Employer Health Insurance Premiums Increased 50 Percent In Every State

[lovuian]

Employer Health Insurance Premiums Increased 50 Percent In Every State From 2003 To 2010
http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Publications/Issue-Briefs/2011/Nov/State-Trends-in-Premiums.aspx

Rapidly rising health insurance costs continue to strain the budgets of U.S. families and employers. This issue brief analyzes changes in private employer-based health premiums and deductibles for all states from 2003 to 2010, and finds total premiums for family coverage increased 50 percent across states and employee annual share of premiums Health Insurance Premiumsincreased by 63 percent over these seven years. At the same time, per-person deductibles doubled in large, as well as small, firms. If premium trends continue at the rate prior to enactment of the Affordable Care Act, the average premium for family coverage will rise 72 percent by 2020, to nearly $24,000. Health reform offers the potential to reduce insurance cost growth while improving financial protections. If efforts succeed in slowing annual premium growth by 1 percentage point, by 2020 employers and families together would save $2,161 annually for family coverage, compared with projected premiums at historical rates of increase.


According to the report, State Trends in Premiums and Deductibles, 2003-2010: The Need for Action to Address Rising Costs, by 2010, 62 percent of the U.S. population lived in a state where health insurance premiums equaled 20 percent or more of earnings for a middle-income individual under age 65. Today there are virtually no states where premiums are relatively low compared to income. In 2003, there were 13 states where annual premiums constituted less than 14 percent of the median (middle) income; by 2010, there were none.


everyone knows this increase is heading to US healthcare to an abyss...Universal Healthcare will be a reality
because only the 1% will be able to pay for it...99% will not be

[Horse with no Name]

1. If I recall

The figures that the insurance industry spent lobbying AGAINST healthcare reform was staggering (exact figure is hazy--but something like $20 million a DAY).

ANYONE that didn't see these rate hikes coming to pay for their lobbying AGAINST healthcare was just being naive.

People that were paying attention knew the price would be passed along and not putting price controls in to the bill assured this.

[PETRUS]

7. Yes and it's not just the insurance industry.

The pharmaceutical companies and the medical equipment manufacturers are doing everything they can to prevent Americans from buying their healthcare wholesale.

[The Straight Story]

2. k&r (nt)

[redqueen]

3. We need a public option.

How do we get it with BOTH parties know most people want it, and NEITHER of them will even consider it?

[Horse with no Name]

8. I think OWS is starting the process that is needed

to get our country back from the racketeers and extortionists.

ONLY when that happens will WE get what WE pay for..until then, we will continue to keep paying for their follies while we do without.

[valerief]

4. These teabagger pols want to defund fire depts again, so only the rich can afford to have their

house fires extinguished by a fire dept.

They want only the rich to afford anything.

I'll believe the premium increase means universal healthcare when we're not a police state anymore.

[Donnachaidh]

5. Wait till the mandate kicks in -- it's party time for the insurance companies

Especially as there is no CAP in the *historic* health bill.

It's a license to steal....

[bvar22]

6. Thank GAWD it passed.

It was "historic".

"The most progressive bill in decades!"

"A HUGE WIN"

"We'll Fix It Later."

"It was ALL Joe Lieberman's fault!"


Meanwhile, the Perfect Storm of 2014 Approaches.
Here is Candidate Obama 2008 explaining WHY a Mandate to Purchase Insurance is a BAD thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acc6Wn_BWlk



You will know them by their WORKS,
not by their excuses.
Solidarity99!
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[woo me with science]

9. Universal health care, or Walmart health care?

I think they have a plan in mind.

[dflprincess]

10. Meanwhile, all the insurance companies have been posting big profits

This is, in no small way, thanks to the move to high out of pocket policies that keep people, including those with chronic conditions, from seeing a doctor on a regular basis. It also keeps people from taking advantage of the "free" screening tests because there is no point to having those done if you can't afford any follow up that might be needed.

And this is the system Obama and Congressional Democrats chose as being the best one for us instead of fighting for actual reform that might have given us access to care.