Hillary Clinton couldn't do it in Washington when she was First Lady. Neither could Arnold Schwarzenegger in California. Jeb Bush barely got to first base during his attempt in Florida. Yet, somehow Charlie Crist thinks he can climb the mountain of major health reform and make a significant dent in reducing the number of uninsureds in Florida. With the 2008 legislative session winding down, he is running out of time.
Crist wants private insurers to compete to offer limited-coverage policies for as low as $150 per month. Essentially, Crist's proposal would have the state accept bids from and negotiate with insurers on behalf of consumers. To reach this unbelievably cheap price, insurers would be exempt from the 51 state-mandated benefits that include coverage for everything from HIV care to mammograms. Instead, Crist would make sure that the insurers offer a "robust package of preventive, primary, and urgent-care benefits, including hospitalization."
There's another catch for Florida insurers: All of these policies would have to be guaranteed issue. In other words, insurers could not exclude anyone because of a pre-existing condition. Typically, insurers writing individual policies may turn away about one in four potential customers for having a condition such as diabetes, asthma, or even high blood pressure.
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