What Snowe and Collins got for Mainers: No public option and a 22.9% increase in premium

[kpete]

Thursday, January 07, 2010
What Snowe and Collins got for Mainers: No public option and a 22.9% increase in premiums
by Joe Sudbay (DC) on 1/07/2010 06:59:00 PM

Because insurance companies really do rule the world:

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Maine has proposed a 22.9 percent rate increase for two health insurance plans targeting individuals.

The filing comes as Anthem awaits a judge's ruling on an earlier rate case. Maine Insurance Superintendent Mila Koffman last spring denied Anthem's proposed 18 percent rate hike for its individual insurance plans. Instead, she approved a revised request for a 10.9 percent increase, which provided for a zero percent profit margin.
http://updates.pressherald.mainetoday.com/updates/anthem-seeks-229-percent-rate-increase-in-maine

Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, both of whom have spent most of their adult lives getting benefits paid for by taxpayers, were vociferous opponents of the public option. Over the summer, Barack Obama told us that self-employed individuals would be "primary beneficiaries of the potential public option." Well, that didn't work out so well. Now, Olympia and Susan's self-employed constituents are going to get hit hard by the rate increases. Nice work.

And, notice how insurance companies are so willing to raise rates even as Congress wraps up the health care debate. They've got no fears about being reined in.

What Snowe and Collins got for Mainers: No public option and a 22.9% increase in premium

[depakid]

1. Soon to be repeated- again and again in a state near you!

Good luck trying to pin it all on Republicans after all that's happened though.

Americans ain't gonna buy it. Nor should they.

[CTyankee]

2. Ah, but those Mainerers are SO independent!

I hope they enjoy their "independence."

Their two Senators from Maine have certainly NOT helped them out...but hey, who wants "government health care", right?

[jpak]

5. Mainerers? Tell us all about Holy Joe and Chris Dodd...

:evilgrin:

[CTyankee]

7. Don't brand me with them! I worked for Ned and as for Chris, I will work for Dick B.

who I have known for a long time as a staffer at Planned Parenthood of CT. So what do you want to know...I'll tell you...?

[Kerrytravelers]

3. Live better, vote Republican!!!!!

:eyes:

[jpak]

4. That rate increase has not been approved - but it looks REALLY bad for Olympia and Sue

Snowe is going to have a hard time with Maine Democrats this time around - if she runs again that is...

[xchrom]

6. Recommend

[ellie]

8. I want to hear

their rationale for opposing health care reform in light of this. Or will the good citizens of Maine let them off the hook?

[Hekate]

9. Way to go, ladies.

Not.