives to the greater good- health ins. company profits.

[Cleita]

17. Why did the Senate allow insurance companies to write this bill?

That is the real question.

[mdmc]

19. --