State AG allows 47% increase in Health Care costs, lays blame on Obamacare

[frazzledgear]

Health Care Reform Blamed for Huge Hike in Premiums

Attorney General Richard Blumenthal sent a letter to Insurance Commissioner Thomas Sullivan on Oct. 6, asking what he called "excessive" increases were approved without full consideration of all the facts. His letter mentioned rate increases for both Anthem and Aetna.

The state has given Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield the go ahead to raise premiums by as much as 47 percent for some members, and says health care reform is the reason why"

The new rates took effect Oct. 1, and include increases from 19 percent all the way to 47 percent depending on the individual, the Hartford Courant reported.

Sullivan responded to Blumenthal saying the new rates included "very rich benefits" mandated by federal law.

Health Care Reform Blamed for Huge Hike in Premiums | NBC Connecticut

Nancy Pelosi: "Your costs will never go up and your benefits will never go down."

Some people have no contact with the real world.

Who could really take that arrogant elitist moron Pelosi seriously except another arrogant, elitist moron? She is proof positive just how stupid liberals believe people to be though -sit right there and tell people she is guaranteeing us all a free lunch and it won't cost one dime more than we pay now and then Obama threw in another lie by insisting it won't add one dime to our deficit. This is EXACTLY what people were insisting would happen while Pelosi and Obama LIED to us insisting it would not. We must ALL pay more for these changes, it is IMPOSSIBLE for it to cost even the same much less cost less! You can't cover MILLIONS MORE people, you can't cover people with pre-existing conditions and you can't provide unlimited lifetime benefits without it costing SOMEONE. And that "someone" is EVERYONE ELSE!

These people are in reality SERIAL LIARS. Always have been, always will be - and they will tell whatever lie they think people will swallow at the moment because they really do believe people are cows to be led around by their nose, should do what THEY tell them to do and believe what THEY tell them to believe. Its why Obama tried to sell his stimulus bill (political crony payoffs) with his LIE about "shovel ready" projects. Yet less than two years later says there is no such thing???? Gee, why didn't he know that when he was trying to sell it I wonder? Its because that lie worked for what he wanted to do then -but it won't work to manipulate people this time for his next spending spree. "Shovel ready" projects won't work for this one -so POOF -only NOW is there no such thing! As his critics were insisting ALL ALONG when he sold us that pack of shit the last time. The ability of liberals to suddenly change lanes and drop one of their lies for a different one just takes the breath away sometimes.

We all heard Obama's excuse for why Democrats are not expected to do well in elections. Oooh, people are "hard wired" to not think rationally when they are scared?????? (Yet this is someone who believes in evolution, right? How is responding and thinking irrationally a good self-defense mechanism when scared?? That is a guaranteed species wipe-out and not a pathway to the top of the food chain if it were true!) People aren't scared -they are pissed off. No doubt he thinks they were thinking clearly when they elected him but NOW after seeing what he has done to our country, Obama thinks it is IRRATIONAL THINKING to vote against his agenda and throw Democrats out? Wow, the ARROGANCE of these liberals is just so mind boggling and revolting.

 

[Revere]

We already pay for the crack ho and her baby. Now we will be paying for the able bodied 26 year old who prefers to live in his parent's basement and paint pretty pictures...

I don't mind a good argument for or against anything. But the stupid statements I read here on a daily basis are just amazing. Please tell me how "we" will be paying for any 26 year old's healthcare due to the new health legislation. The legislation allows for anyone up to 26 years of age to be included on their parent's health plan. It doesn't say that they get FREE COVERAGE. Their premiums must still be paid, and in most cases, it will be by the parents. The likely outcome of this portion of the healthcare bill is that more 26 year olds will be paying into the system, and since 26 year olds are at a stage in life where they are mostly healthy, there will be few claims made by these paying policy holders. Of course, their rates will be lower than the rates of a 45 or 55 year old, because of the fact that they will have less claims.

The bottom line is that their parents will be paying their premiums, not you. Duh!!!

No, insurance is a risk pool, spread among a group. Everyone pays.

26 year olds who have to hitch a ride on their parents' health insurance aren't paying into anything.

Oh, and lifetime caps will be lifted.

How do health insurance costs go down, or even rise more slowly under this scenario?

 

[Care4all]

Health Care Reform Blamed for Huge Hike in Premiums

Attorney General Richard Blumenthal sent a letter to Insurance Commissioner Thomas Sullivan on Oct. 6, asking what he called "excessive" increases were approved without full consideration of all the facts. His letter mentioned rate increases for both Anthem and Aetna.

The state has given Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield the go ahead to raise premiums by as much as 47 percent for some members, and says health care reform is the reason why"

The new rates took effect Oct. 1, and include increases from 19 percent all the way to 47 percent depending on the individual, the Hartford Courant reported.

Sullivan responded to Blumenthal saying the new rates included "very rich benefits" mandated by federal law.

Health Care Reform Blamed for Huge Hike in Premiums | NBC Connecticut

Nancy Pelosi: "Your costs will never go up and your benefits will never go down."

Some people have no contact with the real world.

linky?

 

[Care4all]

too bad there is not 'the public option'' or the 'non profit insurance coop'' available that these people being slammed with higher rates can't go to.

btw, the insurance commissioner, that sullivan guy....STINKS TO HIGH HEAVEN as commissioner....he should be fired imo.

 

[Revere]

This one is pretty close.

Pelosi unveils $894 billion House health plan - Politics - Health care reform - msnbc.com

The measure "covers 96 percent of all Americans, and it puts affordable coverage in reach for millions of uninsured and underinsured families, lowering health care costs for all of us," boasted Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., at a ceremony attended by dozens of Democratic lawmakers. She spoke on the steps of the Capitol, not far from where Obama issued his inaugural summons for Congress to act more than nine months ago.

 

[Revere]

Health insurance profits are only 3-4%.

The only way co-ops and exchanges can lower costs is to limit care.

Get real.

 

[Care4all]

Health insurance profits are only 3-4%.

The only way co-ops and exchanges can lower costs is to limit care.

Get real.

not true....the addition 30-40 million people added to health care are not all sick, in fact, most are young, and healthy...this more than makes up for the few provisions in the law that will cost them....

the insurance industry is WHO WANTED the mandate, so that they can ''come out'' rich as can be....

and it DOES COST MORE for insurance if you are covering 'family'' verses coverage for just you, or just you and your wife... so the insurance companies ARE getting EXTRA money for that 26 yr old on mommy and daddy's plan....

 

[Revere]

The individual mandate is years away from kicking in, if it doesn't get killed in court first.

There's no actuarial basis for lifting lifetime caps, and mandating new coverages being offset by new policyholders. Obama lied about the cost curve being bended downward. Think "shovel ready jobs." Both are fantasyland from the mouth of someone who knows nothing.

These new, young policyholders won't pay something for nothing. They'll be stretching the limits of the capacity for care with all the preventive care mandates government demands they be given, and the limits on new facilities government is imposing.

This is a fucking disaster. Which morons think they will get more for less?

 

[Revere]

So much for young, healthy people paying into health plans but not incurring health care costs.

Student Health Insurance Costs to Rise, Yet Again! | TopNews United States

 

[Care4all]

The individual mandate is years away from kicking in, if it doesn't get killed in court first.

There's no actuarial basis for lifting lifetime caps, and mandating new coverages being offset by new policyholders. Obama lied about the cost curve being bended downward. Think "shovel ready jobs." Both are fantasyland from the mouth of someone who knows nothing.

These new, young policyholders won't pay something for nothing. They'll be stretching the limits of the capacity for care with all the preventive care mandates government demands they be given, and the limits on new facilities government is imposing.

This is a fucking disaster. Which morons think they will get more for less?

i don't know of ANY tests required of twenty year olds....i know mamaograms are later, 40's or 50's, colon tests are in the 50's, prostate in the 40's i believe? anyway, those who are young and healthy ALWAYS pay for those who are sick....that's how it works....

the 100k-200k or more for my and my husband's health care insurance the past 20 years that we and our employers have paid in premiums have paid for someone elses care, we are both healthy....that's how it works.

Anthem last year tried to raise our rates 19%, our AG held them to 11%, Anthem then sued the state of Maine, the courts ruled in favor of the State....so we had an 11% increase.

Anthem bitched and moaned saying they needed everyone, especially the YOUNG to buy insurance to spread the risk around so that rates would not go up so much....insurance companies are who WANT the mandate.

in my state, 80% of all health insurance policies are with Anthem, there is NO COMPETITION, which is the key to capitalism working....without competition, there is no reason for companies to be more efficient so that they can beat their competitor's price.

that 3-6% that insurance companies make in profit is AFTER the big ceo salaries are paid, and after all expenses are paid, after overhead is paid.....there is much that they can do, to reduce their costs and earn more profit...

without competition with a necessity like healthcare, gives them free reign to charge us whatever they want instead of becoming more efficient....

 

[Revere]

Your state insurance commissioner decides who can sell insurance. THAT's a government problem, not a market failure.

You're several months behind. Everyone who lied about cost savings is changing their story.

Pushing health insurers over a cliff guarantees you nothing.

 

[Care4all]

Your state insurance commissioner decides who can sell insurance. THAT's a government problem, not a market failure.

You're several months behind. Everyone who lied about cost savings is changing their story.

Pushing health insurers over a cliff guarantees you nothing.

do you really believe they are being pushed over a cliff?

I don't believe that for even a nano second....

 

[Revere]

Carriers are already dropping health lines. So you'll have all these new benefits and nobody to sell them to you. Exchanges? Dream on. States who can't afford Medicaid can't make exchanges work.

You are going to get raped just to keep the care you have.

Nobody can deliver all these new mandates and keep costs down.

 

[Revere]

Obama's defect is that none of his business models are based in experience and reality, only the teachings of his marxist mentors.

 

[Care4all]

Carriers are already dropping health lines. So you'll have all these new benefits and nobody to sell them to you. Exchanges? Dream on. States who can't afford Medicaid can't make exchanges work.

You are going to get raped just to keep the care you have.

Nobody can deliver all these new mandates and keep costs down.

first....i've ALREADY been raped from the front and back the past 10 years, by the health insurance companies, LONG before obama care...

second....just think about this... NOT EVERYONE IS extremely SICK or will be sick any time soon...so those measures you are concerned with, like getting rid of lifetime caps will affect the very FEW....and why should the insurance company be able to drop you when you do get very sick and need chemo etc that is costly when you paid your insurance for 30 years before you did get sick? you buy insurance in case you do get sick....for them to drop you then is inhumane.

and as soon as these sickos turn 65, the bill gets footed by us tax payers with medicare and not on the insurance companies....

most people sick are the elderly and the insurance companies got the golden egg they WANTED when medicare became law....they no longer had to worry about the most sickly group of people out there, after these people for 45 healthy years paid their insurance premium to them...medicare was a GIFT HORSE by congress for THEM imho!

also, many non senior sick people are covered with insurance already through their work, and the new ones with pre existing conditions that don't already have insurance are a handful in the overall picture of things....plus, there is no restriction on what insurance companies can CHARGE those with preexisting conditions!
to buy an individual policy for my husband and me, both healthy, nearing 50, both nonsmokers, both taking no prescriptions for any ailments, from Anthem, 2 years ago was $25,500 a year with a $5000 dollar deductible....thank GOD my husband found a job that had a group plan that we could buy in to for less....

All of what i have said, does NOT mean i support or supported the passage of obama care as it stood....i think there are several problems with it....deep rooted problems....

-the mandate
-the lack of competition
-no public option

there are no pressures on the insurance industry or health care industry to streamline themselves, reduce their own overhead and become more efficient.

Care

 

[Greenbeard]

How do health insurance costs go down, or even rise more slowly under this scenario?

Contrary to popular belief, exchanges are not intended to be the be-all, end-all of cost control. They do force (transparent) competition on price and quality instead of risk but to get to the really interesting stuff you have to read beyond the first 300-odd pages.

• A slowly rising cap on the heretofore limitless tax exclusion on employer-sponsored plans
• The new IPAB
• Administrative simplification (not simply in eliminating most underwriting but also in electronic standardization)
• An emerging HIT/HIE infrastructure built around meaningful use (e.g. for quality improvement) of electronic health records (note this is technically introduced by HITECH but this infrastructure is implicitly assumed in the data-driven quality improvement/cost reduction initiatives in ACA)
• Bundled payments
• Resetting of benchmarks for Medicare Advantage plans
• New tools for fighting fraud and abuse in public programs
• P4P
• Creation of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (i.e. comparative effectiveness research)
• Patient-centered medical homes (e.g. the new 2703 state plan option)
• Big push for ACOs (in fact, NCQA came out with draft criteria for comments just this week)
• Streamlined and enhanced pilot authority at CMS through the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (i.e. fast-tracked payment and delivery system reform experimentation)
• New pathway for the approval of generic biologics
• Primary care emphasis (through the workforce investments and the temporary reimbursement hike under Medicaid)
• Wellness/preventive care (aside from the additions of wellness/preventives measures to Medicare and private insurance, dump all of Title IV in this category)
• Value-based purchasing
• More quality measurement/reporting and data-driven improvement initiatives than I care to list (i.e. payment adjustments for HAIs, physician quality reporting, and a dozen others)

And so on. Who believes these are necessary components of long-term cost containment? Well, just about every expert alive.

 

[Revere]

If there is a perception that Obamacare or exchanges are the "be all," it only came from one place.

And if you have to go more than 300 pages into it, it's more oppressive than "interesting."

 

[Revere]

You poor bastards are going to get creamed by the cost of this, if you can even buy what insurance companies are forced to sell.

 

[Greenbeard]

If there is a perception that Obamacare or exchanges are the "be all," it only came from one place.

Yes, it's never the fault of the ignorant.

 

[Revere]

Yeah, blame the people. That's the message for 2010, isn't it?