Anthem Blue Cross raises premiums 39%

[slackjawed]

When I had insurance, and was diagnosed with something that looked expensive, unitedhealthcare simply canceled mine. The portion i was responsible for while I had it was about 12000 in 8 months. They offered to accept 1800 when i lost my insurance. After I had no insurance and still went to the same doctors, the prices became lower, like about 25% of what the charges had been.

That was over two years ago, but I doubt things have changed. I felt I was notbeing well served by the medical care I was receiving as they were continually trying 'new' things on me that caused a large loss of quality of life. I since quit the conventional US doctors. I go to Nogales, mexico and see a holistic group of doctors, both mds and folk healers in one place. I am off medication, have lived better and longer than if I had continued on the path I was on, and the prices are about a tenth. For example, a clinic visit that has been up to two hours long (receiving counseling or care, not waiting) is 22 bucks.

What I do to care for myself may not be right for everyone, but it has worked for me. The funny thing is, I wouldn't have figured it out if the healthcare industry in the us had worked for me.

Still, the fact the price of care went down dramatically when i was dropped from insurance makes me suspicious. It really makes me think that somewhere in that collusion between providers and insurance companies, there is a scam going down.

 

[uscitizen]

there is a scam going down
//

???

What a scam in US corporations? NO WAY!

 

[Mr. Peepers]

Tort Reform and interstate competition will do far more to drive the prices down than anything the current administration or people such as Zona will ever do.

No it won't. I am so sick of hearing this tired lie.

 

[Care4all]

so the doctors and republicans DO NOT believe in the free market and all that goes with it, and want the federal government to intervene/regulate and put a cap on lawsuits that involve the doctors who harmed people and committed malpractice on them?

 

[uscitizen]

so the doctors and republicans DO NOT believe in the free market and all that goes with it, and want the federal government to intervene/regulate and put a cap on lawsuits that involve the doctors who harmed people and committed malpractice on them?

How unlibertarian of them.

 

[Zona]

I have Blud Cross Blue Shield here in Georgia. My policy went up 20%. My wife is a top tennis player and I am in great shape at age 54. NO prescriptions at all and workout weekly.
13 years ago my policy was $2500 a year. 6 1/2 years ago it was 5K a year. This yearit will be 13K.
In 6 1/2years it will be 26K and in 13 years my health premium will be 52K.
Fifty Two thousand dollars a year in 2023 for my health care policy.
And folks claim this is a great country for health care.
What a friggin myth that is.

Dayum.

When I had insurance, and was diagnosed with something that looked expensive, unitedhealthcare simply canceled mine.

"Well, you should have planned better"...oh and "well, I had a procedure once and they took care of it, so health care is fine"...or blah blah blah.

This system does not work. Period. No republican will ever make me say different. When they say thousands die yearly because of this system, they are serious.

Avatar....comments? Solutions? Waterloo?

 

[AvgGuyIA]

I have Blud Cross Blue Shield here in Georgia. My policy went up 20%. My wife is a top tennis player and I am in great shape at age 54. NO prescriptions at all and workout weekly.
13 years ago my policy was $2500 a year. 6 1/2 years ago it was 5K a year. This yearit will be 13K.
In 6 1/2years it will be 26K and in 13 years my health premium will be 52K.
Fifty Two thousand dollars a year in 2023 for my health care policy.
And folks claim this is a great country for health care.
What a friggin myth that is.

You're going to turn down Medicare when you're 65?

 

[beowolfe]

Then purchase a policy with a different company that's cheaper. Problem solved.

If only the Democrats would let people purchase insurance from other States, then there would be true competition and cost containment.

But they're not about to allow that. So sad for America.

You need to go back and check your facts.

 

[AvgGuyIA]

Then purchase a policy with a different company that's cheaper. Problem solved.

If only the Democrats would let people purchase insurance from other States, then there would be true competition and cost containment.

But they're not about to allow that. So sad for America.

Umm you mean Blue Cross is not available in all states?


I used to have Blue Cross of GA while living in KY.
It worked fine for my DR, hospital and prescriptions.

I call bullshit on this angle.

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association is an association of independent, locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans.

These independent BCBS rates are controlled by the States they do business in. Anthem manages the BCBS plans in Kentucky and Georgia, the plans for Kentucky residents are not determined by Georgia.

 

[AvgGuyIA]

Then purchase a policy with a different company that's cheaper. Problem solved.

If only the Democrats would let people purchase insurance from other States, then there would be true competition and cost containment.

But they're not about to allow that. So sad for America.

When the republicans were in full power of the house, senate, and whitehouse or for the 12 years they controlled the house and senate...NOT ONCE did they try to change the law that allowed insurance companies to be exempt from antitrust laws.....NOT ONCE....wile every year under bush, we had a near double digit price hike for our insurance.

BOTH SIDES are at fault on this....

so pleaseeeeee SPARE ME on the political jargon of what the democrats should do to save us

The Republicans were smart not to touch health care while they were in control; most people are happy with their insurance coverage as it is. Ultimately, the Progressives (Democrats) want the United States to have a socialist universal health care plan that would destroy what we currently have. Their "solution" would have done exactly that. The Public Option was a compromise but the ultimate result would have put all insurance companies out of business, put all health care coverage under the Government and taken away my choice for health care.

 

[uscitizen]

Then purchase a policy with a different company that's cheaper. Problem solved.

If only the Democrats would let people purchase insurance from other States, then there would be true competition and cost containment.

But they're not about to allow that. So sad for America.

You need to go back and check your facts.

Yep Check em. I had BCBSGA for 7 years and lived in KY and used the ins in KY for all that time.

 

[uscitizen]

If only the Democrats would let people purchase insurance from other States, then there would be true competition and cost containment.

But they're not about to allow that. So sad for America.

Umm you mean Blue Cross is not available in all states?


I used to have Blue Cross of GA while living in KY.
It worked fine for my DR, hospital and prescriptions.

I call bullshit on this angle.

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association is an association of independent, locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans.

These independent BCBS rates are controlled by the States they do business in. Anthem manages the BCBS plans in Kentucky and Georgia, the plans for Kentucky residents are not determined by Georgia.

Yes they as any business are controlled in the state they are doing business in. However they did and can sell insurance over state lines.

It is the states constitutional rights under the federal constitution to regulate business within it's own borders.

 

[AvgGuyIA]

Umm you mean Blue Cross is not available in all states?


I used to have Blue Cross of GA while living in KY.
It worked fine for my DR, hospital and prescriptions.

I call bullshit on this angle.

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association is an association of independent, locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans.
These independent BCBS rates are controlled by the States they do business in. Anthem manages the BCBS plans in Kentucky and Georgia, the plans for Kentucky residents are not determined by Georgia.

Yes they as any business are controlled in the state they are doing business in. However they did and can sell insurance over state lines.

It is the states constitutional rights under the federal constitution to regulate business within it's own borders.

Yes, in accordance to the rules of that State. If Georgia had a premium cap that Kentucky didn't have, you were not offered the premium cap that Georgia residents enjoyed. I live in Iowa and want to pay the same rate as they do in Georgia, but you Progessives won't let me.

 

[uscitizen]

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association is an association of independent, locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans.

These independent BCBS rates are controlled by the States they do business in. Anthem manages the BCBS plans in Kentucky and Georgia, the plans for Kentucky residents are not determined by Georgia.

Yes they as any business are controlled in the state they are doing business in. However they did and can sell insurance over state lines.

It is the states constitutional rights under the federal constitution to regulate business within it's own borders.

Yes, in accordance to the rules of that State. If Georgia had a premium cap that Kentucky didn't have, you were not offered the premium cap that Georgia residents enjoyed.

and by the same token if KY mandated a premium cap then some insurance companies would not sell policies in KY.

The cross state insurance boundaries regulation that the right wants to undo is actually constituionally protected rights of the states to regulate their own internalls business.

I assume they want federal legsilation overriding that of the states?

folks think about what the Republicans are actually wanting to do with their "Heal Care Reform" Proposal.

 

[AvgGuyIA]

Yes they as any business are controlled in the state they are doing business in. However they did and can sell insurance over state lines.

It is the states constitutional rights under the federal constitution to regulate business within it's own borders.

Yes, in accordance to the rules of that State. If Georgia had a premium cap that Kentucky didn't have, you were not offered the premium cap that Georgia residents enjoyed.

and by the same token if KY mandated a premium cap then some insurance companies would not sell policies in KY.

The cross state insurance boundaries regulation that the right wants to undo is actually constituionally protected rights of the states to regulate their own internalls business.

I assume they want federal legsilation overriding that of the states?

folks think about what the Republicans are actually wanting to do with their "Heal Care Reform" Proposal.

The Republicans want to give me the right to tell my insurance company in Iowa to get bent while I go buy insurance that is capped by the insurance laws of Georgia. Pretty soon my Iowa insurance company will lower their rates if they want my business.

Why Progressives are against that is unfathomable. Maybe they don't want me to shop around so they can force Universal Health Care coverage on me and their idea of socialism? Answer me this, Progressives, why wouldn't you want the right to buy insurance from whereever it is cheapest?

 

[uscitizen]

Yes, in accordance to the rules of that State. If Georgia had a premium cap that Kentucky didn't have, you were not offered the premium cap that Georgia residents enjoyed.

and by the same token if KY mandated a premium cap then some insurance companies would not sell policies in KY.

The cross state insurance boundaries regulation that the right wants to undo is actually constituionally protected rights of the states to regulate their own internalls business.

I assume they want federal legsilation overriding that of the states?

folks think about what the Republicans are actually wanting to do with their "Heal Care Reform" Proposal.

The Republicans want to give me the right to tell my insurance company in Iowa to get bent while I go buy insurance that is capped by the insurance laws of Georgia. Pretty soon my Iowa insurance company will lower their rates if they want my business.

Why Progressives are against that is unfathomable. Maybe they don't want me to shop around so they can force Universal Health Care coverage on me and their idea of socialism? Answer me this, Progressives, why wouldn't you want the right to buy insurance from whereever it is cheapest?

You miss the point. A permium may be capped in GA but one sold in KY by the same company might not be capped because KY laws are different.

Interstate commerce laws prevent GA from regulating a business in another state.

 

[Mr. Peepers]

Answer me this, Progressives, why wouldn't you want the right to buy insurance from whereever it is cheapest?

Problem is... it's not "cheap" anywhere! I can barely afford my employer subsidized insurance (and I'm only offered HMO or PPO from one company). I sure as hell couldn't afford insurance on my own... from any state.

 

[AvgGuyIA]

and by the same token if KY mandated a premium cap then some insurance companies would not sell policies in KY.

The cross state insurance boundaries regulation that the right wants to undo is actually constituionally protected rights of the states to regulate their own internalls business.

I assume they want federal legsilation overriding that of the states?

folks think about what the Republicans are actually wanting to do with their "Heal Care Reform" Proposal.

The Republicans want to give me the right to tell my insurance company in Iowa to get bent while I go buy insurance that is capped by the insurance laws of Georgia. Pretty soon my Iowa insurance company will lower their rates if they want my business.

Why Progressives are against that is unfathomable. Maybe they don't want me to shop around so they can force Universal Health Care coverage on me and their idea of socialism? Answer me this, Progressives, why wouldn't you want the right to buy insurance from whereever it is cheapest?

You miss the point. A permium may be capped in GA but one sold in KY by the same company might not be capped because KY laws are different.

Interstate commerce laws prevent GA from regulating a business in another state.

I haven't missed the "point". Who really cares that GA can't regulate a business in Iowa? The point is that as an Iowan, I want to buy the insurance that is offered in Georgia and I can't unless I move there. Because of that, my Iowa based insurance company can charge me whatever the hell it wants. That is exactly what happened to the people of California; Anthem raised their rates 39% with impunity. Anthem would think twice if their customers all switched to BCBS in Georgia.

 

[PatekPhilippe]

Health insurance is a scam.

I dropped mine years ago.

So you're part of the problem....

 

[blu]

Then purchase a policy with a different company that's cheaper. Problem solved.

if you have pre-existing conditons they wont cover you and even if you don't any serious illness you get in the first 12-24 months will be denied coverage b/c they it will still be in your pre-existing condition period.