Friday, July 30, 2010

Health Law Augurs Transfer of Funds From Old to Young

"Ms. Baumann has one of the best government insurance deals the country offers. Since 2003, she has been enrolled in a Humana Gold Plus HMO. The plan is part of an experiment Congress started decades ago to make Medicare more efficient by paying private insurers to administer coverage. In rural areas, private insurers didn't rush into the market, prompting Congress in 2003 to raise the rate it paid. The government now pays private insurers an average of 9% more to operate the plans than it costs to run traditional Medicare, according to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission. Insurers must spend most of that overpayment on enrollees. As a result, Ms. Baumann's plan covers her ‘Silver Sneakers’ gym membership, worth $54 a month, at Franco's health club and spa...

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703340904575285002595068326.html?KEYWORDS=health+law

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