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1 - TheLagerLad
- Exchange Beer Snob
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- From: Bucks County, PA
- Registered: 1/29/2015
- Posts: 2,055
Insurers seek double-digit ACA hikes
From Politico -- As someone who pays for a non-subsidized ACA policy, I can't say I approve of this.
Fewer choices.
Higher premiums.
When I'm wrong, I'm wrong. And I was wrong to support the ACA.
Health insurers are asking federal and state regulators to sign off on double-digit rate hikes for hundreds of Obamacare plans next year, increases that are being driven by skyrocketing drug costs and better data on how healthy or sick their customers are.
On Monday, the Obama administration posted proposed premium hikes from a wide range of carriers — including major players like Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans — and their rate requests provide the most comprehensive preview yet of what insurers expect for the 2016 enrollment season.
With some seeking hikes of more than 20 percent, the Obama administration quickly tried to tamp down fears of out-of-control insurance costs and insisted the proposals will receive tough scrutiny and will likely come down.
“These specific rates will be subject to vigorous rate review and revision,” Andy Slavitt, acting administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said in a statement.
Insurance experts warn that the filings don’t yet allow any solid conclusions about next year’s marketplaces. The data released so far are all preliminary and only include health plans requesting rate hikes of at least 10 percent. The final rates, due in October, might bear little relation to these initial proposals, they say.
“It is way too early to make any predictions about what the actual trends will be this year,” cautioned Joel Ario, who oversaw the development of exchanges for the Obama administration and is now a managing director at Manatt Health Solutions. “We’re really victims of our own transparency here. It used to be that nobody found out about these things until they were final.”
Insurers cite increased medical costs, particularly drug expenses, as a primary driver of the proposed increases. In addition, Obamacare programs designed to entice insurers into joining the marketplaces by protecting them from financial risk are starting to be phased out, meaning companies are directly bearing more of the costs of covering exchange customers.
And the data don’t include proposed rates in many states with their own exchanges. Most notably, California and New York rates are still not available.
Some health plans, particularly Blue Cross and Blue Shield carriers, are seeking major hikes. The Blues plans with top market share in Maryland, New Mexico and Tennessee all want increases of at least 30 percent.
Last edited by TheLagerLad (6/01/2015 8:13 pm)
I think you're going to see a lot of different United States of America over the next three, four, or eight years. - President Donald J. Trump
- Tarnation
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- From: Upstream where water's clean
- Registered: 1/29/2015
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Re: Insurers seek double-digit ACA hikes
I am convinced that the so-called "Affordable" Care Act was intentionally flawed so as to generate a groundswell of support for a single-payer (Canadian style) system.
Until there is Tort reform there will be no "health care reform".
Life is an Orthros.
- Just Fred
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Re: Insurers seek double-digit ACA hikes
Could private, for-profit insurers be using the ACA as an excuse to jack up rates or is there really a need to do it? It's not like insurance rates wouldn't have increased anyway, but now want you to shift the blame away from them.
I still don't get why we are the only industrialized country in the world that does not have a socialized health insurance program for everyone, not just those over 65.
Until there is Tort reform there will be no "health care reform". - Tarnation
I thought Texas tried that and it flopped.
Last edited by Just Fred (6/01/2015 9:17 pm)
- TheLagerLad
- Exchange Beer Snob
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- From: Bucks County, PA
- Registered: 1/29/2015
- Posts: 2,055
Re: Insurers seek double-digit ACA hikes
Could private, for-profit insurers be using the ACA as an excuse to jack up rates or is there really a need to do it? It's not like insurance rates wouldn't have increased anyway, but now want you to shift the blame away from them.
That theory doesn't fly because they have to submit their proposed increases and the data/reasons behind it to the gov't and receive its approval to actually raise their rates.
If the insurance companies were putting unreasonable rate increases on the table as a way to protest the ACA or place blame on the ACA, the gov't could just deny the increases. In fact, it would be to their benefit to deny the increases.
But if they allow the increases, it would have to be because the companies put forth credible math that shows the increases are needed for them to turn a profit.
In terms of why we don't have nationalized health care, that's a seperate argument.
I think you're going to see a lot of different United States of America over the next three, four, or eight years. - President Donald J. Trump
- •
Thread Starter- Just Fred
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Re: Insurers seek double-digit ACA hikes
What is the solution?
- Rongone
- Sentient Being
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- Registered: 1/31/2015
- Posts: 2,872
Re: Insurers seek double-digit ACA hikes
If present day politics continues as it has recently, we'll putz around taking pot shots at the opposition party and take no substantive steps to improve our healthcare structure in the U.S. Rather than taking input from countries that have put their citizens healthcare as a priority to provide universal, affordable healthcare, we will try to reinvent the wheel in the cesspool of political wrangling with the only input coming from special interest and lobbying groups representing big pharma, insurance companies, and hospital corporations. Whose best interest do you think these groups have a priority?
Our only salvation will come when, after our antiquated system has broken down completely, Doctors Without Borders, UNICEF, Red Cross and other volunteer agencies arrive to provide basic healthcare services to the infirmed population.
Write your senators and representative to let them know that you consider affordable, universally available healthcare to be an important priority.
- Just Fred
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Re: Insurers seek double-digit ACA hikes
.......the only input coming from special interest and lobbying groups representing big pharma, insurance companies, and hospital corporations. Whose best interest do you think these groups have a priority?
I'll take a wild guess and go out on a limb here and say, "Stockholders?" 
- TheLagerLad
- Exchange Beer Snob
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- From: Bucks County, PA
- Registered: 1/29/2015
- Posts: 2,055
Re: Insurers seek double-digit ACA hikes
Just Fred wrote:
What is the solution?
I don't have all the answers but here are some ideas
1) Remove burdensome requirements on the things the need to be in a given policy. Let's go back to having hundreds of choices of coverage instead of "Bronze, Silver, Gold". I truly believe the lack of choices in coverage is the biggest driver in the premium increases
2) Move people out of the exchanges and back to private brokers or work directly with the insurance companies. Yes, I can tell you that there are still private brokers out there, but all they are is a conduit to the exchanges. Let people work with experts to tailor plans to their specific needs in an effort to save money
3) Expand Medicaid through block grants to the states while at the same time freeing up regulations as to how the states have to use the money
And lest you think I'm just being whiney about the ACA or have had some change of hear philosophically, let me remind you that in 2014 my premiums for my family's insurance doubled from the previous year. In 2015, we saw an increase of 5% for my family's policy and an increase of 23% to my contribution to my employer sponsored plan. I have no reason to believe that I will not see another round of significant increases in 2016. And I'm just one individual situation. Extrapolate that out across tens of millions of policy holders and I would think that would have a not-so-good impact on the economy as a whole.
I think you're going to see a lot of different United States of America over the next three, four, or eight years. - President Donald J. Trump
- •
Thread Starter- Common Sense
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- Registered: 2/16/2015
- Posts: 3,258
Re: Insurers seek double-digit ACA hikes
As you all know I screamed and yelled about this form the day it passed. Remember it passed the Senate in the dead of night on December 24 2009. And then the Supreme court ruling…. It’s a tax! When we were told time after time it’s not a tax.
Keep your Dr! Keep your health care insurance! It’s not a tax! It will save you $2500 per family! All lies!
The administration has done everything they can to try and get people to embrace the
failed program. Spend Hundreds of millions on web sites and PR for what?
Made change after change in the law to convince people this was a good thing?
States exchanges failing after wasting millions.
And the employer mandate has not gone into effect yet. Another change to the law.
When this occurs millions more will be forced off their existing policies.
Now we are waiting on the Supreme court ruling that could stop the federal subsidy to
any state that did not operate (PA) their own ACA site as written in the law.
The big increases coming next year are going to harm many families.
The Affordable Care Act? Up to a 30% increase for 2016?
Nancy Pelosi’s famous words.
We will have to pass it to see what is in it?
“We hold these truths to be self-evident,” former vice president Biden said during a campaign event in Texas on Monday. "All men and women created by — you know, you know, the thing.”
- Goose
- Cogito ergo sum
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Re: Insurers seek double-digit ACA hikes
If present day politics continues as it has recently, we'll putz around taking pot shots at the opposition party and take no substantive steps to improve our healthcare structure in the U.S. Rather than taking input from countries that have put their citizens healthcare as a priority to provide universal, affordable healthcare, we will try to reinvent the wheel in the cesspool of political wrangling with the only input coming from special interest and lobbying groups representing big pharma, insurance companies, and hospital corporations. Whose best interest do you think these groups have a priority?
Our only salvation will come when, after our antiquated system has broken down completely, Doctors Without Borders, UNICEF, Red Cross and other volunteer agencies arrive to provide basic healthcare services to the infirmed population.
Write your senators and representative to let them know that you consider affordable, universally available healthcare to be an important priority.
Speaking of that,,,,,,,,
We live in a time in which decent and otherwise sensible people are surrendering too easily to the hectoring of morons or extremists.