Steep rate hikes on way for individual health insurance

[Newsjock]

Source: Seattle Times

Whopping rate increases are coming soon for many people with individual health-insurance policies.

Most insurers offering individual policies in the state have asked for and been granted rate increases, effective Oct. 1, according to the state's insurance commissioner.

Regence BlueShield's rate increase — an average 16.5 percent — was one of the highest. It was topped by Asuris Northwest Health, a Regence subsidiary, with an increase of 23.7 percent.

Group Health Cooperative, the fifth-largest insurer of individuals, was considerably lower, with an 8.2 percent increase. But its newer program, Group Health Options, asked for a 22 percent increase.

... State Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler, who reviews rate requests, has some answers, but his lips are sealed somewhat — by law. He can't talk about insurers' costs or profit margins.

Read more: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012827665_ratehikes07m.html

[n2doc]

1. Another article from another state

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9088736

This is what people see as the result of HCR, not better coverage. And before people blame the insurers, who would not have expected this from them? If there are no effective cost controls built into HCR, why wouldn't the bloodsuckers jack up rates as high as possible. They win both ways- more $$ for them, and they get people to hate HCR.

[mike r]

2. The abyss of their greed is bottomless

"He can't talk about insurers' costs or profit margins"? By law? WTF.

[shraby]

3. Good way for the right wing to counter the health care

reform bill..have the insurance commissioners allow huge rate hikes in a lot of states across the country. Sure kiss of death. More the reason that the Dems should have instituted Medicare for all.

[chimpymustgo]

4. Yep...we are all now HOSTAGES to these GREEDY BLOODSUCKERS.

[superconnected]

33. We already were. We need regulation to cap them, all this does is prove that.,

[mike r]

5. This was predicted by many

Sure enough, the insurance companies (and their so-called regulators) haven't been twiddling their thumbs.

[HankyDubs]

6. I actually think

that insurers will continue to make themselves increasingly unpopular, at which point the public will demand an option, or a medicare for all system.

[atreides1]

15. Just 2 questions

1. How many will either die or become permanently crippled before it becomes unpopular?

2. Who will the public make these demands of?

[area51]

23. +1

It's unconscionable to allow people to suffer and die without a right to medical treatment in this country. It's inhuman.

Each day, 273 people die due to lack of health care in the U.S.; that's 100,000 deaths per year.

We need single-payer health care, not a welfare bailout for the serial-killer insurance agencies.

We don't need the GingrichCare of mandated, unregulated, for-profit insurance that is still too expensive, only pays parts of medical bills, denies claims, and bankrupts people. Republinazi '93 plan:

"Subtitle F: Universal Coverage - Requires each citizen or lawful permanent resident to be covered under a qualified health plan or equivalent health care program by January 1, 2005."

"We will never have real reform until people's health stops being treated as a financial opportunity for corporations."

[dixiegrrrrl]

26. Actually, we have a right to medical treatment.

We just can't afford the insurance for it.

[Donnachaidh]

24. When you allow the villians to WRITE the laws, people get screwed

And until we get corporate whores like Baucus and his ilk out of the Senate -- the people can demand until they are blue in the face. They will die by the thousands, thanks to him and all these *bipartisan* junkies.

[superconnected]

34. +1000. But can you believe how many people here think they should be left to their own device ala

pre HRC? All they're doing now is what they've been doing all along - jacking rates, not giving people who need it service. I'm HAPPY they're doing this because when people finally figure out that we have to regulate them we will get change.

[okieinpain]

46. just imagine if they could raise rates as they see fit. n/t.

[girl gone mad]

39. The people already did demand that.

There was overwhelming support for a public option.

The people were thrown under the bus by the naive political operatives in charge of our party.

[truth2power]

37. You said it first, but I'll say it second...Medicare for all....

A favorite RW talking point was about how so many people were opposed to so-called ObamaCare. As if people thought the status quo was better.

I was opposed to it because IT DIDN'T GO FAR ENOUGH.

Medicare for all!!

[Semi_subversive]

7. My out of pocket is going up $190/mo

effective 1/1/11. I remember that before Bush stole office, my employer picked up virtually all of my Blue Shield. Now my out of pocket is $411/mo. I wish my boss here at the Department of Insurance would have given a shit about the extreme increases instead of running for Governor (and getting his ass handed to him).

[sinkingfeeling]

8. Too bad state insurance commissions aren't there to assist the people, only the industry.

[MannyGoldstein]

9. Ludicrous "reform" bills have consequences

Opening champagne is fun, but the reality hits sooner or later.

[ixion]

16. exactly.

What's happening is exactly what we said would happen, and we were shouted down by the champagne poppers.

[MannyGoldstein]

19. If I had a dollar for every time I was told "you suck" yesterday

I'd be able to buy a veggie wrap at the local sandwich place. Fortunately, the mods deleted many of them after being alerted.

I must say, it's pretty painful to simply call out the facts, get viciously attacked, and later find that you were right. Made even more difficult by the fact that so many others who call out this stuff are no longer with us.

[pa28]

42. "Health care reform would make a great campaign issue this November"

That was the joke I was going to make. Unfortunately the reality is not all that funny for the millions out there watching their (in)disposable evaporate into premium costs.

For people like me who have to pay their own forever rising health premiums the reform bill is going to help us about as much as the CARD act helped people paying 30% interest on their credit accounts.

[on point]

10. Totally predictable. No public option = no price controls

What we need is single payer to really get cost out of the system, but at least a public option so there is price controls on these pirates.

I think this is why people consider the HCR a complete failure, and therefore do NOT consider it an accomplishment.

[jaxx]

11. There is something you can do about high rate increases.

$46m for states to investigate high rate increases:
http://www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/rateschart.html#top

http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2010pres/08/20100816a.html
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, August 16, 2010


Contact: ASPA Press Office
[phone]
$46 Million in Grants to Help States Crack Down on Unreasonable Health Insurance Premium Hikes

45 States and the District of Columbia to Receive $1 Million Each to Make Health Insurance Markets More Consumer-Friendly and Transparent

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced grant awards of $46 million to 45 States and the District of Columbia. These Affordable Care Act grants will be used to help improve the oversight of proposed health insurance premium increases, take action against insurers seeking unreasonable rate hikes, and ensure consumers receive value for their premium dollars.<< MUCH MORE at LINK

[newspeak]

28. all that money they're going to spend on policing

could have just been used to create single payer. The health industry is like blood sucking leeches-they are sociopathic by nature-profit is the motive. We need a system that takes the profit motive out of the equation.

Yeah, the repukes will probably benefit from Congress passing THE REPUKE HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN. And that's what the bill is, a repuke wet dream. Just ask the Heritage Foundation.

[jaxx]

29. 46m won't pay for single payer.

I live in IL which has no investigation for rate increases. This will help us and force them to look into the cases.

What a shame that the first health care reform is being trashed by the left.

[newspeak]

32. no, but the money we spend towards the insurance industry

is trillions. If Canada can contain their health care cost while servicing their population, why can't we? Most of the money is nothing but damned profits!

[newspeak]

35. yes, and rightly so

this will probably be the first and last corporate bailout reform. Unless the people get so tired of the corruption and greed within the insurance industry. Maybe, just maybe one day, they will demand a complete overhaul of our health care system. I won't be holding my breath.

[girl gone mad]

40. The true shame is that we got such a hideous bill.

Regulatory capture will ensure that these grants will not be the least bit effective for anything other than greasing a few more well-connected palms.

[eridani]

43. "Investigating" is NOT a synonym for "doing something about"

In countries with universal health care and private insurance, govenment sets the rates like it utilities commissions set utility rates.

[PSPS]

12. My Regence Blue Cross policy just went up 16%.

When I took out the policy, the premiums were so low, they billed them quarterly. I now pay five times that amount -- monthly.

[speppin]

13. yes, each state give about a Million to fitght rate increaces. Something

just seems odd about the whole process. "Odd" is the not the best of words but having trouble wrapping my head around it.

[onehandle]

14. To pay for expenses that they won't even see until 2014.

We had a chance to pass single payer. The orange man will have none of that.

[CLANG]

22. The oompa loompa wasn't responsible for that

Traitor Baucus took it of the table day 1!

[newspeak]

30. don't forget Blanche Lincoln

maybe we should make a list of the worse DLC democrats and everyone start donating money to get them primaried. Oh wait, Lincoln got help and was endorsed by some of our dearest DLC'ers.

It seems that any good democratic candidate who actually wants to help the people, are given little aid or endorsing by the DNC-remember Ned Lamont?

[AldebTX]

17. We Are Getting a 15% Increase

(and were congratulated for keeping our claims in check last year)

[wilt the stilt]

18. The dream

Insures want to go to High deductible high out of pocket catastrophic model. This way no one can go to the doctor because it's too expensive to go. This would amount to premiums with no claims.
The perfect scenario.

[gtar100]

20. So just who do these state insurance commissioners work for anyway?

Rather weak oversight. No studies but I can only guess we can thank the republicans for that too.

[OhioChick]

21. No surprise n/t

[Gecko6400]

25. BC/BS asking for 27% in my state. Seems fair (sigh)!

[Vinca]

27. The really sad part of it for those of you who can still afford insurance

is that deductibles and co-pays are so high I'm betting you only seek medical care as a last resort. The whole system is counterproductive at a basic dollars and cents level. You pay for insurance, but you really can't afford to use it, so illnesses sometimes reach an advanced level and treatment is more expensive. It's a crazy system that only benefits big insurance.

[superconnected]

31. Who cares, wasn't affordable in the first place.

[Romulox]

36. Can anyone tell me the economic theory under which the gov't forces you to buy something,

and then the price goes down? :shrug:

[girl gone mad]

41. The ability of the young and healthy to opt out..

is one of the most effective price controls we have.

[Edweird]

38. The 'individual mandate' is FAR RW policy.

[Francesca9]

44. When do I get my $2,500 savings?

"Obama’s plan will save a typical family up to $2,500 on premiums by bringing the health care system into
the 21st century: cutting waste, improving technology, expanding coverage to all Americans, and paying for some high-cost cases."

Obama '08 http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/Obama08_HealthcareFAQ.pdf

[seafan]

45. One year ago, we were waiting for the CBO cost analysis for Single Payer/Medicare for All....

September, 2009:

And, not so oddly enough, it disappeared into thin air, never to be mentioned again...

So much valuable time was squandered last year, when the solution was the one the people cried out for.

But traitor Max Baucus expanded Medicare for his constituents in Libby, Montana. Just not for the rest of us.



One year later.....


September 6, 2010:


Steep rate hikes on way for individual health insurance (Washington state)


Pre-existing health condition insurance premium too expensive for many (Florida)

September 7, 2010

ST. PETERSBURG — Clyde Holladay says he was excited about a new government insurance plan for people with pre-existing health conditions, one of the first programs of the federal health overhaul package.

That is, until he found out what his monthly premium would be: $773.

.....

Holladay isn't alone. While the pre-existing condition insurance plan does offer coverage that often is not available at any price, many Americans are quickly finding out the monthly premiums are out of their reach. Of the estimated 4 million Americans eligible for the program, only about 2,000 had applied as of Aug. 1 in the 23 states, including Florida, that opted to have the federal government run their plans.

Federal officials say the plan is only meant to cover this group until 2014, when more widespread changes kick in. That year, private insurers will no longer be able to exclude people with pre-existing conditions; the government will offer subsidies for lower-income people; and health insurance exchanges will open, promising lower, more competitive rates because the risk will be spread around more.

But that's of little comfort now to people like Holladay.

"I was expecting something that was affordable," he said. "$773 is not affordable."

.....

September 2, 2010:

Employers Push Higher Health Insurance Costs Onto Workers (Illinois)



August 23, 2010:

High-Risk Insurance Pools Launch with Disappointing Results (New Jersey, North Carolina, Colorado, Pennsylvania)

.....

Officials say that the new plans, although a better deal than anything comparable on the private market, may still be unaffordable to many people. Premiums vary from plan to plan and are affected by factors such as age, geographic location, and whether or not the participant smokes.

Eligibility requirements may also be another possible barrier. Applicants must have been uninsured for at least six months and have a pre-existing health condition for which they have been rejected for coverage by a private insurer.

In New Jersey, just two people have signed up for the NJ Protect plan.

.....

August 20. 2010:

Enrollment in High-Risk Insurance Pools Off to Slow Start Nationwide

.....

Three Likely Reasons for Low Interest

Officials and observers say there are several likely factors for the low interest in the high-risk pools, such as:

* Unaffordable premiums: Although the program is subsidized by $5 billion in federal funding and the premiums are less costly than those of existing high-risk health insurance programs, they still are unaffordable for some individuals. Premium rates vary among states and depend on the age of applicants and whether they are smokers.

* Strict eligibility criteria: Prospective applicants must have been uninsured for at least six months and have a pre-existing condition. They must provide evidence that their application for coverage through a private insurer was rejected and that they were denied certain benefits because of a pre-existing health condition. In about a dozen states, applicants have the option of presenting a note from a physician indicating that they have a pre-existing condition.

* Insufficient publicity: Some state officials say there has not been enough time to develop promotional and marketing campaigns for their pools.

.....

Ah, yes, the convoluted hoops people are forced to jump through, sweetened with ever-escalating costs for the privilege of accessing badly needed health care...


*No one could have anticipated* last year that THAT might be a problem.



Medicare for All was then, and is now, the answer.


But those in Washington, DC are paid handsomely not to notice it.