Notes 1 Flashcards
Identify 6 public policy tools that can be used to influence health care services.
Regulation, taxes, funding, provision of services, market forces, and professionalism encouragement
47%?
46% of households file tax returns but don’t pay income tax. BUT they do pay some federal taxes (SS and MCARE wages)
People whose income <20k…what taxes do they pay?
12% of their income in state/local taxes (sales, property, etc), 10% in SS and MCARE. For very very low income you actually get tax credit (it was better to give poor people money through tax system which encourages working than to welfare payments directly). NONE OF THIS IS INCOME TAX.
How much do people who don’t pay income taxes make?
Low income!! <30k.
IF you raise deductibles, will that reduce costs?
Not necessarily…there are a shitload of other factors. Maybe people are just not going anymore, or docs are being pressured to drop certain services.
Who pays for healthcare?
YOU. Source of all money starts with you. You pay through premiums, through out-of-pocket expenditures, taxes (MCARE, indirectly to MCAID), anytime you buy something (portion of anything goes to that company paying for its health insurance or taxes for MCARE/MCAID)
Average annual growth for national health expenditures from 2009 - projected 2020?
More money into govt administration, drugs, physician services (more people insured = more people go to doctor). Nursing facilities decreasing. National health expenditures as a percent of GDP is increasing (Even with ACA)
Where does the money YOU spend go to?
Employer based insurance, individual insurance, MCARE, MCAID, out of pocket expenses
By 2014, what will be the major source of personal health expenditures?
PUBLIC FUNDS (not private funds)
Social v. actuarial insurance?
Social insurance: everyone will get covered, redistributive. Actuarial insurance: we’re going to charge some subset just enough money to cover expenses incurred. We’re gonna figure out how much it costs to pay each group and charge accordingly
Why use insurance?
Pools and redistributes risk across individuals and groups, as well as among and between providers and patients
How is concentration of health care spending look like in the US?
20% of health care spending is in top 1% of health care users, almost 97% of health care spending is in top 50% of health care users, and the other 50% of us account for only 3% of all health care expenditures. Most spend not much on health care at all.
2 types of private insurance?
Employer based and individual coverage (way more employer based coverage)
If employer offers insurance, are you susceptible to lack of enrollment based on pre-existing conditions?
NOPE, none of that shit.
How has average annual health insurance premiums and worker contributions for family coverage changed since 2005?
Both worker and employer are paying more for the premium, BUT the worker’s cost is higher…sharing more of a burden. Employers have shifted a burden of their health insurance premium to employee.
