Your example is great. But, I’m not sure it answers my question. Are we paying more in total or just seeing that the cost has been shifted from general funds to medical premiums? Before,costs of treating the uninsured were pawned off on the hospitals and Medicaid.
I think to answer your question it would take an entire world of accountants a long time to just get the numbers and do the math.
One fact I do know: in Texas if you compare just the rates paid to a provider for mental health services if: Child is/was covered by standard Medicaid versus the child is/was covered by United Behavioral Health and ins was through his parent’s employer versus the child is/was covered by UBH under a Federal government funded plan, the government funded plan pays almost 30% more than either of the other two.
Given this one isolated instance, it’s costing us a whole lot more.