The health care bill is going to pass. I am getting phone calls on my

[glowing]

cell phone and my office is getting phone calls all from different ins. agencies ready to sell us a plan... You know if the call centers are being utilized by the ins co's, then they know its passing. The fan fare and b.s. pundits are just taking up a lot of air space.

[tridim]

1. There is going to be lots of scrambling to get a big piece of the pie.

And the greedy companies that offer crappy plans and high premiums will be shut out completely.

Competition! Already, and the bill hasn't even passed yet. :)

[housewolf]

2. I've already seen a number of questionable tv ads

about things proporting to be "national heath care" with sign-up limits and fast-approaching deadlines... all kinds of bizarre stuff.

[glowing]

3. Yep.. its going to be a free for all... The ins. co that left an automatic

voice mail message on my phone was asking if I needed a plan or was unhappy with my companies plan? My husband carries the plan.. and their is no way they can match the benefits that a company pool as large as my hubby works for does. Its more and more expensive every year, but it covers a lot that an individual plan without a pool in a large company provides. I'm hoping the rate goes down.. however, I don't really expect that. I think it will continue to increase and eventually we will have a single-payer. I'm really hoping something wonderful like a medicare buy-in could happen.. I would sign up in a second.

[RaleighNCDUer]

4. You are really confused at what is offered.

High premiums = decent coverage, OR coverage for real problems. These are both out of reach of the working poor.

What will flood the market is low-premium plans with high deductibles and high co-pays, which means those who buy the crap plans will still not be able to get health CARE - if you are above the poverty line but under 65K/yr, you're fucked.

There is no competition - you're dealing with a cartel, not a free market.