tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8512362.post7734853458613512983..comments2024-03-10T13:59:19.230-04:00Comments on xpostfactoid: In which Ezra Klein shorts Avik RoyAndrew Sprunghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17601269968798865106noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8512362.post-38733286378319913812013-12-15T09:35:57.478-05:002013-12-15T09:35:57.478-05:00Roy's pandering and dodging and weaving no dou...Roy's pandering and dodging and weaving no doubt frustrates Klein. Actually, with only a few exceptions (birth control pills being one), the Administration deferred to the insurers to define "essential health benefits", which I believe was a big mistake, but Roy and other critics ignore this. Having Federal (i.e., uniform) standards for health insurance would simplify the purchase of insurance; as it is, insurers are offering many plans with only marginal differences within each of the four categories, mainly as a way to mitigate the death spiral risk, but at the expense of simplicity and certainty for the insureds. As for limiting age discrimination, that ACA even allows the discrimination was a big mistake. Are the nearly old at greater risk? Absolutely. But they are at much lower risk than a young person with a chronic illness, and it's the explosion in the number of people with chronic illness that is driving the health care spending crisis. Besides, studies have already shown that limiting age discrimination has had a very small effect on premiums; rather, it's the prohibition on discrimination against the already sick that is the primary source for the increase in premiums. raywardnoreply@blogger.com