Health Reform…..you may agree or disagree with it, all of it or part of it. For Brokers and Agents in the industry, our issue comes with HOW WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO FUND ALL THIS “REFORM” STUFF.
Well, the money has to come from somewhere. All these changes, panels, committees, and governing bodies have to be paid somehow, not to mention all the cuts in Medicare and Medi-Cal. How are we going to make up the loss of funding?? Well, have you checked your Employee Benefits or Employee Health Insurance rates lately?? There have been double digit increases over the last few years, and the biggest driving force is the cost of healthcare and the Health Reform Act.
When the government cuts the amount of money that they pay out to hospitals and doctors for Medicare and Medi-Cal patients, the hospitals and doctors and service providers just increase what they charge the Individual Health Insurance, Family Health Insurance and Group or Business Health Insurance rates. It has to come from somewhere! Not only that, you now have MORE doctors that will not accept Medicare patients…..because their reimbursement has yet been cut again!
Just today, July 8, we saw Obama in the news talking about raising taxes and cutting MORE services……why??? Well, when you need BILLIONS of dollars, there aren’t many choices, again, it has to come from somewhere!
If you are an Employer and you offer Group Employee Benefits or Employee Health Insurance….you may be facing the whole “play or pay” issues that are slated for 2014. That means if you do not offer and subsidize part of your Employee’s Health Insurance, you will be saddled with a hefty fine, per employee. The amount of the fine is still “up for debate”, but with all the shortcomings in the budget…..its anybody’s guess!
I have been in the Health Insurance world now for almost 10 years. I have NOT met a single broker or agent that doesn’t agree that the system is broken and that Health Reform is not necessary, but folks…..lets figure out HOW to pay for it, before we go charging ahead and putting the country MORE in debt……one man’s opinion.
On a lighter note….if you would like to check out a “strategy” on how to lower your healthcare costs without sacrificing coverage, give us a call. We have perfected the “financing” of your Employee Benefits. We believe that you have to look at Group Employee Benefits as an “investment”…..well, you strategize your investments, don’t you?? There IS a better way to do it.
“If I cannot make a significant difference in your healthcare costs, we have no reason to do business”– Steve Brauer, President
Brauer Insurance Services, LLC, 3150 Almaden Expwy, Suite 203, San Jose, CA (408) 421-5555