SHIP & SHOP: State Health Insurance Agencies

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, September 28, 2012 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

Good morning, Jim. Until last year, Georgia’s University System allowed students to pay a fee and use health clinics on campus. But along came the federal Student Health Insurance Program (SHIP) and the University System of Georgia implemented mandatory health coverage years before 2014, when the federal health care mandate, actually, kicks in.

That means, students trying to enroll in a Georgia State university must have government approved “creditable health insurance” or they’ll automatically be enrolled in, charged for and billed for Pearce & Pearce, Inc. health coverage. They won’t be ASKED whether they want a Pearce & Pearce policy, they’ll buy it or they won’t get into the University System of Georgia.

Last December I explained H.B. 476, which was prematurely introduced to comply with Obamacare. It didn’t pass, but could be introduced again in 2013. If it IS introduced and were to pass, it would put the State of Georgia in the health insurance business and expand state government with four new agencies: a Georgia Health Exchange Authority, a Georgia Health Exchange Trust Fund, an Exchange Advisory Committee and a Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) for group plans. Members of those agencies would be appointed, so state employees would be in charge of health insurance for all Georgians, especially, if state coverage undercuts private insurance rates. In that case, private insurance carriers would be hard-pressed to compete with the state and stay in business.

Although H.B. 476 died, S.B. 17 passed, authorizing a Special Advisory Commission on Mandated Health Insurance and the governor signed it May 11, 2011. With the Supreme Court’s upholding of Obamacare, federal health exchanges will be mandatory in the future, UNLESS the Obamacare law is repealed. IF Obamacare is repealed, there is absolutely no reason for the State of Georgia to go into the health insurance business. State mandated health coverage is unacceptable government control, just as federally mandated health coverage is unacceptable government control. Patient and doctor interaction under the free enterprise system works wonderfully well without interference from any level of government.

The health care situation will not be resolved until Obamacare is repealed. To get that done, a new administration must be elected on the federal level. Meanwhile, explain to candidates that we cannot accept state mandated health insurance, either! For Georgia Insight I’m Sue Ella Deadwyler, your Capitol correspondent.