From the “Not Ready for Prime Time” files

“[M]any consumers will have a new option for the law’s fourth open-enrollment period: standardized health plans that cover basic services without a deductible.”

Seems that the folks in DC have (finally!) noticed that ObamaPlans cost a lot, but also offer very little value. These new plans purport to change all this, although if they’d actually bothered to look, they’d notice that every other such plan already covers a host of freebies.

Where these plans differ seems to be in how they handle co-pays; that is, many current offerings require one to satisfy the annual deductible before co-pays (for doc visits, for example) kick in. These essentially waive the deductible and go straight to the co-pays.

Something about lipstick and pigs.

The good news is that they’ve really thought this through, well in advance of the actual Open Enrollment Period.

Right?

Oh:

“[T]he new plans could still be costly …  officials did not say how many such plans will be available, in which states they will be offered or how much they will cost.”

Hunh.

[Hat Tip: FoIB Holly R]