A Brief Note on the US Healthcare System Often Touted As "The Best In the World"

I could go on and on but this will suffice for now. Memo to Stephen Moor who advocated in the WSJ workers take a raise in lieu of employer provided health insurance and buy it on their own.

From today's WSJ:

Jill Bergus and her family have relied on Cobra (group coverage associated with previous employer but paid for in full ( no employer contribution)  by the ex employee) coverage since her husband was laid off in June. At about $1,200 a month, the insurance is "so expensive," writes Ms. Bergus, who lives in Dallas. "How do I find a good company for individual health plans? Plus, most of them seem to not cover pregnancy."

Individual plans are often less expensive than Cobra coverage. They're also often less generous. "Cobra is a lot of money, but when you're looking at alternatives in the individual market, you really need to think about what's missing" in the coverage, says Paul Fronstin, director of the health research and education program at the Employee Benefit Research Institute.

By law, companies offering a group health plan have to include maternity care. But only about one-third of individual health plans nationwide provide some sort of maternity coverage, and usually at a high premium, according to eHealthInsurance. In many states, only one or two plans include maternity coverage. They usually limit coverage or require waiting periods of up to 12 months, says this WSJ article about women who bargain for maternity care.

Some other cautions: In most states, consumers with health problems may be rejected for coverage or required to pay more than the initial price quote. Some plans also may exclude coverage for health conditions that consumers already have.

That said, plenty of people, especially young and healthy ones, may find an individual plan that satisfies them

Any thoughts on the how the tens of thousands of Katrina victims whose jobs providing healthcare are gone will cope with their healthcare needs in the long term. Even if they get new jobs with small businesses or other employers that do not provide health insurance ?