How could USA Today beat out Paul (if-you-disagree-with-me-you-must-be-evil) Krugman? I admit it was close. But consider:
‘RyanCare’ won’t work without Obama’s health care law.
Really? Last time I looked there was nothing in ObamaCare that would realistically lower cost, raise quality or even improve access to care. So who needs it? Ryan’s plan certainly doesn’t.
Though private companies are now insuring some seniors through a program called Medicare Advantage, this works only because it is subsidized by taxpayers over and above regular Medicare, and because companies cherry-pick the healthiest customers.
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For “some seniors” read one-fourth of the Medicare population. As for “cherry-picking,” special needs MA plans cater to the sickest enrollees—costing about $60,000 a year. Do MA plans need an extra subsidy? More than half of Medicaid enrollees are in private plans that are saving Medicaid a lot of money. Get rid of Congressional micromanaging and MA plans can compete on a level playing field.
RyanCare (which is only in a skeletal form now) would need the types of exchanges set up by ObamaCare.
Both in Medicare and Medicaid, private contracting seems to be doing just fine without a health insurance exchange.
Then there is that little issue of an individual mandate, the one that Republicans are challenging in court. If seniors are to have a right to buy private insurance regardless of pre-existing conditions, insurers would naturally demand such a mandate.
Huh? There is no mandate in the current system for Medicare Part B, Medicare Part D or in Medigap. Seniors who do not sign up when they are eligible, however, may later face financial penalties.