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Those Worst Off, Pt.10 – That’s not to say…

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But things are not set in stone yet. Mr. Holtz-Eakin and other McCain health advisers followed up more recently by emphasizing that those projections “could change dramatically.” The basic structure could change things a lot. Resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, Thomas P. Miller and a University of Minnesota economist, Stephen Parente specified that health insurance “premiums would probably be capped at twice the standard rates,” according to Mr. Sack’s article. Further, they added that health insurance subsidies could be created to cover citizens earning as much as $41,600 per individual tax payer. That would be an adjustment to cover up to "four times the federal poverty level,” again, according to Mr. Sack’s article. Greater incentives should be offered to people who ‘manage their diseases’ more effectively. As far as the ‘worst off’ referenced in this article, that is, those with pre-existing conditions, we don’t yet have much detail. There may be waiting periods for their health insurance.

These lame state pools may receive some considerable beefing-up with Mr. McCain’s health insurance/care proposal. We’re looking at an increase for these state pools that far surpasses the mere $50 million a year in grants, currently provided by Congress. That program was begun back in 2002. Even so, there is widespread criticism among analysts as to if even this $10 billion could still cover the bill. Consider that the states are already subsidizing around $2 billion to provide health insurance for only 207,000 hard-pressed citizens. As Ms. Pollitz, the Georgetown University professor puts it, “I do not for a minute think it will cost 7 to 10 billion dollars a year.” “It may cost 7 to 10 billion dollars a week.”

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