HEALTH BILL: Costs won't be reeled in

The high cost of health care is the primary problem with our current health care system and unfortunately the ‘Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act’ (HR 3590) passed Sunday does little to truly rein in these costs. Health care costs are rising at an unsustainable rate, and if we don’t get these costs under control, we will no longer be able to deliver the top-notch medical care that most Americans enjoy today.

HR 3590 also contains an unworkable individual mandate which will encourage people to wait until they are sick to purchase coverage, causing premiums to skyrocket significantly for everyone. Tens of billions of dollars in new insurer fees and taxes, expansion of Medicaid, tight limits on age rating and high minimum benefit levels will make private health insurance unaffordable for the hundreds of millions of Americans who are currently insured.

Instead of alleviating the financial difficulties caused by the current economic situation, the legislation will continue to exacerbate the problem by driving up private health insurance costs significantly for millions of American families and businesses and disrupt the quality coverage on which millions of Americans rely. We have long advocated for members of Congress to work together in a bipartisan fashion to develop an affordable and responsible means of achieving the needed reforms to our nation’s health care delivery system, and unfortunately this was not the case Sunday night when every Republican and dozens of Democrats voted against HR 3590. 

The National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU represents more than 100,000 professional health insurance agents and brokers who provide insurance for millions of Americans) is committed to its continued work to promote measures that curb costs, improve wellness, rein in frivolous lawsuits and expand consumer choice. We will continue to work with the administration and members of Congress to help minimize the potential health insurance cost increase due to the bill’s provisions so that Americans will continue to have access to the best medical care in the world at an affordable price.

ERIC M. REDMAN

Past President

North Idaho Association of Health Underwriters