A Texas-Sized Health Care Failure

New York Times by Cappy McGarr | Oct. 6, 2009 (Opinion)

THE Senate Finance Committee has for the moment rejected the idea of creating a public health insurance plan. It’s difficult to see how Americans will be able to find good, affordable health insurance without one. But if we are to go forward without a public option, it is more important than ever to make sure that we get another part of health reform right: the exchanges, where it is envisioned that small businesses and people without employer-sponsored ... Full Story »

Posted by Kristin Gorski - via NewsRack (Health Care), New York Times (Most Emailed), AllTop, New York Times (Opinion), Opinion Source

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Kristin Gorski
3.9
 by Kristin Gorski - Oct. 6, 2009

A compelling, clearly written op-ed from an authority on health insurance exchanges. Brings up key conditions needed for a successful exchange and cites failures to explain what went wrong.

Texas wasn’t the only state to see its insurance exchange fail. Florida and North Carolina were also unsuccessful. And California, which had the first exchange (established in 1992) and the largest market, shut its doors in 2006. All these state exchanges failed for the same reason: cherry-picking by insurers outside the exchange. If Congress now creates new exchanges, as seems increasingly likely, it must prevent this phenomenon by setting two national rules: Insurers have to accept everyone and have to charge everyone the same rates regardless of health status.

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