I just checked out CoverColorado on behalf of a friend of mine. This is an extremely high cost plan; *in addition* to the high monthly premiums, my understanding is that the policy holders pay around 30% of the total cost of treatment, too.

I do wonder why the program can’t fund itself, without tacking on fees to people who don’t use it. It would be interesting to have a better understanding of how the program is set up. For example, do they use the premiums to invest in the market, and thus, generate more capital like traditional insurance companies do?

Point well taken. I can see how unemployment fees and Cover Colorado fees could both be looked at as an insurance. Though, I don’t think there’s any need to refer sarcastically to the “exorbitant” $3 amount… since we are discussing the principal of the tax, not the amount. We’ve been subjected to huge amounts of tax over the years, that have been implemented slowly over time in small amounts. Every time some group wants a new tax, they assure us that it will only cost the average family $12/yr or something like that. But it adds up… I think we have to decide whether certain taxes are right or wrong, regardless of how small the amount. Every small tax represents to me a small amount of my freedom.

I guess my fear with govt “systems” (as long as we’re comparing them to insurance, which you could almost do with ANY govt program from welfare to military to law enforcement etc) is somewhat similar to my concerns of insurance in general. We go down a road of paying for a potential service that we MAY need someday, if things happen to go wrong in some area of our lives. But, I always fear where (or if) that road will end.

At some point, I feel like we need to learn to weigh the odds and maybe take our chances. Sacrifice a little security, to keep some additional freedom (to keep what we earn).

But… with my limited knowledge of Cover Colorado, I won’t debate where that falls. I’m not even sure where I believe the unemployment program falls. We sure do see it taken advantage of a lot. I think it’s good that Cover Colorado participants pay a portion of the costs. It probably holds down fraud levels.

Todd

And I think the health insurance companies would surely rather have the extra $3 charge to have the right to pick and choose only the profitable healthy people while turning away unprofitable unhealthy people to public programs.

I’m not sure that’s totally accurate to say Jessie is already using the system by being on unemployment. Unemployment benefits come from an “insurance” fund that employers pay for on employees’ behalf. It’s no more “using the system” than collecting on any insurance benefits when an event makes them due. This is a service that Jessie has essentially paid for (through employer fees).

That’s a little different than systems that take money from taxpayers to cover benefits for those who don’t (by choice or otherwise) pay.

Todd

#2 Cover Colorado is a risk pool. A risk pool isn’t for people that “can’t afford their bills” – that’s Medicaid. Cover Colorado is for people with serious health conditions that can’t get coverage in the private health insurance market and have no option for guarantee issue coverage through an employer. And it’s not cheap, they usually pay about double (or more) for that coverage.

A story: I got a call from a lady in Arizona a little while ago. A couple years back, she’d been diagnosed with MS and couldn’t work anymore. Because she couldn’t work anymore, she took COBRA. She called me because her COBRA was running out in a couple months and couldn’t find anybody in Arizona who could help her. She couldn’t get a job because of her condition, so she couldn’t get guarantee issue group coverage. She didn’t qualify for individual coverage. And Arizona doesn’t offer a risk pool. She was willing to pay whatever she needed to pay to get coverage, there were just no options.

I don’t recall getting a chance to vote or select “yes” I am willing to pay extra insurance premiums to assist this program.

It’s not that I don’t think the program is valueable and serves a purpose, its the idea that I didn’t have a choice and it is being forced upon me and everyone else.

I see this as a “foot-in-the-door” for the government to continue to do as they please with our money.

Does anyone know how I can defend my money and but still have insurance?

By the way- I was recently laid-off from my job, rented out my townhome and moved in with my aunt and uncle. I am on unemployment and still paying my own insurance premiums. I can barely afford my own bills, why should I have to cover other people’s bill’s that they can’t afford. This is causing ME to want to “USE” the system.

Advice? Comments?

Thanks,
Jessie

IMO, 2 of the primary goals are to attract all comers, without detering those in good health to participate.
And, secondly to skew the higher benefits over time, as we age, when typical higher medical expenses are expected.
Don Levit