How much will the new high risk pools set up by the government cost?

[no limit]

I hear the argument here that it's okay to not outlaw pre-existing condition discrimination for another 4 years because of these new high risk pools the government will set up within the coming months. But I can't seem to get anyone to answer how much these pools will actually cost. Lets say someone has a serious disease and is in their early 60s. How much would it cost for that person to get insurance through these new pools? I'm not trying to pick a fight, I'm trying to get an actual answer here. Thanks.

[frazzled]

1. I don't know the cost ...

But I read somewhere today that it will be better than the state pools (not available everywhere anyway) because they will be national, and thus include more people, and will be subsidized. Can't remember where I read it, but I'll try to look.

[Zoeisright]

2. Less than the illegal war in Iraq. That's my standard.

If repukes think it's fine to blow up the deficit to kill and maim people, I think it's fine to blow up the deficit to actually HELP people.

[no limit]

3. Im not asking what it will cost the government, I'm asking what it will cost the individual

that buys in to them.

[Statistical]

4. This isn't going to blow up the deficit. The costs will be passed onto consumers.

The OP is asking how much will the insurance cost the end user.

The high risk pools are "virtually" deficit neutral. There is an administrative overhead but the pools are not subsidized.

So if the pool costs $500 billion that $500 billion will be placed directly on the shoulders of those high risk individuals.

[democrat_patriot]

5. It's like asking: How much will gold cost in 6 months.

Nobody knows.

Depends on the number of people in it. Among many other factors.

In theory MUCH less than high risk insurance you buy on your own.

[frazzled]

6. Interim high-risk pool will be "established for a standard population" and

has about $5 Billion for subsidies until the 2014 provisions kick in. Out-of-pocket medical costs would be capped at $5,950. While that might sound high right now, if you are a currently uninsurable cancer patient that means the difference between a total liability of under $6K for treatments versus potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of debt. I assume also that "established for a standard population" means that the rates would be like an average policy for a healthy individual.

Quote from Kaiser Family Foundation via NYT.

[no limit]

8. Thank you for the information, so it will be capped at $495 a month for everyone?

That is very high but as you said a good start.

[frazzled]

10. Well, I'm not sure about that number

I'm just trying to cull any small piece of information I can about it. But it's going to be a lot better than the current state pools, which aren't even available to a lot of people anyway.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

11. Out of pocket care expenses are capped at that --

Still not sure what the actual premiums will be. :shrug:

[sandnsea]

13. That's what a Medicare premium, at cost, is

$450 is what someone with less than 30 quarters has to pay. And then there's the $100 Part B, and then the prescription Part D. So while the pool is very expensive and won't help everyone, the cost is no different than the Medicare For 55 people keep insisting is the answer.

[Statistical]

18. out of pocket is not premiums. Premiums could be $2000 per month.

Premiums = monthly fee to have insurance
out of pocket max = annual amount you pay "out of pocket" for services (copays, deductibles, cost sharing, etc)

So total someone will pay for healthcare in a year is Premiums + Out Of Pocket expenses.


Note: I am not saying the premiums will be $2000 per month I am simply saying the out of pocket max has no bearing on what premiums will be.

[DailyGrind51]

7. We started one in Illinois years ago (State Senate Bill 1699 "I.C.H.I.P.")

The premiums are very high and the waiting list is very long. You also need rejection letters from insurance companies to prove you "uninsurability".

[sandnsea]

12. We have one in Oregon and it's a snap

The waiting list is for the subsidy, not the pool. The premiums are high and the process to qualify is pretty seamless, I think the insurance company sends the letter to the pool because I never did. The premiums are very high, but as a poster stated above, there is a cap of $6,000 a year which is $500 a month. That's about what a Medicare premium would be.

[DailyGrind51]

14. Oregon seems to do everything better than Illinois.

[sandnsea]

15. I doubt it

I suspect it depends on whether you've got negative government rumors or actual first hand experience that saved yours or your husband's life.

[sandnsea]

9. It will be subsidized with several billion dollars

And I recall reading that they couldn't charge any more than the going rate for a regular policy. I doubt that it will help everybody, but the idea is to phase people into the health care system so as not to overwhelm it. If it goes smoothly, maybe we can move up some of the more helpful programs.

[galileoreloaded]

16. If you have to ask, you can't afford it. n/t

[kestrel91316]

17. Probably premature to ask details like that, lol. Since the reconciliation bill

hasn't even passed, and the HCR bill was just signed yesterday. You DO realize these things cannot happen instantaneously, right?

You remind me of the client who got pissed off at me because I couldn't fix his seriously ill cat in a single office visit.

[no limit]

19. Are you kidding me? You think I'm being unreasonable for asking what they are voting on?

You don't think that the people should know what their representatives and senators are going to be passing?

Everything is spelled out and we know what will likely pass. So this should not be a difficult question to answer. And the fact you laugh at this question is really sad.

[laughingliberal]

20. Oh, you want to know what they are voting on before it's law?

How unusual.

;)

[Statistical]

23. 100% unreasonable you must cheerlead all the time.

Critisiscm makes you a freeper troll.
Asking questions (that cheerleaders don't have answer too because nobody does) makes you a sneaker Freeper Troll.

That is the new standard for progressive action. Blind support.
/sarcasm

Reminds me of a computer game I use to play. One of the units in a futuristic theocracy would say:
"Faith is purest when it is unquestioning."

[EFerrari]

21. Asking a question is not equal to impatience.

[EFerrari]

22. no limit, I wanted to tell you that your threads have helped me

understand aspects of this bill that I was confused about. Thank you. :)

[no limit]

24. Wow, I appreciate that. Thank you for the kind words.