nation

I have never seen a "insurance forms with tiny type", so I don't expect much to change for me.

"Growth in health care costs will slow to a new low". They actually printed that? NO ONE believes that.

I printed this article and I am going to frame it on my wall. When 12/31/13 comes, I will come back to the editors of the Star Trib and ask for a rebate on Point #1: "Growth in health care costs will slow to a new low."

roymerceer...might want to go to the CMS actuaries, they are ones making the prediction. By the way, if medical insurance goes up less than 3.8% do you think your medical insurance company will willing give you a rebate?

This will not hold prices down for long because it does not address the fundamental problem: Medical care is the only thing we buy without first knowing the price. I am not talking the cost for insurance, but the cost of health care. Without a pricing mechanism consumers have no incentive to consider price/value in their purchasing.

greatx: I agree that the issue is not tiny print on forms. I would guess that the writer has not tried to find out what is covered, and so was misinformed. The challenge is in finding the document, either paper or electronic, that describes what is covered and/or excluded. Currently, most plans can be easily summarized in 4 pages, and this law won't impact that level of info. However, many people need further detail, such as when PT is covered, there may be limits on the number of sessions and how many sessions can be authorized at a time. Or a class of drugs may be covered, but all drugs in that class. The options I see are: 1) insurer could simplify the plan, 2) all info could be described in 4 pages of microprint, or 3) this real info is not intended to be within the 4 page document. My money is on option 3.

I'm willing to be convinced. Can just one person give me an example of a government projection that proved to be remotely accurate? Should be easy, go back as many years as you want.

Ok cks1950, May 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy committed to landing a man on the moon within the decade. Eight years later, on July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong, a government employee we sadly lost this year, stepped onto the lunar surface.