One of the major victories for the recent healthcare reform has been making insurance available to people with pre-existing conditions. This accomplishes the important goal of making healthcare accessible to everyone. However, since this legislation increases the risk taken on by insurance companies, the legislation has also taken measures to compensate this by expanding the pool of insurance customers. At the same time insurance companies cannot turn away new customers, American citizens cannot turn away insurance companies without having to pay significant penalties. The healthcare bill put into place administers progressive financial penalties for Americans without insurance and promotes a symbiotic relationship between insurance companies and their customers. Citizens will not be able to freeload on insurance companies by waiting until they are sick to get insured, and insurance companies can not freeload on customers by revoking coverage from people who have paid premiums for years based on a minor preexisting condition that may have been omitted from their original paper work. Healthcare coverage will be extended to more Americans and private insurance companies will have more customers.
The healthcare bill redefines the relationship between an insurance company and the client in a way that will lead to lasting benefits for both. However, if you ignore the part of the bill that protects the insurance companies, it seems like the insurance industry in America is on the short end of the stick. Former Arkansas Govenor Mike Huckabee recently tried to get away with ignoring the full scope of healthcare reform to paint a lop sided picture, and I'm glad that Talking Points Memo is keeping him honest.
I think it's important to realize the type of rhetoric that our politicians are using. As American citizens it is our duty to keep our politicians honest!
I think it's important to realize the type of rhetoric that our politicians are using. As American citizens it is our duty to keep our politicians honest!
