The endgame revealed -- corps get to tap the taxpayers for unlimited reimbursement

[Nuclear Unicorn]

Part of the discussions lately between insurers and administration officials has been about what to do if that function is not fixed soon. One idea circulated within the insurance industry would be for HHS to approve a method to estimate subsidies and give preliminary tax credits based on those estimates — with the accurate amount determined later, once the system works better.

According to several people familiar with these conversations, insurance industry leaders have said that they would insist on a guarantee that they would be compensated for any underpayments — and that they have asked to keep any overpayments. Said one health-care consultant who is knowledgeable about insurance exchanges and who has been in touch with administration officials: “The concern is: Who bears the risk?”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/white-house-relying-more-on-insurance-carriers-to-help-fix-healthcaregov/2013/11/09/ecfcc294-489b-11e3-a196-3544a03c2351_story_2.html

Those who think the insurance corporations will be forced into closure so as to usher in single-payer may wish to reassess their hopes. These companies will be subsidized at our expense and once the practice has begun it will never end.

God help us if a corporatist GOPer is elected president and has a compliant congress while this scheme is still in effect. We will forever be working as the host for these parasites.

[Fumesucker]

1. Not to worry, we are assured of Democratic victories until the heat death of the universe

And no one could possibly have predicted that insurance companies would want to avoid risk while taking huge profits.

[leftstreet]

2. Subsidize PEOPLE not INSURANCE COMPANIES! n/t

[AndyA]

3. Um, no. No subsidies for insurance companies

They've been screwing over people for years. This is bullshit.

Single payer. Let the greedy, death panel-controlled insurance companies disappear. Subsidies for corporations that are profitable without the taxpayers propping them up should be stopped.

[el_bryanto]

5. I agree we need single payer

But as long as we are doing this piecemeal ACA thing there will be subsidies for Insurance Companies - once you have decided they ahve to be part of the equation, they will be compensated for taking on additional risk.

That's the problem with the Administrations decision to placate the Blue Dogs by protecting the Insurance Companies from their years of malfeasance.

Bryant

[BKH70041]

4. I want Medicare for all.

But even I realize that the insurance companies won't be left out of the loop. There's too many individuals employed by the insurance industry and they have a lot of money to lobby, just to mention some very basic things. They'll be left in as third-party administrators, which will be the American version of single-payer, and that's fine. We tend to do things our own way.

[phantom power]

6. I will say it yet again: this is a game with opponents.

Powerful opponents, with infinitely deep lobbying pockets.