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Health Insurers Plan Hikes

buck

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Insurers Pin Rate Hikes on Health Law - WSJ.com

Health insurers say they plan to raise premiums for some Americans as a direct result of the health overhaul in coming weeks, complicating Democrats' efforts to trumpet their signature achievement before the midterm elections.

Aetna Inc., some BlueCross BlueShield plans and other smaller carriers have asked for premium increases of between 1% and 9% to pay for extra benefits required under the law, according to filings with state regulators.

These and other insurers say Congress's landmark refashioning of U.S. health coverage, which passed in March after a brutal fight, is causing them to pass on more costs to consumers than Democrats predicted.

Health insurance companies state that the are raising rates specifically because of the additional benefits required by Obamacare - which some people here have inexplicably continued to deny and I am sure still will. Add those increases in with the normal increase of health care (which I don't expect to decrease in the future as the dems promised) and premiums are expected to increase about 20% for most of the affected plans.
 
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This really does fly directly in the face of the latest BS Gov. report, and the costs of all care are going up as rationing will become a serious reality along with the death panels that are on the way to a granny near you.

We have an opportunity to make positive changes in the direction our Nation is taking by Restoring our Heritage and Constitution and taking our Country away from Socialist/Marxist in Chief and his Radical deciples and the progressive Left in Congress.

Those who stand for nothing fall for anything
 
This really does fly directly in the face of the latest BS Gov. report, and the costs of all care are going up as rationing will become a serious reality along with the death panels that are on the way to a granny near you.

We have an opportunity to make positive changes in the direction our Nation is taking by Restoring our Heritage and Constitution and taking our Country away from Socialist/Marxist in Chief and his Radical deciples and the progressive Left in Congress.

Those who stand for nothing fall for anything

I do have to hand it to you. You have your talking points down even if they are utter nonsense.
 
This was completely predictable. They had to do something to compensate for the preexisting conditions mandate.
 
Insurers Pin Rate Hikes on Health Law - WSJ.com



Health insurance companies state that the are raising rates specifically because of the additional benefits required by Obamacare - which some people here have inexplicably continued to deny and I am sure still will. Add those increases in with the normal increase of health care (which I don't expect to decrease in the future as the dems promised) and premiums are expected to increase about 20% for most of the affected plans.

Shouldn't this be in conspiracy theories, after all Obama said rates would go down! ;)


Obama says under Democratic health plan, family insurance premiums in the individual market would decrease 14 to 20 percent
PolitiFact | Obama says under Democratic health plan, family insurance premiums in the individual market would decrease 14 to 20 percent


WASHINGTON — Buyers, beware: President Barack Obama says his health care overhaul will lower premiums by double digits, but check the fine print.
Premiums are likely to keep going up even if the health care bill passes, experts say. If cost controls work as advertised, annual increases would level off with time. But don't look for a rollback. Instead, the main reason premiums would be more affordable is that new government tax credits would help cover the cost for millions of people.
Listening to Obama pitch his plan, you might not realize that's how it works.
Visiting a Cleveland suburb this week, the president described how individuals and small businesses will be able to buy coverage in a new kind of health insurance marketplace, gaining the same strength in numbers that federal employees have.
"You'll be able to buy in, or a small business will be able to buy into this pool," Obama said. "And that will lower rates, it's estimated, by up to 14 to 20 percent over what you're currently getting. That's money out of pocket."
Obama's claim of lower insurance premiums put to test | Health & Medicine | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle
 
If the state, or in this case the federal gov. mandate more coverage, insurance companies will compensate with increased premiums to offset the increased risk they are assuming on your behalf. That's the nature of the beast. It really is that simple when it comes down to the basics of how insurance, health or not, works.
 
Wait until the 18 to 30 crowd see their new premiums........ they will make true the old saying that conservatives are liberals who have been mugged by reality.

November is going to be interesting.
 
Thousand and thousands of people pay insurance premiums month after month and never use the benefits. This is what insurance is. You pay out, so that if you do need it, you will have it. You might pay 200 dollars a month for 20 years and never file a claim. In fact, except for occasional trips for a flu or what have you, this is how the majority of America goes about. The insurance companies bank on this. They hope that you wont ever need them. They stack the cards in their favor in this. But see..if you go into the insurance business, that is the risk you take. Now, when they are being told they are not allowed to stack the deck in their favor anymore, they whine. I have not seen them handing back refunds to all the many americans who have not filed claims. Yet as soon as it looks like they may end up having to pay out a bit more, they are instantly wanting to increase premiums. And there are those among you who do not see the problem with insurance companies as they stand now?
 
Thousand and thousands of people pay insurance premiums month after month and never use the benefits. This is what insurance is. You pay out, so that if you do need it, you will have it. You might pay 200 dollars a month for 20 years and never file a claim. In fact, except for occasional trips for a flu or what have you, this is how the majority of America goes about. The insurance companies bank on this. They hope that you wont ever need them. They stack the cards in their favor in this. But see..if you go into the insurance business, that is the risk you take. Now, when they are being told they are not allowed to stack the deck in their favor anymore, they whine. I have not seen them handing back refunds to all the many americans who have not filed claims. Yet as soon as it looks like they may end up having to pay out a bit more, they are instantly wanting to increase premiums. And there are those among you who do not see the problem with insurance companies as they stand now?

Oh no.... I like the idea of mandatory coverage for preexisting conditions....... just pay the small fine each year, save thousands on insurance..... get sick, buy insurance and you are covered.

What's not to like?
 
Didn't Aetna (can't remember which company) go for like 39% in California a year or two ago?
 
Oh no.... I like the idea of mandatory coverage for preexisting conditions....... just pay the small fine each year, save thousands on insurance..... get sick, buy insurance and you are covered.

What's not to like?

Crunch I would be the first to say that the new plan is not perfect, and needs some tweaking, but business as usual was dreadful. SOMETHING needed to be done. Something has needed to be done for a very long time.
 
I have not seen them handing back refunds to all the many americans who have not filed claims. Yet as soon as it looks like they may end up having to pay out a bit more, they are instantly wanting to increase premiums. And there are those among you who do not see the problem with insurance companies as they stand now?

You do realize that the premium one person paid and didn't use was used by another person, right? The health insurance industry has a profit margin of 4.8% last year - that is not at all a high margin.
 
Didn't Aetna (can't remember which company) go for like 39% in California a year or two ago?

Yes, last year, and it was Wellpoint. So? Are you suggesting that since they were looking for a 39% increase that we should bring premiums even higher?

They stated they were raising premiums, and I believe they backed this up, because they actually lost money in the individual health insurance market.
 
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Crunch I would be the first to say that the new plan is not perfect, and needs some tweaking, but business as usual was dreadful. SOMETHING needed to be done. Something has needed to be done for a very long time.

Why? Because it hurts to think someone can't afford Healthcare? That others can and that's not fair??
 
I do have to hand it to you. You have your talking points down even if they are utter nonsense.

Even Obama said, "of course rates are going to go up". That's not the tune he was singing a year ago.
 
Crunch I would be the first to say that the new plan is not perfect, and needs some tweaking, but business as usual was dreadful. SOMETHING needed to be done. Something has needed to be done for a very long time.

And, that something was to significantly raise everyone's insurance premiums? How's that supposed to help, again?
 
Thousand and thousands of people pay insurance premiums month after month and never use the benefits. This is what insurance is. You pay out, so that if you do need it, you will have it. You might pay 200 dollars a month for 20 years and never file a claim. In fact, except for occasional trips for a flu or what have you, this is how the majority of America goes about. The insurance companies bank on this. They hope that you wont ever need them. They stack the cards in their favor in this. But see..if you go into the insurance business, that is the risk you take. Now, when they are being told they are not allowed to stack the deck in their favor anymore, they whine. I have not seen them handing back refunds to all the many americans who have not filed claims. Yet as soon as it looks like they may end up having to pay out a bit more, they are instantly wanting to increase premiums. And there are those among you who do not see the problem with insurance companies as they stand now?

And don't forget much of the money they take in is tied up in investments.
 
And don't forget much of the money they take in is tied up in investments.


My my....investments eh? How evil is that? I mean, we all know that business is, or should only be in business to serve the people for free shouldn't they? Profit = Greed isn't that right?


j-mac
 
My my....investments eh? How evil is that? I mean, we all know that business is, or should only be in business to serve the people for free shouldn't they? Profit = Greed isn't that right?


j-mac

Not evil at all. But just don't whine when you have to dip into it to pay out, or even worse raise you rates when you returns aren't doing as well as they were.

I had a customer like that once. Loaded to the gills but wouldn't pay a balance he owed me because he would have to "dip into his stock investments." I told him it was not my problem. If he made the commitment to have something made he should pay off when it's done. I can't run a business if people won't pay their accounts receivable.
 
Not evil at all. But just don't whine when you have to dip into it to pay out, or even worse raise you rates when you returns aren't doing as well as they were.

I had a customer like that once. Loaded to the gills but wouldn't pay a balance he owed me because he would have to "dip into his stock investments." I told him it was not my problem. If he made the commitment to have something made he should pay off when it's done. I can't run a business if people won't pay their accounts receivable.

I agree that people need to pay their debts (service/product) recieved. To play the devil's advicate. I could ask you the same thing, how much are you willing to dip into your business profit so as to not raise rates of your product? This is the question health insurance companies are faced with in trying to cover more people, existing conditions, etc. Don't get me wrong, I think it is crazy the pay some CEO's, etc get. Yet share holders need a certain return or they will not invest in the company. Some may think health care is a right. The question is how are we going to pay for it? We do not have an endless supply of money to give away, though some may think so.
 
I agree that people need to pay their debts (service/product) recieved. To play the devil's advicate. I could ask you the same thing, how much are you willing to dip into your business profit so as to not raise rates of your product? This is the question health insurance companies are faced with in trying to cover more people, existing conditions, etc. Don't get me wrong, I think it is crazy the pay some CEO's, etc get. Yet share holders need a certain return or they will not invest in the company. Some may think health care is a right. The question is how are we going to pay for it? We do not have an endless supply of money to give away, though some may think so.

Seeing as how every single country with UHC spends far less than we do, (some half as much) we should probably look at their models and try to figure out why ours seems to be so inefficient. Important note: UHC does not necessarily imply "socialized medicine." Conservatives always focus on Canada and the UK, because those are the best places to use the SOCIALISM bogeyman.
 
The Health Care Reform bill has one intention and only one intention, to put 2 industries (Insurance and Care) and the people of the US under govt control. This bill is nothing but Socialism disguised as "good intentions". Anyone with a basic understanding that reads the bill can see that for themselves. Hopefully it will either get repealled or thrown out by the courts. If this bill is allowed to come to fruition it will be the beginning of the final downfall of the America that has stood for 234 years.
 
The Health Care Reform bill has one intention and only one intention, to put 2 industries (Insurance and Care) and the people of the US under govt control. This bill is nothing but Socialism disguised as "good intentions". Anyone with a basic understanding that reads the bill can see that for themselves. Hopefully it will either get repealled or thrown out by the courts. If this bill is allowed to come to fruition it will be the beginning of the final downfall of the America that has stood for 234 years.

On the other hand, anyone who actually understands what the word socialism actually means can see that this bill is actually the opposite. It's funneling billions of taxpayer dollars into the hands of private insurance companies. That's pretty much the opposite of socialism.

Regulation is not socialism. That's not what the word means. Airlines are heavily regulated, is our air transport industry socialized? It's all "under the control" of the Federal Aviation Administration. GASP!
 
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