Both the House and Senate bills propose that all private health insurance plans (individual, employer, employer group, or union provided) must adhere to detailed federal regulation.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force currently provides recommendations on health services ranging – A,B,C,D – where B, and C are “recommended” and “not recommended”, respectively. The reform bill however would change these suggestions and make them law.
In 2011 the Reid bill will force insurance providers to cover services with an A or B rating. This seems like a positive, but what about the services that slip to a C or D status? For example, last week the task force changed its recommendation for breast cancer screening to a C rating.
It is likely that to cut costs insurance providers will also cut services to C and D rated services. In a perfect world where the government can accurately judge what services should be deemed less important than others that might make sense. But the reality is that these ratings will be part and parcel with lobby interests – much the same way that North Carolina’s 47 health insurance benefit mandates are now.
Here is one very real way that this government “reform” is actually a move toward nationalized health care – even without the inclusion of a public option plan.
Leave a Comment