Corporate welfare bill to private health insurers passed in US

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Mon, 2010-03-22 17:15

A_J

Michelle wrote:
And it's a total dream that the private insurance companies who have made a killing (literally!) on selling shit plans and refusing claims now have a completely captive audience - all the people who were denied or couldn't afford plans before are now being FORCED to buy private shit plans, and if they don't, they face a fine.

In 2013, I believe, there will be a publicly provided plan that people can pay into - so they're really not being forced to buy "private shitty plans".

As for the fine, it doesn't apply to the unemployed or people who can't afford insurance - it only applies to those who don't want to pay, not those who can't pay.

Mon, 2010-03-22 17:16

#103

j.m.

The fact is that people are still left to fend for themselves in social reproduction. It is still about the individual making market choices for their health, and the ability for insurers to profit from individuals paying into the system. This is about as forced as paying for shelter and being castigated by the state for being homeless. The state will treat them with punitive measures for failing to make good market-choices. The poor are left to pay for services for profit, unless they qualify. In that case they get subsidies it will be like renting a slum house on a Section 8 voucher. The landlord (or insurance company, if you're still following me) still makes a profit off the state's subsidy, regardless of whether they provide a quality service to the tenant who deserves nothing more than a slum house.

Mon, 2010-03-22 17:39

#104

j.m.

A_J wrote:

Michelle wrote:
And it's a total dream that the private insurance companies who have made a killing (literally!) on selling shit plans and refusing claims now have a completely captive audience - all the people who were denied or couldn't afford plans before are now being FORCED to buy private shit plans, and if they don't, they face a fine.

In 2013, I believe, there will be a publicly provided plan that people can pay into - so they're really not being forced to buy "private shitty plans".

As for the fine, it doesn't apply to the unemployed or people who can't afford insurance - it only applies to those who don't want to pay, not those who can't pay.

That's a lot of faith in the US system. You know that war/security surveillance companies manage the social assistance programs in the US? You know that the equivalent of a "terrorist" in the welfare system is a "convict" or a "welfare queen". We will find out who is forced to pay and who is covered by the subsidy in due time. I can guarantee you that there will be a crackdown on the so-called "welfare terrorists" when the monitoring system for healthcare is up and running, and there ain't going to be a check in the mail to the insurance company for them!

Mon, 2010-03-22 18:21

#105

Lou Arab

Over here.

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