fortune magazines take on MA and federal healthcare

i know, i know, i seem to be harping on the comparison between the massachusetts and federal healthcare designs lately. but fortune magazine wrote a great summary of lessons to be learned from massachusetts.

Lesson 1: The Massachusetts plan does not control costs.

When Massachusetts launched its reform program in 2006, it already had the highest medical costs in the nation. Today, the burden is still rising far faster than wages or inflation, from those already lofty levels.

Lesson 2: Community rating, guaranteed issue and mandated benefits swell costs.

Under guaranteed issue, insurers must accept all enrollees regardless of their medical condition; under community rating, they must charge all customers similar premiums, even if their costs are far different. The result is that prices rise steeply for young, healthy customers, who must pay far more than their actual costs. It also give them a strong incentive to drop insurance; then, they can "game the system" by signing up anytime they need surgery or get diabetes.

Lesson 3: Huge subsidies for low-to-medium earners could prove extremely expensive.

And surprisingly, the federal plans would probably prove a lot more costly than the ones in Massachusetts, where the state prides itself on restraining what they pay by squeezing providers, who then shift the added costs to private customers.

Lesson 4: The exchanges reward people for working less and earning less.

But it's clear in Massachusetts that low-to-medium earning families often suffer financially if they get a raise, work overtime, move to a higher paying job -- or if a spouse rejoins the workforce.

Lesson 5: The generous plans and added mandates give employers an incentive to drop health insurance.

The problem is simple: If employers stop paying for health care, employees will flood into the government-subsidized programs, enormously raising the cost to already fragile budgets.

i promise a new topic next time. im really getting into to the world cup so maybe something in that direction.

GO CELTICS!!!