Drastic healthcare overhaul poses many challenges for US
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Although there are some positive parts in the new healthcare bill signed by President Barack Obama on Tuesday, the drastic healthcare overhaul poses many challenges for the United States, a health insurance expert has said.
In a Thursday interview with Xinhua in Chicago, Butch Zemar, president of Elite Benefits of America, said: "There are bits and pieces inside the new health care bill that are very valuable. The Obama administration should just focus on those areas and try to cut down more cost, instead of packaging on whole bunch of stuff which is going to cost more."
Zemar stated: "Basically the Obama administration overhauled the whole healthcare system just for 15 percent of the people who don't have health insurance, and it will affect all Americans in different ways."
Regarding the effect of this bill on average Americans, the health insurance expert said: "It is going to be a mix across the board. Average working class will be able to have easier access to health insurance while the upper classes are just going to have to face the fact that they are going to pay more than they currently do."
As an independent business owner himself, Zemar believes that many business owners will suffer more from the bill because of higher tax and premium.
In addition, he said: "According to the bill, business owners will be forced to provide benefits to employees or force their employees to buy their own health insurance. The employees will have complete control of costs and benefits and this could become a major problem."
In spite of all the problems, the expert believes that there are some good changes going on in the new healthcare bill.
He explained: "For example, the Guaranteed Issue Health Insurance policy will allow many people with pre-existing health conditions to have easy access to health insurance."
In addition, Zemar said that another positive part is the government is going to mandate that everybody will have health insurance. However, he doubted how the government will enforce or control it as far as penalties are concerned.
As compared with other countries, Zemar said: "If you look at the healthcare systems in other countries, most people only look at the general surface and think that they have a good healthcare system but don't look at the cost behind it."
He used France as an example. "France has one of the best healthcare systems in the world. But they are actually on the verge of bankruptcy and have to make some changes inside their system to keep it afloat," said Zemar.
He worried that the same thing is going to happen in the United States. "We simply can not fund all of it in order to supply healthcare for everybody. Maybe over time, but with such a drastic overhaul they are trying to do, it just won't happen. And if it happens at all, maybe it happens for the wrong reasons."
Zemar pointed out that the real problem comes down to the fact that there is not enough cash flow. The expert further elaborated: "My philosophy, especially when it comes to financing, is that you insure for what you can not afford and you pay for what you can afford. But look at the healthcare system in our country right now, the government is overhauling the whole system that we can not afford -- that is the biggest thing."
As an established health insurance expert with a deep understanding of the industry, Zemar has established Elite Benefits of America as an independent agency. He leads a team of professionals committed to providing the highest in product offerings and long-term service and support.
Zemar is currently making presentations on the options and services of the healthcare industry. He is committed to clearing the "fog" on subjects such as deductibles, out-of-pocket expenses, Health Savings Accounts, and co-insurance rates.
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