I am confused as to Senate President Gaetz’s concerns and his dealings with PIP. As a Chiropractor, I have witnessed and fought pip abuse. Together, lets look at the recent history of “PIP” in Florida, and try to determine if mandatory “Bodily Injury” will solve this “crisis”.
In 2007, when then Governor Charlie Crist “revived pip” in the form of bill CH/HB 13, did we wait six week and ask “why haven’t the insurance company’s lowered their premiums”? If I am not mistaken, Florida enacted PIP to ensure that all motor vehicle accident victims are not left without the medical care they need, regardless of who is at fault, and whether or not they have ancillary medical insurance. With CH/HB 13 signed by Charlie Crist in 2007, there was a provision to include Florida’s “FUPTA” against any insurer who did not pay claims at 80% of a Medicare fee schedule, and in essence, stating to the medical community….”bill what you want, the carrier will have to pay, or you can sue them”. Further, leaving the patient responsible for the remaining balances, (usually taken out of any settlement they may have been entitled too, or as some facilities have done, send the patients to collections) Who wins in this scenario?… Lawyers and Medical Providers!!!
Who Loses? THE CONSUMER!! Ultimately, the carriers had no choice but to raise premiums due to fraudulent claims…posed as legitimate medical care. Does this sound fair? I say no. Further, the end result is, the insurance carriers had their backs to the wall, as they would either have to “pay” these inflated claims or “get sued” and pay many, many, many times more than the original bill( due to attorney fees), thus leading to an increase in fraud, and an increase of premiums.
HB 119 is a law that Governor Rick Scott signed in 2012 that actually went into effect approximately 7 WEEKS ago on January 1st 2013…This law was enacted to lower premiums or at a very minimum, curb the fraud that allows premiums to be increased. To date, rates have remained steady. WHY?
Currently there is a backlog of cases proceeding to court that carriers will have to pay due to the bill that Christ signed in 2007 (a PIP case usually takes approximately three to five years to proceed to court). Once the new law has allowed insurance companies to absorb these costs, “fair market” competition should result in a lowering of our premiums.
The current law Bill HB 119 is a good law as it reduces the original $10,000 of PIP per person (a carload of four @ $40,000) for “any medical condition” to $2500 per person for “soft tissue treatment” of “non medical emergencies” and $10,000 per person for “medical emergencies”.
In my opinion the current bill will be effective as it reduces the “Jackpot” which entices fraud…. which will allow “fair market to prevail” and rates should be reduced as fraud will be reduced. Right Jeff Atwater? Simply speaking, the “Jackpot” of 10,000 per person or 40,000$ per car of four passengers, will be reduced to 10,000 per car. (FOR NON MEDICAL EMERGENCIES)
Why now, merely seven weeks after the corrective law went into effect is Senator Gaetz introducing the subject of mandatory “Bodily Injury”. Does he really think that insurance companies can lower premiums in seven weeks. Does he not know that they have a 3-5 year backlog of cases to settle under the old flawed law? Further, if Bodily Injuy were made mandatory what would the limits be per person be, $10,000? $30.000? $50.000? PER PERSON, Wouldn’t this just be a reestablishment of the “Jackpot” that developed under Christ’s 2007 law?. In my opinion as long as the “Jackpot” is available, the fraud will continue…Mandatory bodily injury would just introduce another form of “Jackpot” and entice more fraud, in which the consumer will bear the costs.
The changes went in to effect in January 1…it’s been 52 days and we want to see premiums slashed! Good grief. This is clearly political grandstanding. Claims that happened in early January involving injuries are only just now working their way through settlement. What kind of actuarial results do they expect carriers to have? More imporatntly, why would you base your rates on a single month’s experience? A year from now carriers will have submitted their annual rate adjustment and the politicos can see what impact they’ve had. That’s probably cutting it close to the 2014 elections, though, so it’s critical to start blaming the insurance companies now.
Get rid of “off sets”, plus you pay premiums on different policies and when someone else causes you injury you are punished by a legal system that is out of control. I have been there and seen it and felt the wrath firsthand. I am not advocating fraud or abuse, but don’t shoot the messenger either. When they sell you insurance it is fear based and to protect one, good luck with that..
We’re going to see many changes in the insurance and health sectors over the next several years… it’s hard to predict what value these reforms will have long term.
You want PIP savings? Get rid of PIP!
I am confused as to Senate President Gaetz’s concerns and his dealings with PIP. As a Chiropractor, I have witnessed and fought pip abuse. Together, lets look at the recent history of “PIP” in Florida, and try to determine if mandatory “Bodily Injury” will solve this “crisis”.
In 2007, when then Governor Charlie Crist “revived pip” in the form of bill CH/HB 13, did we wait six week and ask “why haven’t the insurance company’s lowered their premiums”? If I am not mistaken, Florida enacted PIP to ensure that all motor vehicle accident victims are not left without the medical care they need, regardless of who is at fault, and whether or not they have ancillary medical insurance. With CH/HB 13 signed by Charlie Crist in 2007, there was a provision to include Florida’s “FUPTA” against any insurer who did not pay claims at 80% of a Medicare fee schedule, and in essence, stating to the medical community….”bill what you want, the carrier will have to pay, or you can sue them”. Further, leaving the patient responsible for the remaining balances, (usually taken out of any settlement they may have been entitled too, or as some facilities have done, send the patients to collections) Who wins in this scenario?… Lawyers and Medical Providers!!!
Who Loses? THE CONSUMER!! Ultimately, the carriers had no choice but to raise premiums due to fraudulent claims…posed as legitimate medical care. Does this sound fair? I say no. Further, the end result is, the insurance carriers had their backs to the wall, as they would either have to “pay” these inflated claims or “get sued” and pay many, many, many times more than the original bill( due to attorney fees), thus leading to an increase in fraud, and an increase of premiums.
HB 119 is a law that Governor Rick Scott signed in 2012 that actually went into effect approximately 7 WEEKS ago on January 1st 2013…This law was enacted to lower premiums or at a very minimum, curb the fraud that allows premiums to be increased. To date, rates have remained steady. WHY?
Currently there is a backlog of cases proceeding to court that carriers will have to pay due to the bill that Christ signed in 2007 (a PIP case usually takes approximately three to five years to proceed to court). Once the new law has allowed insurance companies to absorb these costs, “fair market” competition should result in a lowering of our premiums.
The current law Bill HB 119 is a good law as it reduces the original $10,000 of PIP per person (a carload of four @ $40,000) for “any medical condition” to $2500 per person for “soft tissue treatment” of “non medical emergencies” and $10,000 per person for “medical emergencies”.
In my opinion the current bill will be effective as it reduces the “Jackpot” which entices fraud…. which will allow “fair market to prevail” and rates should be reduced as fraud will be reduced. Right Jeff Atwater? Simply speaking, the “Jackpot” of 10,000 per person or 40,000$ per car of four passengers, will be reduced to 10,000 per car. (FOR NON MEDICAL EMERGENCIES)
Why now, merely seven weeks after the corrective law went into effect is Senator Gaetz introducing the subject of mandatory “Bodily Injury”. Does he really think that insurance companies can lower premiums in seven weeks. Does he not know that they have a 3-5 year backlog of cases to settle under the old flawed law? Further, if Bodily Injuy were made mandatory what would the limits be per person be, $10,000? $30.000? $50.000? PER PERSON, Wouldn’t this just be a reestablishment of the “Jackpot” that developed under Christ’s 2007 law?. In my opinion as long as the “Jackpot” is available, the fraud will continue…Mandatory bodily injury would just introduce another form of “Jackpot” and entice more fraud, in which the consumer will bear the costs.
The changes went in to effect in January 1…it’s been 52 days and we want to see premiums slashed! Good grief. This is clearly political grandstanding. Claims that happened in early January involving injuries are only just now working their way through settlement. What kind of actuarial results do they expect carriers to have? More imporatntly, why would you base your rates on a single month’s experience? A year from now carriers will have submitted their annual rate adjustment and the politicos can see what impact they’ve had. That’s probably cutting it close to the 2014 elections, though, so it’s critical to start blaming the insurance companies now.
PIP and med pay should all disappear on December 31 of this year since on January 1, 2014 everyone will have mandated health insurance.
Sure, you think PIP is expensive, just wait for the Obomination!
Get rid of “off sets”, plus you pay premiums on different policies and when someone else causes you injury you are punished by a legal system that is out of control. I have been there and seen it and felt the wrath firsthand. I am not advocating fraud or abuse, but don’t shoot the messenger either. When they sell you insurance it is fear based and to protect one, good luck with that..
When a Politician’s lips start moving, hit the mute button.
We’re going to see many changes in the insurance and health sectors over the next several years… it’s hard to predict what value these reforms will have long term.