An article in this morning’s Politico.com asks if health care will reappear as a key issue in the election. If it doesn’t it’s because Obama has missed perhaps his best chance to hit Mc Aon where he’s most vulnerable.
Careful – and not-so-careful – readers of the candidates’ platforms will note that McCain’s has two flaws guaranteed to scare most independent voters; the elimination of employer-based health insurance and requirement that families seek coverage through the individual market. This last may well be more of a factor than the policy wonks and economists think, for the simple reason that families are used to getting their insurance issues handled by their employer. Whether it’s a problem with a claim, need for a new insurance card, issue with a precert requirement, or change in coverage status most Americans have turned to their employer for help.
I sold group benefits for several years, a job that meant I spent a good bit of time talking with HR staff about their employees’ questions and issues. The HR staff acted as an advocate for the insured, and the size of the employer’s business relationship with my employer ensured there issues got addressed quickly. And with minimal shouting from the insured.
Insurance is complicated and complex, hard to navigate for even those of us with secret decoder rings. Normal folks don’t want any part of dealing with their health insurer, and in today’s market they don’t have to.
All that would change if a McCain plan passes. Of course it won’t, but that’s not the point. The point is what his plan reveals about McCain. Here’s betting Obama brings these issues to the fore tonight.
Oct
7
Does anyone believe that McCain could get an individual health insurance policy with a past history of melanoma, twice. He couldn’t get a policy at any premium. He has no knowledge on the individual market. To eliminate the employer- based policies,is absolutely crazy.
With respect, even though McCain’s health care plan would be a disaster for the American people, I doubt that anybody would understand why. Most Americans only have a superficial understanding of the idiocies of the health insurance market. Although higher premiums, higher copays, and higher coinsurance rates all point to a dire need of reform, we need far more people to understand how badly the health insurance market works for Americans before people understand just how much worse off Americans would be if McCain’s health plan were implemented.
It’s all really a waste of time. The chance of a McCain healthcare plan passing a Democratic Congress is the same as Bill Ayers being in charge of Homeland Security in an Obama Administration.
“Insurance is complicated and complex, hard to navigate for even those of us with secret decoder rings.” Great line, Joe!