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The RWJF study also showed insurance company administrative costs to be six times higher than in other developed countries. They go for marketing (including sales and advertising), claims processing, utilization review, high executive pay, and profits - providing no care, just needless costs that universal single-payer coverage can eliminate but won't because Congress won't touch it.
The New York Times Endorses Obamacare
Earlier this year, Times editorials expressed support. An August 8 one titled, "The Massachusetts Model" used false arguments in defense, not for improving the health of state residents, but to show "it is more than possible to insure (most of them) and stay within planned budgets," yet profit insurers hugely and will continue to because containing "rising costs....will take great creativity and political will."
Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP) called the Massachusetts Plan "A Failed Model for Health Care Reform" in a February 18, 2009 report stating:
"Back in 1988, Massachusetts passed a universal health care law very similar to the 2006" one mandating universal state coverage. "Since 1988, many states - Oregon, Minnesota, Tennessee, Vermont, Washington and Maine - have enacted (similar) reform aimed at achieving universal coverage. All failed."
While differing in detail, they "shared comment elements. (They) offered new public subsidies or expanded Medicaid for poor and near-poor people. (They) left the majority of private health insurance arrangements undisturbed, although many included new insurance regulations or state purchasing pools to help make affordable coverage available to individuals or small businesses. Some (Massachusetts 1988, Oregon 1992, Washington State 1993) contained mandates on employers or self-employed individuals."
The reforms achieved no more than "a temporary dent in the number of uninsured. (They) failed because they did not include effective cost-control measures. (As they rose), legislatures backed off from forcing employers and the self-employed from paying ever-rising premiums and the mandates were repealed." The 2006 Massachusetts model faces the same challenges, and since enacted, many remain uninsured because coverage is unaffordable. PNHP stated:
Massachusetts "failed to ensure the availability of comprehensive plans at affordable prices. Despite the merging of the small group and individual insurance markets, which was expected to lower costs in the individual market, premiums continue to be unaffordable for even the least comprehensive (skimpiest) plans..The private insurance plans available through the Commonwealth Choice program can be extremely expensive....It is not surprising that many of the state's uninsured have declined such coverage."
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