NAR Gears Up for Health Care Reform
By Brian Summerfield, Online Editor, REALTOR® Magazine
The National Association of REALTORS® could be contacting members this summer as Congress seeks to revamp health care coverage for Americans. NAR supports what’s known as the SHOP (Small business owners Health Options Program) Bill, which would enable small business owners and self-employed individuals to band together across state lines to negotiate affordable health insurance.
NAR Deputy Chief Lobbyist Jamie Gregory sat down with REALTOR® magazine last week to talk about what REALTORS® can expect as Congress starts debating legislation. Gregory notes that the elements of SHOP have to fit into the larger health reform legislation that’s currently under discussion. The main sticking point is what’s known as the public plan option. This is where the government fills in the gaps left by private insurance providers. We’ll be carefully watching–and reporting–how this plays out.
Watch the inteview with Gregory to find out more information.
I hope they get somewhere with this. More than that I need to be following this closely. My husbands insurance was cancelled within his company. I was diagnosed with terminal sarcoma cancer and had to go on the TX Health Risk so that there would be no lapse of coverage. There are no other options out there. It is very costly. What do people do that have no money????? Something must give soon. OBTW for you folks out there that haven’t had to deal with this. There is no such thing as a COBRA plan when a company just wipes out insurance all together.
My take on the “Health Care Reform” efforts is pretty much against all of the proposals. I will just ask, “why is it OK to insist our neighbors pay our bills?” For health insurance, or anything else.
All government redistribution programs distort, disrupt, and eventually currupt any market or area they get involved in. Want some real estate examples? How about the compassionate ‘Section 8′ housing assistance program? Government taxes everone, including the landlords that are receiving the rents, and gives it to people to pay rents they cannot afford. This drives up rental prices artificially, and prevents the reciepient from ever achieving a better outcome on their own, in many cases.
I have to ask, where will this stop? Will the government start subsidising car insurance? Homeowners insurance? How about the car, in th einterest of equalizing mobility?
Just because I am sick, does not mean my doctors should not get paid for treating me, nor should my next door neighbor be forced, by government power, to give up his freedom (That’s what money represents, you know) to cover my shortage or prevent my financial ruin. Those are MY problems, and no one else’s.