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September 20, 2017 at 07:50 AM
One trade group for health insurers has dropped a broad hint that it could, possibly be open to seeing the U.S. individual major medical market look more like the Medicare Advantage program.
That program gives private health insurers a chance to receive federal subsidies in exchange for providing health plans that serve as an alternative to traditional, government-run Medicare coverage.
America’s Health Insurance Plans talks about “public-private partnerships” in a a new response to Sen. Bernie Sanders’ “Medicare for All” bill, S. 1804. S. 1804 would eliminate all forms private major medical coverage, and many forms of private vision, dental and hearing care insurance.
(Related: Health Care Service Corp. ACA Exchange Plans Look Better: Moody’s)
David Merritt, AHIP’s executive vice president for public affairs and strategic alternatives, says in a statement about “single-payer” health insurance proposals that U.S. policyholders should “build on proven solutions that work.”
The country should provide more incentives for patients to get higher-value care, do a better job of coordinating care, improve management of chronic illnesses, and strengthen market competition, Merritt says in the statement.
Policymakers should not shift to “government-controlled health care,” because government-controlled health care cannot work, Merritt writes.
