ObamaCare…coming soon

[gandalf]

Agree. Good article. Misleading post. Smells like a talking point…

By the way, you can always tell a Republican in the room because they lie about their farts.

“Oh, it wasn’t me…”

[Aecetia]

I will take at a stab at it, but agree the title is not explained by the information provided. I believe he is referring to the burdensome tax code included in the health care legislation that will cause more of the insatiable entitlement increases. The fact that large companies are being granted waivers to get out of the health care system requirements should certainly set off alarms for anyone who thinks this legislation is going to deliver what it purports to provide. In my opinion, health care is out of control in terms of increased costs to people and this legislation (Obamacare) gave the companies carte blanche to gouge us even more. Eventually someone is left holding the stick and they have to pay. And gandalf, we all know it is the family dog that is doing the farting!

[SK in CV]

[quote=Aecetia]I will take at a stab at it, but agree the title is not explained by the information provided. I believe he is referring to the burdensome tax code included in the health care legislation that will cause more of the insatiable entitlement increases. The fact that large companies are being granted waivers to get out of the health care system requirements should certainly set off alarms for anyone who thinks this legislation is going to deliver what it purports to provide. In my opinion, health care is out of control in terms of increased costs to people and this legislation (Obamacare) gave the companies carte blanche to gouge us even more. Eventually someone is left holding the stick and they have to pay. And gandalf, we all know it is the family dog that is doing the farting![/quote]

You have no idea what you’re talking about. The private company waivers maintain coverage until the full force of the ACA takes effect in 2014 when those waivers end. The state waivers require at least the equivilent benefits as would be required under the ACA, just meet those requirements in a different way. Neither type of waiver allows anyone to “get out of the health care system requirements”. Additionally, based on the last published data, more than 1/3 of the waivers are for supplemental employer HRA plans, which require underlying plans to meet all ACA requirements. So those waivers are for providing coverage over and above what would otherwise be required.

So the alarm being set off in your head is one of ideology, not of actual facts.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Aecetia][…] this legislation (Obamacare) gave the companies carte blanche to gouge us even more.[/quote]

Specifically, why is this true?

What provisions in the legislation will allow the insurance companies more latitude to gouge consumers?

[Aecetia]

Wow Sk thanks for enlightening me. Now I feel better.
I like most of Congress did not read the entire package. However, I am basing the increases on the Insurance Companies continuing to gouge us who are currently insured. I have no idea how they get away with it, but my rates have sure gone up significantly since the passage of the bill.

“For example, in September 2010, The Wall Street Journal also reported that health insurers have been forced to raise premiums “as a direct result of the health overhaul.”
http://biggovernment.com/tfitton/2011/01/12/judicial-watch-sues-hhs-to-obtain-obamacare-waiver-documents/

“Aetna, one of the nation’s largest health insurers, said the extra benefits forced it to seek rate increases for new individual plans of 5.4% to 7.4% in California and 5.5% to 6.8% in Nevada after Sept. 23. Similar steps are planned across the country, according to Aetna. Previously the administration had calculated that the batch of changes taking effect this fall would raise premiums no more than 1% to 2%, on average.”

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703720004575478200948908976.html

[Hobie]

Pull my finger, gandalf ! har…

Seriously. As much as I dislike Obamacare we will have it regardless if it gets repealed. Tell you why.

Today people are not saving for retirement like our parents generation did. Many people who have owned for a while are taking a reverse mortgages or HELOC to maintain their current lifestyle.

When age starts requiring more health care these folks will not have the money to pay for it nor the premiums.

So when the vast numbers are lining up at emergency rooms for old age care, we will see a surge for government supplied health care– Obamacare.

I see a 10-15 year window before it is demanded by the masses.

[Aecetia]

“Fearful of retribution by HHS Secretary and chief inquisitor Kathleen Sebelius, who has threatened companies speaking out about Obamacare’s perverse consequences, many business owners who obtained waivers refused to talk to me on the record. One said tersely: ‘We did what we had to do to survive.’”

http://michellemalkin.com/2010/11/17/dude-wheres-my-obamacare-waiver/

[img_assist|nid=15382|title=Dude, where’s my waiver?|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=300|height=173]

[Aecetia]

“After two years of nonstop focus on health care, the president has stopped talking about the law’s far-reaching effects. Now he is concentrating on a few micro changes. Meanwhile the administration is working hard to dampen controversy by handing out buckets of waivers and attacking Republicans over Medicare.”

http://spectator.org/archives/2011/09/12/obamas-strategy-of-silence

[bearishgurl]

[quote=Aecetia]Wow Sk thanks for enlightening me. Now I feel better.
I like most of Congress did not read the entire package. However, I am basing the increases on the Insurance Companies continuing to gouge us who are currently insured. I have no idea how they get away with it, but my rates have sure gone up significantly since the passage of the bill.

“For example, in September 2010, The Wall Street Journal also reported that health insurers have been forced to raise premiums “as a direct result of the health overhaul.”
http://biggovernment.com/tfitton/2011/01/12/judicial-watch-sues-hhs-to-obtain-obamacare-waiver-documents/

“Aetna, one of the nation’s largest health insurers, said the extra benefits forced it to seek rate increases for new individual plans of 5.4% to 7.4% in California and 5.5% to 6.8% in Nevada after Sept. 23. Similar steps are planned across the country, according to Aetna. Previously the administration had calculated that the batch of changes taking effect this fall would raise premiums no more than 1% to 2%, on average.”

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703720004575478200948908976.html
[/quote]

Aecetia, I have an Aetna Advantage PPO individual plan. My rates have increased 3x since the passage of the HCRA. Overall, they have gone up 8.5% in these three rate hikes. During this time, I have only filed minimal claims for routine care.

Due to age and the fact that I am “grandfathered in” on a certain plan configuration which was no longer offered in their individual lineup after the passage of HCRA, I am reluctant to disturb it. I can only hope for the best until I reach the age of 65 (assuming Medicare is still around), and then convert it to a Medicare supplement and “Part D” policy.

[Aecetia]

I know how you feel. The rates are ridiculous and unlike what Obama and his crew said, the State is not doing anything about the gouging except some half-a$$ attempt at Blue Cross Anthem.[Are more Californians finally ready to ditch the private, for-profit health insurance industry? Here comes yet another reason to do so. Last week, The Los Angeles Times reported that California insurance regulators approved Anthem Blue Cross rate hikes averaging between 14% and 20% on individual policyholders. Anthem competitor Blue Shield was allowed rate increases averaging between 19% and 29%. The hikes are to take effect Oct. 1.]

Anthem Blue Cross Given the Go-Ahead to Gouge

Who knows, maybe they are “bundling” for him and his pals?

The whole thing is a joke and all it did was drive up costs for those of us who pay for insurance and drive up profits for big insurance companies. Change. Not really seems like the same crap as the last group and with more hypocrisy thrown in.

[SK in CV]

[quote=bearishgurl]
Aecetia, I have an Aetna Advantage PPO individual plan. My rates have increased 3x since the passage of the HCRA. Overall, they have gone up 8.5% in these three rate hikes. During this time, I have only filed minimal claims for routine care.

Due to age and the fact that I am “grandfathered in” on a certain plan configuration which was no longer offered in their individual lineup after the passage of HCRA, I am reluctant to disturb it. I can only hope for the best until I reach the age of 65 (assuming Medicare is still around), and then convert it to a Medicare supplement and “Part D” policy.[/quote]

I assure you that nothing in the ACA caused those increases. I know this because I’ve actually read the bill, and know that there hasn’t been any substantial burden on insurance companies that have gone into effect yet. (covering kids up to age 26? A money maker for insurance companies. Thats a demographic that rarely consumes health care dollars. Aetna and Anthem Blue Cross internal numbers put the increased burden as a result of the ACA at 2.4 and 2.6% respectively for calendar year 2012. Zero for 2010 and 2011.) Insurance companies raise rates when they can. It’s highly likely that 2012 will be an extraordinarily competitive year for group coverage in most of the country, and rates may even fall.

I presume you’re aware that an 8.5% increase over the last 2 1/2 years is substantially less than average increases over the previous 10 years? That would be things getting better, not worse.

What exactly makes your plan grandfathered?
Are you saying you have a multi-year contract that can’t be changed or withdrawn? I wasn’t aware those contracts existed.

[SK in CV]

[quote=Aecetia]
The whole thing is a joke and all it did was drive up costs for those of us who pay for insurance and drive up profits for big insurance companies. Change. Not really seems like the same crap as the last group and with more hypocrisy thrown in.[/quote]

Be precise here, how exactly has it driven up prices? What is the mechanism in the law that caused that?

Here’s one good thing (one of the best things) that the new law will do. If those Anthem increases fall to the bottom line, Most all of it will be returned to the policy holders. Without the law, that would not have happened.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=SK in CV]I assure you that nothing in the ACA caused those increases. I know this because I’ve actually read the bill, and know that there hasn’t been any substantial burden on insurance companies that have gone into effect yet. (covering kids up to age 26? A money maker for insurance companies. Thats a demographic that rarely consumes health care dollars. Aetna and Anthem Blue Cross internal numbers put the increased burden as a result of the ACA at 2.4 and 2.6% respectively for calendar year 2012. Zero for 2010 and 2011.) Insurance companies raise rates when they can. It’s highly likely that 2012 will be an extraordinarily competitive year for group coverage in most of the country, and rates may even fall.

I presume you’re aware that an 8.5% increase over the last 2 1/2 years is substantially less than average increases over the previous 10 years? That would be things getting better, not worse.

What exactly makes your plan grandfathered?
Are you saying you have a multi-year contract that can’t be changed or withdrawn? I wasn’t aware those contracts existed.[/quote]

SK, the HCRA is only coming up on 1.5 years old (3-21-10). Thus, those 3 rate-hikes were all within 16 months, the last one being in July.

All the excuses given to me in the “rate-hike letters” I rec’d were that “costs were rising in my area.” I can see this at a micro level when a typical mammogram, for instance, has gone from $111 to $121 to $166 in the last three years.

I took out my policy 7 yrs ago, originally in a “group plan.” My current plan is under the same member number as when I was in the group, but is now an “individual plan.” I never used COBRA (which was more expensive than an individual plan [if one had no pre-existing conditions]). I went thru the “qualification process” for an individual plan, instead.

This is a generic copy of my 1st “rate-hike” ltr after the HCRA was passed.

[img_assist|nid=15384|title=Aetna rate-hike ltr|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=81|height=100]

[bearishgurl]

SK, my understanding of the HCRA is that the carriers currently have to accept everyone who applies for an individual policy but can charge premiums according to risk until 2014. My fear is that when 2014 comes they will have to lower the premiums of these high users of health care and charge the rest of us in the same age group accordingly to make up the difference. That will really hurt the healthy boomer set that cannot yet qualify for Medicare!

[Aecetia]

Just one of the top ten failures of Obamacare:

“Some Americans have already had a spike in the cost of their insurance premiums of an astounding 20% to 60%. Insurance companies have raised premiums in double-digit increases. For example, Blue Shield of California​ recently increased some of its individual plans by 59%, saying that 4% of the increase is a direct result of the new health care law.”

“Now, the CBO projects that the average American family will pay $2,100 more on health care premiums when the law is fully implemented (an increase of 10% to 13%).”

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=42461

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