I don't care how much of a voucher they get. I don't care how much they have to supplement that voucher with their own money.
They're not going to be able to get insurance.
Why doesn't anybody talk about this?
Insurance companies don't sell you insurance if it looks like you're at risk for needing it.
You can't get insurance on your home when there's a forest fire heading your way.
You can't get flood insurance if you're in a flood plain.
AND YOU CAN'T GET HEALTH INSURANCE IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN EVEN SEMI-SERIOUSLY ILL
Unlike an employer-sponsored plan that has to accept everyone at the same price, private plans in most states are underwritten based on your age, weight, smoking status and health history. In some cases, applicants will even have to undergo a medical exam. A preexisting condition as common as asthma could be enough for an insurer to hike your premiums, while a history of anxiety or depression might cause an underwriter to think twice. And if you have a history of heart disease, cancer or diabetes, you could be out of luck entirely. A plan could either be too expensive or include a rider that excludes the very ailment for which you need coverage.http://www.smartmoney.com/...
Seniors, by definition, are retirement age. They are no longer getting health insurance through their employers, or through their spouses' employers. They'd be thrown onto the private market.
And the private market would look at probably 75% of the applications for insurance, and refuse to underwrite.
Why is everyone just talking about the additional cost that the GOP/Ryan voucher system would require from seniors?
Why?
It's like saying "We're no longer going to give you a horse. We're going to give you part of the money you're going to need to buy a unicorn"
THERE ARE NO UNICORNS
THERE ARE NO PRIVATE INSURERS WHO WILL INSURE THE SICKEST SENIOR CITIZENS...and a lot of senior citizens are pretty sick