If you’ve listened to the Dave Ramsey Show then you know Dave is a money guy with no formal political leaning (which is ironically political). However, this video segment walks through the oft-neglected common sense of Obamacare. Warning: he goes so far as to call the law communist. Regardless of the label, the math doesn’t work out. Our new healthcare law forces insurers to offer plans for flat rates, regardless of pre-existing conditions, and regardless of risk. Now while this is a noble moral imperative, it defies the ways that actuary tables ACTUALLY work. Meaning the only way for this type of setup to function is with higher premiums, to offset the added to insured groups.
Although, one thing Dave didn’t mention is direct care. It’s kind of the ace in the hole, something we’re hoping gets revealed more often than kept secret. In direct care, a certain risk is minimized by connecting doctors with smaller groups of patients. We’ve found that with around 600 patients per doctor, there’s enough time to spread amongst more intensive patients. For patients with obesity problems or diabetes, we can handle a majority of issues that come up. But, as we always say, having wrap-around insurance is the way to go. Emergencies happen. And preventable diseases happen. However, we know the former happens less to people who actively manage their health, something direct care is there to enable.