Health Insurers Offer To Accept All Applicants, But With Conditions

There have been new reports concerning the health insurance industry’s tentative acceptance of proposed health care industries that require insurers to provide coverage to all customers, no matter what illness or disability they may have. At the same time, the insurance industry proposed that Congress mandate health insurance coverage for all Americans.

In fact, there have been two separate proposals put forward by insurance industry trade associations. Both offer measures that will transform the national dialogue on the debate over the pros and cons of federally funded universal health insurance. For some this could not come at a better time with President-elect Obama preparing to assume the full responsibilities and powers of the presidency.

The two trade groups, America’s Health Insurance Plans and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, each announced support for guaranteed coverage for those Americans with pre-existing medical conditions-but only if a law requiring mandatory individual insurance coverage is also adopted. If an agreement on the mandate cannot be established, most insurers believe that many people will simply put off buying insurance until they actually become sick.

President-elect Obama’s proposal is supported by several members of Congress, many of who hope that the legislation will pass next year, and that health care costs may be reduced while coverage is expanded.

With the health insurance industry changing its turn regarding the implementation of laws that broaden the overall scope of health insurance coverage across the nation, it seems far more likely that such legislation will pass.

Still, there is a significant difference between what Obama proposes and what the insurance industry favors. The insurance companies are interested in mandatory health insurance for every person, the President-elect has stated that he wish to provide mandatory coverage for all children, in the beginning.