Just about everyone in the United States has heard about the passage of “health care reform” or the Patient Protection Affordability Care Act (“PPACA”) by now. But do you know what is in it? Or better, do you understand how it will impact your life and your healthcare? It may even impact your employment or career. For example, Doctors may leave their profession and some med-students may change their degree before finishing their program of study and incurring all that debt with diminished rewards given the new law. I posted the highlights, back in March 2010, but more and more information becomes available as the analyst dig deeper into the bill, the announced rules from Health and Human Service (“HHS”) czars.
Here is some related data points that indicate how the typical American People will react to this “fundamental change” of the country. In a recent Opinion Research Corporation Poll, only one-in-five (or 22%) of Medicare beneficiaries over the age of 65 will review their Medicare coverage options during annual Medicare Enrollment Period for 2011. The actual date for this period are 11/15/2010 to 12/31/2010. What does this low number tell me, that people don’t like change very much and will be prone to keep things the same if they can. Unfortunately, PPACA, will impose more change than this population will like unless repealed and replaced with something more affordable to the average American.
Another data point comes from a separate study conducted recently by PWc. Their research looked for the “Top Health Industry Issues of 2011″, they surveyed consumers on their perspective on reform-related issues. One of the highlights of this research found that:
“The American workforce considers health insurance coverage an important factor in their choice of an employer, but most don’t know the value of the benefit. Nearly three-fourths of consumers would trade employer-sponsored health insurance for higher pay, and more than half (56 percent) would opt to buy insurance from a health insurance exchange if they could get better coverage.”
However, “less than half of consumers surveyed know what a health insurance exchange is.”
What this study tells me is the majority of Americans do not want the Government to give them healthcare and consider it an important part of their relationship with their employer. They consider it part of their total compensation and consider in relation with they pay. They are willing to become a better consumer of healthcare insurance if they get support to maintain the affordability of coverage. Under PPACA, the new law provides for “affordability” from huge Federal Government subsidy where the Government takes from one hand and gives to you with the other. I am quite sure after they take their cut.
Under a non-government model, the employer can give to you healthcare funds, as part of the competitive compensation package to attract the best employees, so you can afford coverage that fits your needs. We did not need the new PPACA legislation unless you think we needed the government more involved in your life. You or even your employer may not know how to achieve higher employee satisfaction with the employer plan. How to improve coverage and reduce cost. Why do I know this, that is what I do for my clients. You don’t need the Government involved in every aspect of your life. You can have freedom of choice of network, improved affordability with out the government. If you think PPACA is good for you, why not put the ankle bracelet on now. You obviously believe your life is better as a slave rather than a free citizen.
So wake up, inform yourself on these and other issues. Post a comment here or wherever and protect your freedom before they are lost.
