Monday, December 9, 2013

ObamaCare Health Plans Will Exclude Access To Top Hospitals

"Americans who are buying insurance plans over online exchanges, under what is known as Obamacare, will have limited access to some of the nation’s leading hospitals, including two world-renowned cancer centres."

"Amid a drive by insurers to limit costs, the majority of insurance plans being sold on the new healthcare exchanges in New York, Texas, and California, for example, will not offer patients’ access to Memorial Sloan Kettering in Manhattan or MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, two top cancer centres, or Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, one of the top research and teaching hospitals in the country."

The Financial Times, for more click this link

26 comments:

The Dude said...

RACIST!

rhhardin said...

The only problem is that you're forced to buy insurance at all.

At least the insurance isn't worth anything.

That sets up a return to cash medical care, which was a system that worked.

Not everybody got charged the same price. Doctors adjusted to the patient. Everybody got care.

Michael Haz said...

Top hospitals will be reserved for treating those fortunate enough to have received an exemption from ObamaCare, and for politicians.

Two-tier healthcare.

Unknown said...

Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid's magnificent turd sandwich keeps getting better. Epic layers of fail.

chickelit said...

Two-tier healthcare.

It's always been two tier; the bottom layer just got much bigger and inclusive is all, while the top layer got more exclusive.

Why should anyone in D.C. care about this? The players are in the top layer.

Ignorance is Bliss said...

Only 16 of New Hampshire's 26 hospitals are included in the network offered on the NH exchange.

AllenS said...

Makes a lot of sense to me. It will be a lot easier for politicians and their donors to seek the best of medical assistance if the dirty lower classes are not allowed in.

Anonymous said...

Look at the Positive Side: You Will Help the Young Untested Doctors Who Will Be Seeing You to Learn From Their Mistakes. Take One for the Team.

Anonymous said...

Doctor Bottom-Third-of-His-Class Will See You Now.

Anonymous said...

Doctor Bottom-Third-of-His-Class says:

"What Would Your Previous Doctor have Told You to Do in This Situation? 'Cause I'd Kinda Go with That."

Anonymous said...

Doctor Bottom-Third-of-His-Class says:

"My Nurse Says She Has Seen Your Condition Before: I Will Send Her In."

Anonymous said...

Doctor Bottom-Third-of-His-Class says:

"Rectal Thermometer Goes WHERE? Really? I Think I Missed That Session. Ew."

Anonymous said...

Doctor Bottom-Third-of-His-Class says:

Now When I Put My Fingers Up Your Ass You Turn Your Head and Cough. Wait. The Balls, the Balls: Dammit."

Anonymous said...

Doctor Bottom-Third-of-His-Class says:

"I'm the First From My Street Gang To Become a Doctor. Now Let's Pop a Finger in That Azz."

Dust Bunny Queen said...

Yep.

Told. You. So.

The network of doctors and hospitals that are "allowed" or covered by the exchange plans and in medicare (medi-cal in my state) is shrinking faster than Scott Carey.

Most doctors if asked decline to participate and many were not asked. About 70% of California doctors have opted out. "Thanks but no thanks. We are not working for free." Most of the specialists and really good hospitals were purposely kicked off of the plans to keep costs down. AKA rationing...or Death Panels as Palin so aptly put it.

As Haz notes. Only the rich or those with cash can get care. The rest of us plebs can go suck eggs.

edutcher said...

You don't expect Jean Francois Kerry and Barry Soetoro, son and grandson of communists, to share their doctor with the likes of YOU, do you?

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Obamacare is a "subpar" insurance.

JAL said...

My question is -- where do the opted out/ excluded hospitals get their patient base then? Will they take a hit of a different kind (not S-K or MD, proabably as they are huge).

But then, if what they were offered is less than what t cost the to provide the care ...

I do have problems with the exorbitant charges for things in hospitals (meds in hospitals, chux etc.) but figure if there were a true market system that that would even out).

Amartel said...

Now pivoting to private income inequality in order to distract from government-mandated healthcare inequality. Because we hope you don't notice.

Ignorance is Bliss said...

Lem said...

Obamacare is a "subpar" insurance.

Unfortunately President Obama has spent so much time playing golf that he thinks subpar is a good thing.

rhhardin said...

Lady pharmacist joke

How do you tell a rectal from an oral thermometer?

By the taste.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

where do the opted out/ excluded hospitals get their patient base then?

Right now, from insurance that is NOT part of the exchanges. For instance IF you bought yours through Blue Cross or United Health and kept the new and improved policies that they are offering WITH NO subsidy, then you are likely going to be able to retain your network/doctor/hospital. This is only an option for people who have enough means to buy their insurance individually.

IF your company still offers a plan, which is unlikely in many cases, AND IF it is qualified under Obamacare rules, the premiums charged to your employer and YOU will be jacked way up and you might be able to be in the same network.

The reality is that more and more people will be thrown onto the exchanges since they just cannot afford to buy insurance without a subsidy. Therefore, less and less people will be insured at all and more and more people who do get subsidized insurance or who are shoveled into medicaid/welfare will be severely limited.

Of course the wealthy who can pay cash and government employees will still have it made.

Dust Bunny Queen said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

As Haz notes. Only the rich or those with cash can get care. The rest of us plebs can go suck eggs.

And how exactly is this alleged attitude different from what you had told the previously uninsured?

chickelit said...

And how exactly is this alleged attitude different from what you had told the previously uninsured?

A cynic would say that Obama successfully increased the pool of people excluded from the best care, while craftily excluding his ilk from that pool. Polarization and inequality has increased, not decreased.

chickelit said...

I think I've had this argument with you before, R&B. What's the point of decreasing the care options of potentially millions more than the millions uncovered? Middle class families and people are just as worthy as lower income and immigrants (unless you're a Democrat).

Keep in mind that nobody actually goes untreated in an emergency room. --there is no actual truth to your favorite loud-mouth-Paul-Rand-supporter-wants to deny care scenario.