May 03, 2016 ... Group Health marches toward "Wisconsin being self-insured" !
The insuring "parties" will still be the same -- same Doctors, same Hospitals, etc. Will Wisconsin save money? Doubt it. More likely to translate into "coverage dematerialization" and higher costs for everyone. Governor Walker has found a new way to "create death panels" by his usual "stealth techniques. "Savings" will be hidden in higher co-pays and deductibles, or denials of life saving treatments/medicines. Those in rural Wisconsin, insured presently or not, will find there costs rising.
11/18/2015 - How to mess up Healthcare even more !
State could save $42 million a year through self-insurance, consultant says
"It gives you more control over plan design," Segal consultant Richard Ward told the insurance board. "I don't think it would impact access. I think it could be done to minimize disruption."
The insurance board, a governor-controlled group that oversees the $1.5 billion health benefit program for public workers, discussed the report Tuesday but isn't scheduled to take action until February.
Segal gets paid no matter how it turns out - right?
Here is a link to the report - Health Care Benefits Consultant Second Report
Another story - 3/26/2015 - State workers should pay more for health care, consultant says
Segal proposed introducing deductibles of $250 a year for single coverage and $500 for family coverage for the vast majority of workers in HMOs. Out-of-pocket maximums would increase from $500 to $1,000 for single coverage and from $1,000 to $2,000 for families.Of course this will impact everyone and raise the costs such that people on the low-end will be forced to "opt-out"
Read more: http://host.madison.com/news/local/health_med_fit/state-workers-should-pay-more-for-health-care-consultant-says/article_0b74b6e9-6f81-58ad-b43c-04cde7e19d11.html#ixzz3algyaykl
Here is a link to Segal's early 2015 report - Health Care Benefits Consultant First Report – Observations and 2016 Recommendations
Ostensibly the purpose is to "improve health outcomes and increase efficient delivery". In reality this proposal simply "shifts costs dramatically to individuals and families".
Of course it will never be measured or proven.
Another story 2/19/2015 - State employees would get incentive to forgo state health insurance
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~But such an incentive could cost more than it saves, it said.About 3,300 employees who currently opt out — and receive no inducements — would qualify for $2,000-a-year payments. Deloitte said the financial impact of the incentive program would range from costing $4 million more a year to saving the state $18 million a year.
Wisconsin State Journal 5/28/14
Wisconsin looking again at self-insuring state workers
Self-insurance could save the state $20 million, partly by avoiding fees from the Affordable Care Act, but could cost $100 million more, according to reports in 2012 and 2013 by the consulting firm Deloitte
9/23/2014 - It's Your Benefit, published by Employee Trust Funds (ETF)
As said above this is not just a national issue. Governor Walker and the GOP led Legislature mandated ETF to develop a HDHP ( High Deductible Health Plan) for State Employees. The rationale of such plans is always presented as "giving people more choice and saving money."
In fact what it does is take the market place for health insurance in a direction that ultimately only those with the most money can afford health insurance. It fundamentally ignores what "insurance" is suppose to do - share the risk and maintain the health of people.
It shifts the cost of insurance to the unlucky from the lucky or wealthy, high income individual.
WI 1848 Forward: Step #1 - Privatize #HealthCare #2 Eliminate Coverage as too expensive # 3 Everyone loses #1% wins
WI 1848 Forward: Shift regressive costs > #ETF #retirees & families:Step #1 -Private HlthCare #2 Eliminate Heathcare http://wi1848forward.blogspot.com/2014/05/step-1-privatize-healthcare-2-eliminate.html?spref=tw
WI 1848 Forward: Step 1) - Privatize #HealthCare 2) EliminateCoverage 3) Everyone loses #Walker Creates #DeathPanels
Ex_Gov #Walker #Ryan #Trump Plan WI 1848 Forward: How to make HealthCare unaffordable and unavailable -> Everyone loses