One more state that just doesn't get it.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>
(Associated Press)
Other states have tried — and failed — to create universal health care. Now, Maine intends to show them how it's done.
This summer, the state will begin enrolling people in its health care program, called Dirigo — the state motto and Latin for "I lead." It is aimed at ensuring health care access for all 1.3 million residents.
Under the voluntary program, people will be able to get health coverage through private insurers at rates subsidized by the state and participating employers.
The program is fraught with uncertainty: How much will it cost when fully in place? How many employers will participate? How much will they have to contribute? And, perhaps most important, can the state pull it off as planned without a broad-based tax increase on individuals or businesses?
"Making something like this work anywhere is an experiment. And we will all learn in the process," said Jay Wolfson, professor of public health and medicine at the University of South Florida.
The program is designed to fill the gaps between private insurance and Medicaid that leave 160,000 persons in Maine uninsured. It aims to sign up 31,000 persons this year. All uninsured residents would have access by 2009.
"No other state currently has as far-reaching a plan as Maine," said Howard Berliner, a health policy professor at New School University in New York City.
The plan was championed by Gov. John Baldacci, a Democrat who made universal coverage a cornerstone of his campaign.
Even with the modest initial goal, the program will cost about $90 million in the first year, according to the Baldacci administration. But beyond that, the costs are not clear.
Officials are banking on voluntary contributions from employers who want to provide coverage to their workers, as well as $52 million in one-time federal money to start up the program.
The state also plans to pay for the program with the money it saves by holding down runaway medical costs. It hopes to save $80 million a year by eliminating unreimbursed medical costs run up by uninsured people, and will try to persuade hospitals and providers to impose price caps.
The uninsured will have to pay premiums to join Dirigo, or obtain coverage through their employers. It is not yet clear how much people will have to pay, but the premiums will be on a sliding scale based on income.
In addition, Maine's Medicaid program will be expanded to cover more poor people. Maine also has a program called Maine Rx that uses the state's buying power to force drug companies to offer bulk discounts on prescription drugs for the elderly, the working poor and others.
The key to success will be the number of employers who sign up, those familiar with the program say.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
So, breaking this down a bit:
Under the voluntary program ...
How can it be voluntary if it is "universal?"
The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (Fourth Edition) wrote:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>
u·ni·ver·sal (yn-vûrsl)
adj.
2. Including, relating to, or affecting all members of the class or group under consideration: the universal skepticism of philosophers. See Synonyms at general.
3. Applicable or common to all purposes, conditions, or situations: a universal remedy.
7. Logic. Encompassing all of the members of a class or group. Used of a proposition.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
The program is fraught with uncertainty: How much will it cost when fully in place? How many employers will participate? How much will they have to contribute? And, perhaps most important, can the state pull it off as planned without a broad-based tax increase on individuals or businesses?
Someone at the Associated Press should have his balls shaved and dipped in whiskey for pretending that the answers to these questions are not known by everyone already.
Even with the modest initial goal, the program will cost about $90 million in the first year, according to the Baldacci administration. But beyond that, the costs are not clear.
Well, let's see, $ 90 million for 20% of the goal; would seem reasonable to suggest that five times 20% might be a figure worth considering as the total cost ... so $ 450 million per year.
Officials are banking on voluntary contributions from employers who want to provide coverage to their workers ...
No they aren't. Balls. Razor. Whiskey. They are counting on guilt-tripping state employers by saying that they "don't care about the workingman" enough to prop up this statist nightmare.
... as well as $52 million in one-time federal money to start up the program.
"Federal money," the best money of all. Where does that marvelous Uncle of yours get all his money Maine? You must tell me his secret? Eh? Well, yes ... I have heard of John Dillinger ... I don't follow you though ...
The state also plans to pay for the program with the money it saves by holding down runaway medical costs. It hopes to save $80 million a year by eliminating unreimbursed medical costs run up by uninsured people ...
NOTE: this is <$450 million, for those of you out of range of a calculator.
... and will try to persuade hospitals and providers to impose price caps.
And if they don't, it's not because the system is a stupid and pointless waste, it's because greedy hospitals don't care about the poor and sick.
The key to success will be the number of employers who sign up, those familiar with the program say.
As stated above, it won't be the key to success -- only the golden parachute for the statist asses who got the ball rolling on this program when it implodes, because in the end it doesn't matter what the employers in Maine do -- they will be blamed for not giving enough, just as surely as the medical profession will be blamed for taking too much, when the chips fall.
Phaedrus
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>
(Associated Press)
Other states have tried — and failed — to create universal health care. Now, Maine intends to show them how it's done.
This summer, the state will begin enrolling people in its health care program, called Dirigo — the state motto and Latin for "I lead." It is aimed at ensuring health care access for all 1.3 million residents.
Under the voluntary program, people will be able to get health coverage through private insurers at rates subsidized by the state and participating employers.
The program is fraught with uncertainty: How much will it cost when fully in place? How many employers will participate? How much will they have to contribute? And, perhaps most important, can the state pull it off as planned without a broad-based tax increase on individuals or businesses?
"Making something like this work anywhere is an experiment. And we will all learn in the process," said Jay Wolfson, professor of public health and medicine at the University of South Florida.
The program is designed to fill the gaps between private insurance and Medicaid that leave 160,000 persons in Maine uninsured. It aims to sign up 31,000 persons this year. All uninsured residents would have access by 2009.
"No other state currently has as far-reaching a plan as Maine," said Howard Berliner, a health policy professor at New School University in New York City.
The plan was championed by Gov. John Baldacci, a Democrat who made universal coverage a cornerstone of his campaign.
Even with the modest initial goal, the program will cost about $90 million in the first year, according to the Baldacci administration. But beyond that, the costs are not clear.
Officials are banking on voluntary contributions from employers who want to provide coverage to their workers, as well as $52 million in one-time federal money to start up the program.
The state also plans to pay for the program with the money it saves by holding down runaway medical costs. It hopes to save $80 million a year by eliminating unreimbursed medical costs run up by uninsured people, and will try to persuade hospitals and providers to impose price caps.
The uninsured will have to pay premiums to join Dirigo, or obtain coverage through their employers. It is not yet clear how much people will have to pay, but the premiums will be on a sliding scale based on income.
In addition, Maine's Medicaid program will be expanded to cover more poor people. Maine also has a program called Maine Rx that uses the state's buying power to force drug companies to offer bulk discounts on prescription drugs for the elderly, the working poor and others.
The key to success will be the number of employers who sign up, those familiar with the program say.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
So, breaking this down a bit:
Under the voluntary program ...
How can it be voluntary if it is "universal?"
The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (Fourth Edition) wrote:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>
u·ni·ver·sal (yn-vûrsl)
adj.
2. Including, relating to, or affecting all members of the class or group under consideration: the universal skepticism of philosophers. See Synonyms at general.
3. Applicable or common to all purposes, conditions, or situations: a universal remedy.
7. Logic. Encompassing all of the members of a class or group. Used of a proposition.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
The program is fraught with uncertainty: How much will it cost when fully in place? How many employers will participate? How much will they have to contribute? And, perhaps most important, can the state pull it off as planned without a broad-based tax increase on individuals or businesses?
Someone at the Associated Press should have his balls shaved and dipped in whiskey for pretending that the answers to these questions are not known by everyone already.
Even with the modest initial goal, the program will cost about $90 million in the first year, according to the Baldacci administration. But beyond that, the costs are not clear.
Well, let's see, $ 90 million for 20% of the goal; would seem reasonable to suggest that five times 20% might be a figure worth considering as the total cost ... so $ 450 million per year.
Officials are banking on voluntary contributions from employers who want to provide coverage to their workers ...
No they aren't. Balls. Razor. Whiskey. They are counting on guilt-tripping state employers by saying that they "don't care about the workingman" enough to prop up this statist nightmare.
... as well as $52 million in one-time federal money to start up the program.
"Federal money," the best money of all. Where does that marvelous Uncle of yours get all his money Maine? You must tell me his secret? Eh? Well, yes ... I have heard of John Dillinger ... I don't follow you though ...
The state also plans to pay for the program with the money it saves by holding down runaway medical costs. It hopes to save $80 million a year by eliminating unreimbursed medical costs run up by uninsured people ...
NOTE: this is <$450 million, for those of you out of range of a calculator.
... and will try to persuade hospitals and providers to impose price caps.
And if they don't, it's not because the system is a stupid and pointless waste, it's because greedy hospitals don't care about the poor and sick.
The key to success will be the number of employers who sign up, those familiar with the program say.
As stated above, it won't be the key to success -- only the golden parachute for the statist asses who got the ball rolling on this program when it implodes, because in the end it doesn't matter what the employers in Maine do -- they will be blamed for not giving enough, just as surely as the medical profession will be blamed for taking too much, when the chips fall.
Phaedrus
