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Economist Peter Morici and LSU Health-Shreveport’s Dr. Leigh Vinocur on impacts of the health-care law.
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-- first tonight the bombshell hidden within the congressional budget office's new report.
The first shocker why -- in the face of president Obama's claim.
No matter what you feel like your doctor or health care plan you can keep it.
Don't not really the CBO as always expected that some people would get Bob drop their plans.
Now what projects that members actually double the obvious estimate of four million people -- looking more like seven to eight million Americans.
We'll lose their benefits at work.
Here to help us sort all this out our economists see a doctor Leigh Vinocur from -- you help Shreveport thanks to both of you for joining us.
I'm Peter let me start with you -- -- from the beginning the math just didn't add up.
Right.
No I never really added up and now health insurance is going to be much more expensive -- -- employers are gonna have.
They're really just let go pay the penalty and have their their employees -- go into that you know those state exchanges.
And by their own insurance in fact in some places that's what the employees want restaurants that have a lot of young wait step and so -- they don't wanna be forced to buy health insurance.
Yet leave this is surprised few I mean or is it surprise -- have -- number just keeps moving.
No it's not a surprise that this would happen and the problem with these exchanges I have a friend who is an executive.
Ed they had a health insurance company and they're just pulling their hair out because.
They're so heavily regulated these exchanges it's making the products so expensive.
That they don't even know who's going to be able to afford it.
And like we said if you haven't guaranteed issue with no preexisting condition you can just waiting until your second.
And pay the penalty wait until your second need insurance and it's going to be a real old mess up you know we in that actually brings up a lot of.
Points that -- -- -- specific point that I've heard from a lot of people which is that.
Employers are already starting to figure out how much it's gonna cost and begin the process of kicking people -- the health care plan but the exchanges are set up.
So there's this short term disconnect where people may find themselves about insurance -- -- they have nowhere to go to thing that's really.
Possible.
Well I think there's a lot of states are starting and trying to set up the exchanges but your right.
There's so many regulations in the exchanges.
The health -- -- insurance companies aren't really sure what to do.
Data they're trying to make products right now and some of them are ready and then you talk about -- -- some people might qualify for the expanded Medicaid.
But right now you can't even find doctors that'll take Medicaid though.
It's just going to be a big issue there aren't even enough doctors to cover everybody yet Peter -- I mean this is -- part.
-- I didn't get everything about what we wanted to do maybe you know was for good reason but it was gonna cost more.
You wanted to cover people who had preexisting conditions ran an ad people line to their parents' insurance that were up June 26 years old.
-- want it cover all kinds of things that were covered before all those things have cost and when you said.
Well that's gonna drive up the cost of health care they would say no this savings is gonna come from.
No one using any are hurt or whatever the excuse was was there any way to work out this -- where wouldn't be a whole lot more expensive.
-- there really was no way to work out the -- you have to remember that the Obama -- was as much a campaign bill.
As it was a health care bill you know the five free health care services for young women are you know reproductive services and so forth.
This thing was carefully crafted to be politically acceptable but economically dysfunctional.
It just doesn't make much sense and it's not gonna make any more says I'm of the line is CBO is still underestimating.
The number of employers they gonna drop people if there's a lot of push back from employees.
That they don't want to have to.
Pay for a significant share -- are very expensive health care plan.
So then what is their choice about point immediate you -- -- cost goes up which clearly dozens of people -- already seeing that this year in their paychecks is the health care costs go up and more of their paycheck it's gone paying for it.
You know what is your what is their choice if they don't want to pay for it.
I think we've already started to see some -- families behave very strategically one spouse tries to find the job with lower pay but a lot of benefits and then the other -- tries to find the job.
Where there are no health care benefits but they're more reasonably.
Narrated.
Are you see that a lot of the restaurant -- in industry.
Did is not no water restaurant jobs where there really isn't any health care and the employees don't want to I've spoken to restaurant owners that have tried to -- Initiate health care programs and the employees don't want them.
We'll -- I know I -- that sounds pretty efficient if somebody is trying to get traded to bide your -- strategic wait what's wrong with that.
Well I think and first of all I do want taken exception.
Emergency care and emergency services are only 2% of all health care costs so it is true that that kids.
That's gonna be say -- savings but.
You know I I think it's a real issue and right now people that have insurance is another form of sort of cost shift cost shifting -- -- that have insurance their premiums are going up.
They're getting -- bigger co pays.
The you know they have bigger deductibles.
And finally they're gonna have priced themselves out and is it and I don't think the insurance companies are ready to make these products yeah okay so no I don't believe me -- would be best for everyone leave it there eggs about the me for coming and we appreciate it.
