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FNC’s Dr. Marc Siegel on United Healthcare’s decision to keep some elements of the health-care law even if it is struck down by the Supreme Court.
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What we are all waiting right now for this extreme sports we'll on the fate of president Obama's health care plan.
The nation's largest health care provider now says -- giving some parts of the president's health care bill regardless what the Supreme Court decides.
Doctor Marc Siegel is a Fox News contributor and well versed on the specifics of the health care mandate.
Thanks so much for being here with us doctor -- we appreciate it thanks Melissa producer so about some of the things that they're keeping in place and how big of a -- price that is I mean no one of them is to let kids stand their parents' plan until they're 26 what are the -- -- -- the other things are looking.
Well united healthcare group is considering what if the individual mandate is struck what if the law isn't there.
I wonder what we keep on the policies and their.
Actually trying to put a Philanthropic face on this which means you sound suspicious -- they know that these are popular things to the consumer and the consumer out there may not realize that nothing comes for free.
This is painless to the insurance company.
Because they can transfer the cost elsewhere if they want to say no co pays for preventive services like colonoscopy is on mammograms.
If they want to say stay on the policy -- you're 26 years old.
If they want to say we're gonna cover certain services and would not cover others.
They're not covering others is gonna cost less money for for people and doctors and and and the having their fingers cut its so and so -- other words if there's an increase of cost -- cost goes to the consumer you -- you pay higher premiums.
You're saying there's no free lunch there's no free lunch.
Any service that they want to cover is gonna cost more money.
OK any service that they don't cover they're gonna cover because they're covering the first service it's a total -- So why they do that then is -- all about PR is -- a preemptive -- because they think this part of the bill's gonna stay in place what do you think is their motivation.
I think they're doing it because of something called the patient's bill of rights because they know the people want you to be covered no matter what you preexisting conditions are.
They won't know that -- people not want to be covered for no lifetime limits everybody wants this full coverage comprehensive care but the problem is a cost a fortune.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Who aren't sick to pay high premiums to cover of people who actually may need -- -- they are -- But I don't understand the market forces were there to get them to do this in the first place which is kind of what you're saying people like it's that's -- they're keeping -- why weren't they doing this already.
They weren't doing it because they don't wanna have to pay the price of this because they didn't know that it was gonna be so popular in certain states they were doing -- by the -- in New York State pre existing -- conditions have been covered since the early 1990s.
If there's enough political pressure on them they do it.
Now the political pressure -- on them these are popular provisions but people have to realize how expensive devices and it's gonna come out of somebody's pocket there's nothing and Obama care about keeping your premiums down.
There's nothing in Obama care about continuing to pay your physician what -- used to being -- your physician is already having problems because expenses are going up and income is going down.
When an insurance company like United Healthcare realizes that it it needs to preserve a profit it turns around it cuts positions it turns around and cuts would it calls nonessential services it -- it turns around and makes a big deal like it's doing now about covering preventive services as that cost a fortune city.
People that are with united health -- -- celebrating this -- because they think that they're getting a better deal are gonna see their health care premiums rise over time.
They're either going to see the premiums rise over time that's almost.
Inevitable.
They're also gonna realize they're doctor may not be no means no longer participating in united health care if they're if our payments are cut sufficiently.
There's -- As you said there's no free lunch the key here is that it's painless for the insurance company as long as they preserve the profit.
I don't think anyone out there believes that this is going to cut into the profits of an insurance company.
And market -- mean and other insurance company could just come along endure for cheaper price that they're really building this into their margins into their profit it's like any other business somebody to come along and -- -- now.
No because first of all we don't have portability across state lines so there's no real competition among insurance companies secondly if UnitedHealth -- is doing this everybody else is gonna follow suit.
As what they know is that these are popular provision.
Everybody wants the preventive services for free.
