Holiday Shopping for Health Care

With Black Friday done and out of the way, one cannot help but wonder if any Americans were bargain hunting for health coverage.  After all, barring exigent circumstances, in the current health care market, shopping around to compare prices seems like an economically sensible thing to do.  Individual health care plans have been charging higher and higher premiums; the rate of uninsured Americans is increasing, and those who are insured increasingly face greater deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses. Price can make a real difference.

One uninsured women in Seattle used PriceDoc.com to comparison shop to see which health care providers in her area provided the cheapest gynecological exam.  She said that the only real comparisons she made while searching for health care was price.  In the end, the Seattle woman was able to access what she considered to be quality care at a price she could afford.  But there is that old joke about the perils of looking for bargains in parachutes and brain surgeons to consider. A sheer price comparison implies fungible service.

Congress members are currently in the process of doing their own bargain hunting for health care that won’t break the country’s bank.  While Republicans are said to fear that insurance premiums will increase under the proposed health reform models– partly due to increased taxes on insurers, Democrats counter that the strict regulations to be imposed on insurance companies will drive costs down.  Democrats further talk about the benefits of the health care exchange model, in which the individual market will not be able to deny coverage or charge higher premiums based on preexisting conditions, age rating, or gender rating.  The Center for Studying Health System Change says that these rules, if set in place, will directly lower the premiums that people with medical problems and women will pay.

The Obama Administration has commended the House and Senate bills for incorporating cost-cutting tools.  As a guideline for measuring the cost-effectiveness of the health reform proposals, the Obama Administration has identified four pillars– as found in Ronald Brownstein’s “A Milestone In the Health Care Journey.” Those pillars are:

1.      Taxes on high-end health insurance plans;

2.      Payment reforms that focus on incentivizing doctors to provide quality, coordinated care;

3.      An independent Medicare commission to contain costs; and

4.      A bill that is at least deficit-neutral over the next ten years.

The House and Senate bills incorporate each of the pillars to varying degrees, with the Senate bill thus far the most inclusive.  Congress members say that such principles–and specifics– will be heavily discussed in the coming weeks of debate.

While Americans wait for reform to ring in easier times, they may, however, be left to fend for themselves.  In case you were hoping to give the gift of better health care to a loved one, check here to compare plans, and use these helpful tips to save money on health care.  And don’t forget to schedule necessary appointments to  use what’s left of your current health care allowances before benefits get taken away by the start of a new year!