Healthcare costs going up in Connecticut

[BB27]

Premiums going up up up!

 

How can this be? I remember Obama telling everyone that costs would go down. I don't understand.

Edited October 15, 2010 by BB27

[Gary M]

Premiums going up up up!

 

How can this be? I remember Obama telling everyone that costs would go down. I don't understand.

 

You just misunderstood him.

[IDBillzFan]

You just misunderstood him.

This comment would be funny as hell if it didn't so accurately describe what this administration actually believes: it's not the law, it's just that we haven't explained the benefits enough.

[Gary M]

This comment would be funny as hell if it didn't so accurately describe what this administration actually believes: it's not the law, it's just that we haven't explained the benefits enough.

 

And that is Bush's fault!!!

Edited October 15, 2010 by Gary M

[pBills]

Premiums going up up up!

 

How can this be? I remember Obama telling everyone that costs would go down. I don't understand.

 

 

Would they be going up if there wasn't healthcare reform? YUP. Get used to it. No healthcare reform they raise premiums/rates. With healthcare reform, they raise premiums/rates and blame it on Obama. No matter what they are going to raise your rates.

 

I just don't understand why people do not want to change this industry, they are single handily F'ing people over.

[KD in CA]

Would they be going up if there wasn't healthcare reform? YUP. Get used to it. No healthcare reform they raise premiums/rates. With healthcare reform, they raise premiums/rates and blame it on Obama. No matter what they are going to raise your rates.

 

I just don't understand why people do not want to change this industry, they are single handily F'ing people over.

 

They raise premium rates because the government has declared every conceivable malady as a 'disease' and forced insurance companies to cover every anything that becomes a political football. Mandatory mamograms? Minimum hospital stays? There are a hundred examples of rules being forced on private insurers. Well guess what, that drives up costs.

 

Of course, dopes like you can't understand simple economic relationships so you chalk it all up to "f'ing people over"

[BB27]

Would they be going up if there wasn't healthcare reform? YUP. Get used to it. No healthcare reform they raise premiums/rates. With healthcare reform, they raise premiums/rates and blame it on Obama. No matter what they are going to raise your rates.

 

I just don't understand why people do not want to change this industry, they are single handily F'ing people over.

 

Yeah, they go up 5 - 10%, these are going up 30 - 40% (directly attributed to the new law). This is really change I can believe in. What a joke.

[pBills]

They raise premium rates because the government has declared every conceivable malady as a 'disease' and forced insurance companies to cover every anything that becomes a political football. Mandatory mamograms? Minimum hospital stays? There are a hundred examples of rules being forced on private insurers. Well guess what, that drives up costs.

 

Of course, dopes like you can't understand simple economic relationships so you chalk it all up to "f'ing people over"

 

 

Dopes, like me. Nice. Actually dopes like you can't understand that this industry NEEDS to be reigned in. Those poor private insurers. It's about damn time someone has at least started the process. That's until moronic people vote republicans back in to a majority, then they will repeal healthcare and guess what... the healthcare industry will still raise it's rates.

 

Not everything is caused by the government, think and understand that problems can be caused by companies as well.

 

Yeah, they go up 5 - 10%, these are going up 30 - 40% (directly attributed to the new law). This is really change I can believe in. What a joke.

 

 

Of course they are. Like I said, they go up either way. One way is do nothing and have your rates go up... but people will be happy with that because it's only an additional 5-10% each year. They are attempting to raise their rates a ridiculous amount so that they can market the idea that healthcare reform will screw the american people. Guess what...you bought in to that marketing plan perfectly.

 

So, let's repeal the healthcare bill and do nothing. Seems as though that's the BEST thing to do.

[Magox]

Dopes, like me. Nice. Actually dopes like you can't understand that this industry NEEDS to be reigned in. Those poor private insurers. It's about damn time someone has at least started the process. That's until moronic people vote republicans back in to a majority, then they will repeal healthcare and guess what... the healthcare industry will still raise it's rates.

 

Not everything is caused by the government, think and understand that problems can be caused by companies as well.

 

 

 

 

Of course they are. Like I said, they go up either way. One way is do nothing and have your rates go up... but people will be happy with that because it's only an additional 5-10% each year. They are attempting to raise their rates a ridiculous amount so that they can market the idea that healthcare reform will screw the american people. Guess what...you bought in to that marketing plan perfectly.

 

So, let's repeal the healthcare bill and do nothing. Seems as though that's the BEST thing to do.

Yes, I agree that Health CARE Reform needs to happen just not the Health Insurance Reform that was passed into law. If you want to address the cost of Health Care, then you focus on core issue, which is the healthier living and the human body. Attacking and reforming the ones who pay for health care isn't the solution and doesn't solve the fundmanental problem of lowering the cost of healthcare.

 

What the bill does accomplish is that it adds to the national debt, it burdens state and local governments through higher medicaid enrollment, burdens a sector of the middle class through mandates, burdens small businesses through the those same mandates, increases paperwork for companies and the IRS through nonsensical tax deduction paperwork, increases taxes on the top income earners which in effects shifts money from the private sector to the government, increases the overall size of government (when we should be looking to decrease the size of government) burdens rural hospitals, it increases the overall cost of healthcare and actually raises premiums more so than if there was no bill.

 

What it does accomplish is that it does cover the cost of healthcare for millions of more people. When you weigh the positives to the negatives, all in all it is a bad bill that does more harm than good.

 

I can't tell you how many corporations and small businesses that cite the healthcare law as one of the reasons why they are reluctant to hire. Of course it's not the sole reason, there are other factors, but it is an added burden. The best thing that could happen is that the health insurance bill gets repealed and replaced with measures that actually reduce the cost of health care.

 

Of course they are. Like I said, they go up either way. One way is do nothing and have your rates go up... but people will be happy with that because it's only an additional 5-10% each year. They are attempting to raise their rates a ridiculous amount so that they can market the idea that healthcare reform will screw the american people. Guess what...you bought in to that marketing plan perfectly.

 

This is an inaccurate statement. When they do rate increases, those rate increases get reviewed from the state health insurance board plus they are being heavily scrutinized by HHS. The rate increases have to be justified, so your argument falls flat when facts come into play. Also I might add, that even though when they were trying to sell the idea of Health care reform, they said they wanted to bend the cost curve. The reality is that they weren't focused on lowering the cost of health care, they were more concerned with expanding coverage through government entitlements. That has always been the goal, but in order to try to garner support they misled the public and demonized the health insurers. Now look what is happening, rates are increasing more rapidly then they ever have, THAT IS A FACT! So you can either just continue to look the other way and ignore what is happening, or you can say " you know what Magox and others did say that this would happen, and it's happening, maybe the W.H's health insurance bill really is a flawed bill".

 

So, let's repeal the healthcare bill and do nothing. Seems as though that's the BEST thing to do.

 

That's not true, they do have proposals, Unfortunately, the GOP's "solutions" aren't that great either, yes, it would actually bend the cost curve slightly along with premiums but doesn't nearly go far enough, but it is definitely better than the bill that was passed.

Edited October 18, 2010 by Magox

[IDBillzFan]

Would they be going up if there wasn't healthcare reform? YUP.

So in review, our government has committed to spending trillions in taxpayer dollars to accomplish something that would have taken place on its own. Is this anything like Obama suddenly explaining, a trillion dollars later, that there's no such thing as a shovel-ready job?

 

You are one of the few people left who thinks there is any level of competence at the WH. And the company you keep is limited to conner and Alan Colmes. Time for a gut check.

Edited October 18, 2010 by LABillzFan

[Doc]

Would they be going up if there wasn't healthcare reform? YUP.

That sounds like Mitt Romney's defense of his failed Romneycare in mASSachusetts. "Sure costs are the highest in the nation, but they were already the highest!"

[pBills]

Yes, I agree that Health CARE Reform needs to happen just not the Health Insurance Reform that was passed into law. If you want to address the cost of Health Care, then you focus on core issue, which is the healthier living and the human body. Attacking and reforming the ones who pay for health care isn't the solution and doesn't solve the fundmanental problem of lowering the cost of healthcare.

 

What the bill does accomplish is that it adds to the national debt, it burdens state and local governments through higher medicaid enrollment, burdens a sector of the middle class through mandates, burdens small businesses through the those same mandates, increases paperwork for companies and the IRS through nonsensical tax deduction paperwork, increases taxes on the top income earners which in effects shifts money from the private sector to the government, increases the overall size of government (when we should be looking to decrease the size of government) burdens rural hospitals, it increases the overall cost of healthcare and actually raises premiums more so than if there was no bill.

 

What it does accomplish is that it does cover the cost of healthcare for millions of more people. When you weigh the positives to the negatives, all in all it is a bad bill that does more harm than good.

 

I can't tell you how many corporations and small businesses that cite the healthcare law as one of the reasons why they are reluctant to hire. Of course it's not the sole reason, there are other factors, but it is an added burden. The best thing that could happen is that the health insurance bill gets repealed and replaced with measures that actually reduce the cost of health care.

 

 

 

This is an inaccurate statement. When they do rate increases, those rate increases get reviewed from the state health insurance board plus they are being heavily scrutinized by HHS. The rate increases have to be justified, so your argument falls flat when facts come into play. Also I might add, that even though when they were trying to sell the idea of Health care reform, they said they wanted to bend the cost curve. The reality is that they weren't focused on lowering the cost of health care, they were more concerned with expanding coverage through government entitlements. That has always been the goal, but in order to try to garner support they misled the public and demonized the health insurers. Now look what is happening, rates are increasing more rapidly then they ever have, THAT IS A FACT! So you can either just continue to look the other way and ignore what is happening, or you can say " you know what Magox and others did say that this would happen, and it's happening, maybe the W.H's health insurance bill really is a flawed bill".

 

 

 

That's not true, they do have proposals, Unfortunately, the GOP's "solutions" aren't that great either, yes, it would actually bend the cost curve slightly along with premiums but doesn't nearly go far enough, but it is definitely better than the bill that was passed.

 

 

No debating that rates are going up as fast as ever. Of course they are. These companies want to use pricing as leverage to make people pissed about any and I mean ANY change the government would want to place on them. Another FACT is that even though you believe that insurance rate increases are heavily scrutinized, I don't think that is the best way to categorize what they do. Maybe look them over, say sure why not. After all pretty much every year rates are going up across the board. I think the 5-10% range is generous, but in most cases even before the healthcare bill it was more like 15-20%.

 

By the way, I never claimed that the bill was perfect. If anything it's a starting point. That is until some moron comes in says they have a great solution and yet again does nothing.

[Magox]

No debating that rates are going up as fast as ever. Of course they are. These companies want to use pricing as leverage to make people pissed about any and I mean ANY change the government would want to place on them. Another FACT is that even though you believe that insurance rate increases are heavily scrutinized, I don't think that is the best way to categorize what they do. Maybe look them over, say sure why not. After all pretty much every year rates are going up across the board. I think the 5-10% range is generous, but in most cases even before the healthcare bill it was more like 15-20%.

 

By the way, I never claimed that the bill was perfect. If anything it's a starting point. That is until some moron comes in says they have a great solution and yet again does nothing.

You are implying that the rate increases are unjustified and that they are going up just to gain leverage against the government. That is not the case, in order for rate increases to occur they have to go through a state commissioned health board and a review from HHS. If there was wrong doing, then it would be uncovered, so this claim that you are making sounds good but isn't backed up with facts.

 

Those rate increases that occured are not due to increased profit margins from health insurers, they are due to RISING HEALTH CARE COSTS!!! This is the point that I am trying to make, and people just don't seem to get that. The proof is in the profit margins, all these companies are bound by law to disclose their costs and data. These companies answer to their shareholders, and shareholders like seeing fat profit margins. So the incentive is to produce these results, however when you look into these companies, Health insurers rank #86 at 3.3%. Which means that when you include all their costs and the funds doled out for health care purposes, there is a 3.3% difference between costs to profits. So even though you may have heard from the ones you vote for, that the health insurers are raping customers, that simply isn't true.

 

If you want to bend the cost curve in premiums you don't reform the INSURERS, you enact policies that address the core issue of HEALTH CARE! Do you understand the difference?

 

In regards to your "starting point", it is a terrible starting point, we were better off without it. I am optimistic that the bill will get repealed by 2012, and from where we are right now, that would be a better "starting point".

[Doc]

If you want to bend the cost curve in premiums you don't reform the INSURERS, you enact policies that address the core issue of HEALTH CARE! Do you understand the difference?

What? Put the onus on people to take better care of themselves? How gauche, in this "we're all just victims" society.

[pBills]

You are implying that the rate increases are unjustified and that they are going up just to gain leverage against the government. That is not the case, in order for rate increases to occur they have to go through a state commissioned health board and a review from HHS. If there was wrong doing, then it would be uncovered, so this claim that you are making sounds good but isn't backed up with facts.

 

 

 

 

Ok, so then why is your beloved board letting rates sky rocket?

[Magox]

Ok, so then why is your beloved board letting rates sky rocket?

My "beloved board"???

 

It's a board that is made up through the state government, every state have these commissions. Google it.

 

It's not that they are "letting rates sky rocket?" it's that the costs of health care are going up (which I've been trying to tell you, but you just aren't grasping this simple concept), new benefits and restrictions from the new healthcare law are adding to premiums and more importantly due to the economic downturn there are more younger and healthier people dropping their health insurance which dilutes health insurance risk pools with older and sicker people, which of course raises everyone elses rates that are in those health insurance risk pools.

 

You see, when you apply facts and logic you get down to the bottom of why certain things happen. Remember when I told you that this would happen? I explained to you in detail, before the law was passed and I backed it up with facts and data of why these things would come about, low and behold they are happening. Not because I am a genius or anything of that sort, but that's what the facts, data and logic were clearly pointing towards.

 

The worst hasn't even come yet, this is the premium nightmare phase of it, wait until the mandates kick in. It will be a huge setback for small businesses and we are already beginning to see their skepticism towards hiring due to future regulations and mandates.

 

But the worst part of this bill will be the huge hole it will create in future deficits. These mandates are going to force many small businesses into dropping coverage of health insurance for their employees (mainly low paying one's) and many of these same people will be forced into either Medicaid or the Government subsidized exchanges which is going to put tremendous fiscal pressure on both the state and federal government level. This is the logical outcome, so most likely this is what we will see.

 

 

It was just a very very poorly crafted bill.

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

Remember when I told you that this would happen? I explained to you in detail, before the law was passed and I backed it up with facts and data of why these things would come about, low and behold they are happening.

 

You weren't the only one trying to explain the law of large numbers and risk pools and shared costs. These knuckleheads just don't get that costs will never be borne only by thie insurance companies.

[IDBillzFan]

It was just a very very poorly crafted bill.

Yes, but something had to be done. The status quo was not acceptable. At least they're not the "Party of No." Granted, they're the "Party of No !@#$ing Clue," but that's progress for you.

[Nanker]

Citing Obamacare Boeing pares employee plan.

In a letter mailed to employees late last week, the company cited the overhaul as part of the reason it is asking some 90,000 nonunion workers to pay significantly more for their health plan next year. A copy of the letter was obtained Monday by The Associated Press.

 

"The newly enacted health care reform legislation, while intended to expand access to care for millions of uninsured Americans, is also adding cost pressure as requirements of the new law are phased in over the next several years," wrote Rick Stephens, Boeing's senior vice president for human resources.

 

F'n teabaggers.

[IDBillzFan]

Citing Obamacare Boeing pares employee plan.

In a letter mailed to employees late last week, the company cited the overhaul as part of the reason it is asking some 90,000 nonunion workers to pay significantly more for their health plan next year. A copy of the letter was obtained Monday by The Associated Press.

 

"The newly enacted health care reform legislation, while intended to expand access to care for millions of uninsured Americans, is also adding cost pressure as requirements of the new law are phased in over the next several years," wrote Rick Stephens, Boeing's senior vice president for human resources.

 

F'n teabaggers.

Yeah but look at the witch, everyone! Look at the witch! Scary, scary witch! Booooo!