Before everyone gets breathless about lower increases in healthcare premiums, let’s acknowledge that we are insurance pros and should be able to smell a rat a lot faster than the general public. The fact is, most health plans and employers started shifting employees into higher deductible health plans at least 3 years ago. In addition, here in Massachusetts, Blue Cross switched all their small businesses plans to “Tierd” hospital plans about the same time frame. Many large businesses followed suit. You want to go to Mass General? Great! That’ll be a $2000 deductible per visit please. In effect, the health plans plans of today contain far more self-insurance and other gimmicks that are saving the plans plenty of $$. So when we see that “health costs” are moderating, it doesn’t necessarily mean actual costs of healthcare are going down, it means a lot of people are simply getting less health coverage.
Your propaganda seems to have found a receptive audience, but that does not make it true. Out of pocket costs are set at a maximum of $6,350 under the Affordable Care Act. After that, everything is free.
The article says…”after plan design changes and vendor negociations” As insurance professionals of any political party, I am sure you know there are actuaries, statistics and modeling that provide this data.
It appears that many Insurance Journal comment makers are quite the negative and cynical bunch.
The article says- “INCREASES in 2013 were lowest in a decade”. The passing of ACA was supposed to decrease premium and make healthcare more affordable and obtainable. Not continue to increase premium, increase deductibles and co pays and a sign up process that doesn’t work and is a joke. This has turned out to be the Unaffordable Healthcare Act, just as predicted, another government run, inefficient and more costly program.
Sgt Major,
The PPACA is and will simply provide affordable care for all. No one promised lower premiums. Oh, and the last time I checked, private carriers are providing coverage, not the government. Hardly government run.
Cap, it was unaffordable before this law killed many jobs. And now your saying it never promised to lower premiums.
What is the point???? Why spend so much tax payer money just to have them pay the same if not more?
FFA, the point is to improve what was a less than favorable healthcare system before. No pre-x, all can find coverage (over 30 million Americans), children can remain on parents’ plans longer, cut out the inefficiencies, and encourage preventative care. In the long run, this will reduce costs because all we’ve seen for over a decade, are high singles if not double digit percent increases year-to-year. I really was hoping for something better than the Heritage Foundation’s response to Hillarycare in order to get the job done, but I do believe it is a step in the right direction. Plenty of room for improvement, however.
Pre x coverage was available in IL, Indiana and WI. Not sure about IA.
So, I ask again, with no lower premiums, what the point?
I went from $722 pre OBama Care (2009) with a $1K ded to over $1500 with a $5K ded (2013).
Only one I know that will see a reduction is Me down to $948.00. I am on a max rated group.
October 21, 2013 at 6:01 pm
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Where is the $2,500 savings for a family that was “promised”? Yes, the President has said that on several occasions. Sounds to me like he promised savings. At what cost on the premiums? Higher deductibles, higher out of pocket expenses, loss of doctor, Medicaid styled policy. What good does it do to have a small savings on premiums for some people if their plan has a $5,000 deductible and $13,000 out of pocket expense if they get sick? This is truly the Unaffordable Care Act in all respects.
Hey Planet, perhaps you should read what Ezekiel Emanuel, the Architect of Obamacare said about the goal of Obamcare. Yes, he said that the goal was to destroy the insurance companies. That doesn’t sound very favorable for private insurers future, does it?
Hey Sargeant. You are quite correct when you said the ACA was supposed to decrease premiums and make Healthcare more obtainable. It seems to be doing the opposite. The one size fits all mandate that every plan has to have automatically makes it more expensive since 60 year olds have to have Maternity benefits. I continue to get rate increases on our Individual customers from Blue Cross and they will have to change to this travesty or lose their coverage entirely. Three years have gone by now since the law was passed. Where are the savings? Did you see the President today saying the law has made it smoother and easier to sign up? He is living in a dream world and Planet goes right along for the ride. By the way, your Lions are looking good. I shudder when I think what they may do to our Cowgirls next Sunday.
Check your Obama speeches Larry. He said over and over that it would save the average family $2,500 on their premiums. He also said 39 times that if you like your plan, you can keep it, Period. If you like your doctor, you can keep him, Period. Those lies earned him 4 Pinnochios from the Washington Post and they are not a Conservative paper.
Hey Sargeant, Sebelius has said in recent testimony that rates will be rising again next year. She will probably be blaming Republicans for sabotaging the web site preventing all those eager Healthcare applicants from signing up and causing her to miss her 7 million enrollment. Never mind the sticker shock everyone sees when they go on it.
Hey Sargeant, a lot of water passed under the bridge since this blog was started. Go to http://www.townhall.com today and see the article and video where Obama admits you can’t necessarily keep your doctor. The first video is the promise, the second one is the interview with WebMD saying the opposite. Perhaps Libby can read his lips since she doesn’t have sound on her antiquated computer.
I was at a meeting for one of my carriers yesterday.
After chatting with my peers, seems the only people it will save money for is the ones on Max Rated Groups.
They are making Self Funded work down to 25 enrollees. Self funded comes with out the Obama Care taxes shaving at least 8% off the bill here in Illinois. Reduced commis. Brings the savings to around 10% off the top.
My healthcare coverage for the exact same United Healthcare PPO I had last year went up 16% for 2014 and is not being offered in 2015. Due to the Affordable Healthcare Act, a “good” health plan is costing major employers 40% more in taxes. Most companies are doing what mine did and cutting out the extras in the plan to avoid the tax. In 2015, we will be stuck with a high deductible plan only. I went from having 6 options, to just one after this year. The high deductible plan isn’t any cheaper, but it does cover MUCH less and the family deductible is $1,500 higher in 2015 and $3,500 higher in 2016. It kills me how people think it’s ok to take from those that work for it and give freely to those that don’t. It is the epitomy of communism.
Before everyone gets breathless about lower increases in healthcare premiums, let’s acknowledge that we are insurance pros and should be able to smell a rat a lot faster than the general public. The fact is, most health plans and employers started shifting employees into higher deductible health plans at least 3 years ago. In addition, here in Massachusetts, Blue Cross switched all their small businesses plans to “Tierd” hospital plans about the same time frame. Many large businesses followed suit. You want to go to Mass General? Great! That’ll be a $2000 deductible per visit please. In effect, the health plans plans of today contain far more self-insurance and other gimmicks that are saving the plans plenty of $$. So when we see that “health costs” are moderating, it doesn’t necessarily mean actual costs of healthcare are going down, it means a lot of people are simply getting less health coverage.
You went right over most democrats heads with that one. Let me simplify it- lean forward.
Your propaganda seems to have found a receptive audience, but that does not make it true. Out of pocket costs are set at a maximum of $6,350 under the Affordable Care Act. After that, everything is free.
Someone has to pay for it you idiot.
The article says…”after plan design changes and vendor negociations” As insurance professionals of any political party, I am sure you know there are actuaries, statistics and modeling that provide this data.
It appears that many Insurance Journal comment makers are quite the negative and cynical bunch.
The article says- “INCREASES in 2013 were lowest in a decade”. The passing of ACA was supposed to decrease premium and make healthcare more affordable and obtainable. Not continue to increase premium, increase deductibles and co pays and a sign up process that doesn’t work and is a joke. This has turned out to be the Unaffordable Healthcare Act, just as predicted, another government run, inefficient and more costly program.
Sgt Major,
The PPACA is and will simply provide affordable care for all. No one promised lower premiums. Oh, and the last time I checked, private carriers are providing coverage, not the government. Hardly government run.
Cap, it was unaffordable before this law killed many jobs. And now your saying it never promised to lower premiums.
What is the point???? Why spend so much tax payer money just to have them pay the same if not more?
FFA, the point is to improve what was a less than favorable healthcare system before. No pre-x, all can find coverage (over 30 million Americans), children can remain on parents’ plans longer, cut out the inefficiencies, and encourage preventative care. In the long run, this will reduce costs because all we’ve seen for over a decade, are high singles if not double digit percent increases year-to-year. I really was hoping for something better than the Heritage Foundation’s response to Hillarycare in order to get the job done, but I do believe it is a step in the right direction. Plenty of room for improvement, however.
Pre x coverage was available in IL, Indiana and WI. Not sure about IA.
So, I ask again, with no lower premiums, what the point?
I went from $722 pre OBama Care (2009) with a $1K ded to over $1500 with a $5K ded (2013).
Only one I know that will see a reduction is Me down to $948.00. I am on a max rated group.
Where is the $2,500 savings for a family that was “promised”? Yes, the President has said that on several occasions. Sounds to me like he promised savings. At what cost on the premiums? Higher deductibles, higher out of pocket expenses, loss of doctor, Medicaid styled policy. What good does it do to have a small savings on premiums for some people if their plan has a $5,000 deductible and $13,000 out of pocket expense if they get sick? This is truly the Unaffordable Care Act in all respects.
Hey Planet, perhaps you should read what Ezekiel Emanuel, the Architect of Obamacare said about the goal of Obamcare. Yes, he said that the goal was to destroy the insurance companies. That doesn’t sound very favorable for private insurers future, does it?
Hey Sargeant. You are quite correct when you said the ACA was supposed to decrease premiums and make Healthcare more obtainable. It seems to be doing the opposite. The one size fits all mandate that every plan has to have automatically makes it more expensive since 60 year olds have to have Maternity benefits. I continue to get rate increases on our Individual customers from Blue Cross and they will have to change to this travesty or lose their coverage entirely. Three years have gone by now since the law was passed. Where are the savings? Did you see the President today saying the law has made it smoother and easier to sign up? He is living in a dream world and Planet goes right along for the ride. By the way, your Lions are looking good. I shudder when I think what they may do to our Cowgirls next Sunday.
Dead wrong. The ACA was always to slow the rate of increases not lower them from the past year.
Check your Obama speeches Larry. He said over and over that it would save the average family $2,500 on their premiums. He also said 39 times that if you like your plan, you can keep it, Period. If you like your doctor, you can keep him, Period. Those lies earned him 4 Pinnochios from the Washington Post and they are not a Conservative paper.
Hey Sargeant, Sebelius has said in recent testimony that rates will be rising again next year. She will probably be blaming Republicans for sabotaging the web site preventing all those eager Healthcare applicants from signing up and causing her to miss her 7 million enrollment. Never mind the sticker shock everyone sees when they go on it.
Hey Sargeant, a lot of water passed under the bridge since this blog was started. Go to http://www.townhall.com today and see the article and video where Obama admits you can’t necessarily keep your doctor. The first video is the promise, the second one is the interview with WebMD saying the opposite. Perhaps Libby can read his lips since she doesn’t have sound on her antiquated computer.
I was at a meeting for one of my carriers yesterday.
After chatting with my peers, seems the only people it will save money for is the ones on Max Rated Groups.
They are making Self Funded work down to 25 enrollees. Self funded comes with out the Obama Care taxes shaving at least 8% off the bill here in Illinois. Reduced commis. Brings the savings to around 10% off the top.
What do you mean when you say “Self-funded comes without the Obamacare taxes.”
The carrier big pitch was to avoid OBama Care taxes.
Also the employer can develop their own plan design.
Under this plan, Hobby Lobby could keep their religious beliefs in tact.
So, maybe the individual side is not where my market is….
My healthcare coverage for the exact same United Healthcare PPO I had last year went up 16% for 2014 and is not being offered in 2015. Due to the Affordable Healthcare Act, a “good” health plan is costing major employers 40% more in taxes. Most companies are doing what mine did and cutting out the extras in the plan to avoid the tax. In 2015, we will be stuck with a high deductible plan only. I went from having 6 options, to just one after this year. The high deductible plan isn’t any cheaper, but it does cover MUCH less and the family deductible is $1,500 higher in 2015 and $3,500 higher in 2016. It kills me how people think it’s ok to take from those that work for it and give freely to those that don’t. It is the epitomy of communism.
Agreed FFA.