I can only imagine Aetna was both thrilled at the new customer base, possiby some sort of role in administering programs and looking forward to enjoying higher profits when this became law. Now that might not happen. When the health insurers are FOR IT, WE OUGHT NOT TO BE.
Nancy P is right on target and all of you missed the tongue in cheek comments. Obamacare will bankrupt this country if carried to it’s extremes. Healthcare costs must be contained in whatever ways this can be done. Not being in that businesss I cannot offer any constructive comments and because of that I should probably keep my mouth shut.
wally and Sarah, you are both right on and congratulations for very pertinent comments.
Another good reason to kill the plan–what’s good for Aetna is almost certainly not good for the consumer-by that, I mean the folks who actually pay for health insurance.
I have Aetna, my coverage deds are higher, my out of pocket more and premiums are increased. But hey, I am now able to get my flu shot covered. That $25 bucks for the flu shot was really breaking me. All for an addt $2500+ out of pocket and increased premiums. Thanks Obamacare.
I can appreciate the general sentiment that if the health insurers are for it, that it probably isn’t good for conumers. The view has much truth based on history.However, I think that the Republicans who have vowed to ‘repeal’ health reform in its entirety should now be pushed to act on it (put-up or shut-up). I think the public will come to realize that the health care reforms that were enacted are in fact generally supportive of the public’s interest. The Republicans (the party of ‘NO’) adamanet opposition was mostly politically driven and not based on any objective examination of the reforms incorporated. While insurers of course want to tweak this law to make it better for them, I think the real tweak still needs to be on curbing health care premiums and getting more for your health care premium dollar. Under the sytem right now the only thing the consumer knows for sure is what the monthly health care ppremium is. Consumers have no way of knowing what claims will be paid or how much will be paid net of any deductible or co-pay. It is this uncertainty that makes health insurance so frustrating for most consumers.
I read the article with great interest because insurance companies are going to be forced to reduce their profit and admin charges to 15% of premiums and spending more on care. This certainly means a more challenging environment, yet Aetna is in favor of the new healthcare plan because it sees efficiencies in the plan. By the way, your premiums went up because of greedy insurance companies and uncontrolled costs not because of the healthcare plan
rolfneu said: “real tweak still needs to be on curbing health care premiums”
Suggest you do some research before posting on a subject you have no knowledge of.
The for profit part of the health insurance business has the second lowest return on equity of any American industry, and non-profit health insurers have more market share than for-profits.
The actual problem is the ever increasing cost of health care. All you’re doing is shooting the messenger!
what’s in it, and to really understand the law, we need to leave it in place for at least 5 to 10 years to be able to understand what will happen…I have no idea why health insurers are for it other than they must ‘lower’ their profits to 15%, which is probably higher than most businesses could ever hope for…this allows us to later demonize their 15% markup and federalize the healthplans…but you must be patient and let us show you whats in the plan in the next decade ahead…it’s really good, it’s so good that we in Congress don’t deserve something this good, so we are sticking with our government (ie taxpayer) paid plans that cover us for life, but only at great cost (to you). Much love, Nancy P.
Nancy, the 15% is not for profit only. It includes all expenses along with most taxes paid. As mentioned on a previous post for-profit health insurers have the second lowest return on equity of any American industry. Average profit averages 2% to 5%. If you work for a company other than a health insurer, that employer would not be satisfied for the profit % of the average health insurer.
The CEO of Aetna must be smoking those funny cigarettes that CA voted not to make legal…
Obamacare is a scary deal in government controlling what a doctor will be able to do for you so if one really want this coverage then I encourage those who do to move to Canada or Europe. Note this would make for more seats to open up on the Hill. Oh wait… they have a different health plan for themselves, not the one they rammed down our throats.
Aetna
Do any of the other insurance professionals reading these comments find it disheartening that there is so much mistrust of an insurance company and of its apparent rapacious lust for profit?
Insurance companies shouldn’t be above our criticism, but we work in the industry; shouldn’t there be a little more respect?
If you dont think that the payoff for Aetna with the increase in premiums coming as a result of obamacare are not huge think again. Also their is a mandate saying you have to buy the coverage. It creates large pools of risk which will be given to a small handful of carriers. Notice I did not say small carriers though. Aetna stands to make billions off of the legislation due to decreased competition and the mandate to provide coverage, also the new republican majority in the house alows for the health insurance industry to not be afraid of the single payer system the Dems want.
REPEAL AND REPLACE!
STOP SPENDING OUR MONEY- TAXED ENOUGH ALREADY!
rcb: from an economic side high school & college education today stinks. Most all need a good education in eco 101 from a non-marxist/non-socialist professor. It’s truly alarming viewing most of these ill educated posts.
I think P&C insurers do a good service to society and largely treat our customers fairly. Health insurers are a middle man between health providers and consumers who get in the way of what could be a normal relationship between a customer and a service provider. On top of that, they have a direct financial incentive for people not to get needed medical care. The only rationale for their existence is to provide health “insurance”, that is, to make sure individuals who suffer health catastrophes get the care they need and do not go bankrupt. I would say they get an “F” on that job. That is why I dislike health insurance companies.
Another Corporation That has sold out to be a big part of the Soros Socialist “new world order”
We need to get rid of the Soros shadow government led by his pupet Obama and the bought off elite media, hell bent on destroying our great nation. Health Insurance reform, will add Trillions to the national debt, Stimulus 800 Million, 600 billion of fiat money to be printed out of thin air the next few months by the Federal Reserve. The Government Motors take over, All of this is not sustainable at all. They know it and they need the economic collapse of America to “Fundamentally change America” to a one government global currency. “George Soros”
It is time to stop the madness. Stop Soro’s and Stop the spending and take back our Nation.
Wow, are you really that angry? Why don’t you start demanding that we end our needless wars and stop wasting money on them? Oh wait. That was started by a different administration so that’s OK? How about the tax cuts? Let’s make them permanent too! That will solve our financial mess! Republican answer to every situation: Another tax cut!! Tax cuts have not done much to improve things the past 8 years. Why make them permanent and continue the sinkhole? None of our politicians have proven that they can quit their spending.
Well, I am not an agent. You can look at an agent as a middle man and for consumers who see it that way, there are plenty of direct writers.
Sorry, I know there needs to be health insurance in some form, but the current health insurance system goes far beyond the scope of what I think of as “insurance” or even a normal consumer product.
“Needless wars”??? You really have b@lls to bring up “Needless Wars” on Veterans day. I’m so sick of people calling the War on Terror “Needless Wars.”
We were ATTACKED, Bill, by a bunch of spineless cowards hellbent on destroying the innocence and freedoms that people like you take for granted. These are the people that strap bombs to their kids and send them into a crowd of shoppers. These are the same people that behead innocent civilians.
And before you go off and say “Iraq didn’t attack us!” Keep in mind that most of the free world (including the administration before Bush) said Saddam was a threat. Had we done nothing, who knows what state we would find the world today.
To anyone who has ever served our great country in any branch of the military, THANK YOU for your service.
Obviously we work in the industry. I DO NOT distrust insurers generally speaking. However, this illustrates the flaws in the bill itself along with highlighting the inappropriate method for securing the necessary support of this legislation.
As with many of Obama’s agenda, he lacks the ability to think things through…he thinks very simplistically and cannot predict the true likely outcome of various things…he’s a scholar, not a businessman…..this has been shown time and again..In this case, I distrust GOVERNMENT, not the insurer. I do not believe they understood the monster they were created, because they lacked insight and information.
In fact, Aetna is right to pounce on the flaws of the bill, in effort to make the highest profit possible. I thorooughly support high profits!! But when we have turned the insurers into proponents, I suspect it was by accidental negligent design in the bill. As opponents suspected. I wish Aetna all the luck, but they should have laid low with their opinion.
Bill, Wow! are you really that Stupid? During the last administration Tax revenues were at their largest ever. Thats right knuckle head, Lower taxes mean higher revenue. Why do you think that the bipartisan Debt Commission has 23% as their highest tax rate and 8% for the lowest rate. Oh by the way all of your democratic friends now will have to pay something. And by the way it was under the democratic led congress that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac along with Bwarney Fwank and Countrywide loanholder Chris Dodd that ran ammuck and pushed the country into a financial meltdown. It certainly was not George Bush who requested tighter regulation in 2005 of Fannie and Freddie and Ben Bernake’s oversight of the NY Fed and the sale of Mortgage default swaps and AIG’s role in this market. So get your history correct before you make comments on the economic history and the role of lower taxes on the growth of the economy. I am sure you think the Federal Reserves printing 600 billion of money out of thin air this past week is a great idea as well. You liberals are so ignorant about economic principals, and the effects of inflation that will be coming to us all. You most certainly will not be able to blame Bush for the financial disaster coming our way when you pay $20. for a gallon of milk.
TxLady. Most group health policies are experience rated. You need to look at our own organization (fellow insureds) to see what health issues that have had in the last couple of years. THAT is the reason for your increase. It has NOTHING to do with what you call Obamacare. Also, when was the last time coverage and premium actually improved frome year-to-year? That has never happened in my 25 years working for companies that give me group health insurance. Never. Each year it gets worse. I started working way before Obama came along.
Ask AARP who ran ads in support of Obamacare why they raised their rates by 14% last week for all of their employees.
THEY ADMITTED ON RECORD THAT IT WAS DUE TO OBAMACARE!
We cannot afford the trillions of debt, This legislation alone could send our economy into a depression!
Do not tell me about CBO scores either, 10 years of taxes paying for 6 years of benefits and the numbers anticipate deep reductions of approximately 400 billion to Medicare for the same 10 years. THESE NUMBERS ARE WAY OFF! THIS WILL BANKRUPT OUR GOVERNMENT!
Aetna is no different now than all of the other companies sucking on Country through Medicare fraud! They know this is a boon to them in the long run because the country has no appetite for a single payer system and the mandates are a license to steal.
Shame on you Aetna for your backroom move towards socialism and away from the free enterprise competitive marketplace.
Why is it we always always focus on the premiums and coverage? Health care industry has a ROE less than 5% so strangling premiums is not the answer. The premiums are nothing more than the biproduct of the costs of health care. That is where the focus needs to be! Of course adressing that is not comfortable for us. And I will admit, hard for me to even tackle on my own.
We as a society need to answer some very hard, tough, nonpartisan questions. Do we run the entire GDP through the health care system to extend our lives regardless of the quality of those lives? Do we allow people to end their own lives when they feel the treatment just extends their misery? Do we give a 90 year old a pacemaker? (Personal experience and I saw the bill and the suffering.) not easy questions but we don’t seem to have the courage to answer them. Yes we, the people we elect and us.
We jumping into solutions without addressing the issues which is always a recipoe for disaster. We can do better.
Who came up with this magical number? I guess if we all do the exact same thing with the exact same service and the exact same claim inventory in the exact same regulations year over year and the exact same results there would be truth to that. But that is for the ludites in the industry.
20% is a guideline, nothing more. At my company we manage the loss side which drives the expense side and in the end a better combined ratio. We pay for better claim people, better service, use better lawyers, have people in the state we service and invest in technology and drive beter results. So yeah we spend 35 cents to the dollar premium but will have a better outcome than the guy spending 20 cents per dollar.
I can’t stad commodity based formulaic thinking. The great companies throw out this type of measuring stick and nonsensical approach. There is no Pi in business.
Good thing we had 11-2 so we could slow down the train and keep it from going off the tracks. Congress should be aggressive next year to dismantle all the back room deals and bad policy that went into this bill. Aetna and other large companies are just seeking to take advantage of this situation since they and Big Pharma will benefit from it. They may not realize they got in bed with the devil and good things usually don’t result from that.
Since when did logic enter this debate? There are a whole lot of bad actors standing to benefit from this disastrous law. They stand to get on the gravy train and be shills for the government, all at the expense of “the folks”. Big companies, AARP, AMA all supported it and are now realizing costs are going to escalate dramatically. Kind of like Obama’s statement on Cap & Trade. He stated under his plan, utility bills will necessarily rise drastically. There are many in this society which need to be drummed out of office on both the political and business front.
Please don’t start playing your violin for the ‘poor’ health insurers who are just barely making it on a miniscule ROE. The reality is these guys have a very ‘good’ business going and they have spent hundered of millions of dollars making sure it doesn’t change too much. The industry is now putting up a united front to keep ‘Obama Care’ because notwithstanding all their negative rhetoric they know it’s a good/great deal for them. Reason: 30 million prospective new customers and nothing in the law that limits the premiums they can charge. The only real issue for health insurers is the ‘single payer system’. The reason: private for profit health inurance will go ‘bye-bye’. I’m pretty sure that they all are dancing in the halls at the health insurers.
Perhaps Aetna is guaranteed to write the Health Insurance for Congress and the Administration since they have their own Cadillac plan not subject to Obamacare. They don’t have a problem unless the single payer kicks in and then they can go to work for the Feds and be good little bureaucrats along with the additional 17,000 IRS agents who will be monitoring, fining and putting people in jail for not buying coverage.
Get a life. No one is ramming anything down your throat. There is no part of the plan that says you have to buy it. It is only there for those that can’t afford a plan of their own (for whatever reason). The plan you have now (if you have one) will continue. Of course, that doesn’t mean it will cost the same …
You’re kidding, right?!? You claim that Obama’s agenda is flawed because “he thinks very simplistically and cannot predict the true likely outcome of various things.” Einstein – if he, or any of us, could predict the “true likely outcome” of anything, we’d be trillionaires. No one can do that – not the Repugnantkins and not the Dumbocrats. Get a clue.
I think you are the stupid one. Tax rates were lower and revenues higher because more people were working. To offset the lower employment base you need higher tax rates. An analogy is the increase in property taxes on the part of municipalities to make up for their shrinking tax revenue base brought about by devalued homes.
The financial meltdown started with the housing bust – which, my friend, has it’s roots under the prior administration (Dec 2007 – start of Great Recession), not the current. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are privately owned – they are not owned by the governement. They are only backed by the government in case of financial difficulty. Interestingly, 3 top executives were fired years ago (under the prior administration) for accounting irregularities. Perhaps with some good ole fashioned government oversight that may not have happened.
Hope you don’t get laid off my friend. If you do – you’ll be glad we have that government created unemployment insurance program.
You may also find it interesting that a Republican was in office when we went into the Great Depression and it was a Democrat who took us out of it.
Insurers need to be non for profit, then there will be plenty of money, no need for mandates, less restrictions, less cost for insurer and policy holder. Better care, better coverage. Less burden on the tax payer and insentive for every one to appreciate and want to purchase. Especially if they can’t qualify for medicaid.
This is the humane and sensible way to run health care. COMMON SENSE.
Besides do we really know who the shareholders are of our big corporate insurance companies. Are they Chinese?
You just don’t get it. You can keep your own plan if you can afford to pay the stupid premium which gets higher as Obama mandates MORE COVERAGE!!!!!!!! AND YOU CAN KEEP IT IF THEY ARE STILL IN BUSINESS!!!!!! THEY WONT BE AND YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO AFFORD IT, WHY CAN YOU NOT UNDERSTAND THIS?? PLEASE THINK THROUGH THE ANTICIPATED BUSINESS RESPONSE HERE AND DON’T JUST BUY THESE STUPID THINGS OBAMA TELLS YOU!!!!!!!
It’s as if you don’t have any good ideas. Just fear.
Just don’t do anything at all about the current rising cost and the the millions of people who get turned down for coverage each day for being slightly overweight because the company is too driven for excessive profit.
Insurance is on it’s way out without Obama Care. It’s like buying an extended warranty these days. The insurers have enough data, according to lifestyle, work place environment, mortality, common diseases, etc. etc. There data banks are over flowing with data.
In other words the insurer knows just when to increase you rate and by how much in order to get rid of you. Unless you work for a municipality, State or Fed Gov’t. They will be the only ones with good coverage, and at our expense.
Why don’t you start whining about rate caps, and a federal charter, and non-profit insurers.
OPEN YOUR EYES TO IMPROVING UPON THE MOVEMENT.
You talk as if the world is going to end.
What? Have you been watching too much “life after people” or “Nostradamus Effect”?
If you like to worry. Then you should take all that energy and focus on North Korea and Kim Jung Un. Now this is a person to worry about.
Rebecca, Actually we have plenty to worry about with this progressive President who rammed this monstrocity down our throats against our consent. Big companies like Aetna are in bed with the leftists because they see the opportunity to make a lot of money. Anybody who thinks healthcare costs will go down under Obamacare are whistling dixie. If this were such a good plan for America, why do you think there have been 111 exemptions filed by big business and the Unions so they don’t have to comply with it. The “movement” as you call it is toward a single payer government bureaucracy, rationed care and ever increasing costs. Forgive me, but I don’t think this will be an improvement in our Healthcare system, especially when doctors refuse to see Medicare and Medicaid patients.
First of all Obama didn’t RAM anything down our throats. Reform has it’s roots inside all administrations going back more then 20 years ago.
So you say that our elected Congressman and Senators are communist and our elections are a farce (rigged)?
People can’t afford their health insurance now.
People can’t afford their deductibles and co-insurance now.
Soon, only the very rich (right now even they are self-insured) and our gov’t employees will be the only ones insured.
The only mandate is for employers with more then 50 employees.
Doctors will never refuse Medicare. What we need are more doctors and we’ll get them.
What we need is less Medicaid patients and more people who can afford their own insurance. Why make companies provide it when the individual can afford it on their own. They’ll have more freedom of choosing the right plan.
AND TRUST ME, EVERYONE WANT’S HEALTH CARE. Especially when they need an emergency apendectomy.
I agree with you we don’t need mandates but we do need reform. BIG REFORM
SO OFFER UP SOME BETTER IDEAS THEN ALL OF YOUR GLOOM AND DOOM. We’ll all sleep better.
Maybe you think we should just eliminate everyone who can’t afford their health insurance now. Why let nature take it’s coarse, so we have to see people suffer with horrible diseases, infecting everyone else. LET’s just round them up and shoot them all. Would this make you happy?
Perhaps you have been drinking some of that liberal Kool-Aid. Are you not aware of all that has gone on in the public arena for the past 18 months, the massive protests, the back room deals, politicians voting on this 2,700 page Progressive Healthcare nightmare without even reading it? Apparently, you have been out of the country all this time or just had your nose buried in your iphone or watching Dancing with the Stars and not paying attention. This bill will be dissected and either repealed or defunded or changed next year to get rid of the most onerous provisions of it. Everyone wants the problem fixed, not made worse by installing this legislation.
A few counter agruements to your hyberbolic statements.
Some people can’t afford the premiums. Most can. The number who can’t is increasing but not at a rate worth bankrupting our country.
Some people can’t afford their deductibles. Most can. The number who can’t is increasingbut not at a rate worth bankrupting our country.
Private practices do and are increasingly not accepting medicare and insurance.
Where are we getting these Drs? In MA we have a shortage of primary care physicians because they don’t get paid well for their work. They are all specializing or retiring. MA helthcare di not change it only accelrated it.
You are right this was not rammed down our throats, we elected these people. But I do beleive they stepped way outside of their mandate. All they did was create access, nothing to control costs. this bill will explode the cost of care.
My definition of them ramming it down our throats is: 1. No Bipartisan effort or input. 2. Secret backroom deals, payoffs for votes 3. Passed without debate with no votes from Republicans 4. Massive protests against the bill from the folks who were ignored by the Demwit majority 5. No one read the bill before it was voted on. Pelosi made a telling statement, we have to pass the bill before we can see what is in it. I think this qualifies as “ramming it” down our throat.
Most can’t afford their deductible but some can. Most can’t afford their premiums but some can if their employer is paying for half or more.
This won’t bankrupt the country but another Wall Street Bail out will.
Get your priorities straight and be more specific in regards to your “back room deals” comment.
This is the perfect example of the fear tactic opponents use. They make metaphorical accusations like “Ram Down our throats”.
Give me the details exactly. Describe these “deals” and tell me what is “no good” about the bill.
What exactly did they remove from the bill? TELL ME.
Republicans need to introduce rate controls with oversight. I believe that their is concern with the insurers not accurately justifying the rates and that they will manipulate their margins.
What’s wrong with this?
My opinion on most doctors:
Doctor want a be’s don’t enter general private practice, because they want to make enough money to get rich and pay their medical mal practice insurance. Most doctors that enter as a specialist don’t really care about their patients, they just pretend they do. They (especially their spouses) really just want the glamor and the life of the rich and famous. Very few really enjoy their profession, which is why so many of them get sued.
Just think what can be done to the cost of medical mal practice insurance if people wouldn’t need to sue for medical treatment.
The doctors entering private practice will come from our medical schools and universities. This demand will be fulfilled.
Make medical school more affordable and you might get better, more caring doctors.
James, I guess you don’t get out much or pay attention to the debate that has been raging for the last 18 months. Did you not hear about the Louisiana Purchase with Landreu or the Nebraska kick back with Ben Nelson to buy votes to pass this? This bill was constructed behind closed doors with no debate allowed and passed in the middle of the night without anyone reading it. Pelosi intimidated the Blue Dogs into voting for it and they just got their head handed to them by the voters for doing it. There are so many things bad about this bill, it is impossible to list them all. Did you know that in this bill, if you sell your house next year, you will pay an additional 3.8% tax on the sale? What does that have to do with Healthcare? Did you know that in the 2,700 pages of this monstrocity, it didn’t address Tort Reform for doctors or hospitals for malpractice? That is just one of the factors driving up medical costs. You should really endeavor to bone up on the subject before posting.
Mr. Bertolini has sought and obtained an exemption from Obamacare!!! That’s right, his own employees and himself will be exempt but he wants the rest of us to be stuck with it so he can make more money! Verify at US Health and Human Services website!!!
Your approach is called fear mongering. Only those with incomes over $200,000 will be subject to a 3.8% sales tax on the first $250,000 profit of a primary residence. It is $500,000 for married couples.
Any one being taxed with this 3.8 is still making an extremely good profit and will not be forced to keep their home. If they can’t share their wealth, which probably came from the exploits of others in the first place don’t deserve the profit. They are greedy.
You come across as one should have the freedom to acquire wealth and not be responsible for anyone else but his or herself. Well if this is the way you think America was supposed to be then you are totally misguided.
You might as well go live in outer space. You shouldn’t be allowed the privileged to live with those whom you loath.
This land is your land. This land is my land. We are here together and we shall share. This is the only way to have peace on earth.
I wonder what deductible and coinsurance limit they have?
I am a member of a very large Aetna Group Employee Benefit plan. It is expensive, I have a $7500 d., 20% co-insurance, $35 copay Rx. Only my well exam is covered 100%. BIG DEAL.
I injured my shoulder and opted not to go to the Doctor, because of the hundreds of dollars out of pocket expenses.
Obama Care can’t be much worse then this.
IF you’re saying obama care isn’t going to treat me soon enough to prevent me from dying before I get to care I need. Then you are totally in the dark about what health insurance is doing right now.
I already have this plan. So I guess your right in one sense.
Why change something to something else I already have. If this be the case.
But from what I know about the Obama plan I think you’re DEAD WRONG.
His plan is supposed to included 100%( not subject to deductible nor coinsurance) coverage for preventive in addition to well exam.
Please tell me in more detail just exactly is too much for your to explain what is wrong with the bill.
“TOO MUCH TO EXPLAIN IN DETAIL” This is totally deceptive.
TELL ME WHAT I SHOULD KNOW> I DON’T TRUST YOU> WHY SHOULD I TRUST YOUR OPINION? WHO ARE,ANYWAY?
Spoken like a true Socialism believer, Sheltowee. You have been thoroughly brainwashed by some leftist professor who believes that the country will be made better by “spreading the wealth”. The only problem with that theory is that it has never worked in human history and only succeeds in making a prosperous country poor. If you don’t like it here, I am sure Hugo Chavez will welcome you. You should really enjoy living there since he has adopted these same Marxist theories.
FREEDOM? We haven’t been free to do anything in this Country since the Revolutionary War. It was just a change of hands.
We are over taxed, we can’t own property without paying a tax. It was once referred to as rent under British rule.
The only freedom you are advocating are for multimillion dollar corporations.
This Health reform is not socialism. It is good for small business and the individual.
Medicare is the best thing we’ve done for people.
I am a humanist not a communist. I don’t believe in oppression.
There is a difference.
I do believe in the innate responsibility to care for this earth and all that lives on it including my own species. The human race.
I am a Cristian. I am a Benevolent Spirit that is only on this earth for a short time during this life. And in this time my responsibility is to learn, prosper, let live in peace.
Is your motto “extract all that you can from life and how others are affected is not your problem”?
If you want the truth there is a movement in the world today to control the world’s population and it isn’t a good thing. Don’t you watch Jesse Ventura?
There are people who believe we are going to over populate if we don’t murder 2/3rds of the world’s population.
They think there going to live under ground and ride all of this out.
Well, it won’t goes as planned, because they are going to far under. It will all collapse.
Sheltowee, Your line of reasoning is like a lot of the other liberal bloggers out there. Anyone who thinks Obamacare is good for Small Business and Individuals is drinking spiked Koolaide. This bill represents a massive re-distribution of wealth and imposes more taxes, fines, penalties than we ever imagined. Why do you think that 111 exemptions have been filed for business and labor unions to be exempted from it? Why do you think our Congress and Administration is exempted from it? Why are States suing because they think it is unconstitutional? Why was it passed in the dead of night with backroom deals, no debate and with political payoffs if it is so good? The President made over 50 speeches trying to sell this monstrocity and the folks still didn’t buy it. I’m sorry, but this didn’t pass the smell test. That is why the majority of the American people want this bill taken apart or dismantled and a new plan made. Hopefully, the new Congress will do just that.
I can only imagine Aetna was both thrilled at the new customer base, possiby some sort of role in administering programs and looking forward to enjoying higher profits when this became law. Now that might not happen. When the health insurers are FOR IT, WE OUGHT NOT TO BE.
Nancy P is right on target and all of you missed the tongue in cheek comments. Obamacare will bankrupt this country if carried to it’s extremes. Healthcare costs must be contained in whatever ways this can be done. Not being in that businesss I cannot offer any constructive comments and because of that I should probably keep my mouth shut.
wally and Sarah, you are both right on and congratulations for very pertinent comments.
Another good reason to kill the plan–what’s good for Aetna is almost certainly not good for the consumer-by that, I mean the folks who actually pay for health insurance.
I have Aetna, my coverage deds are higher, my out of pocket more and premiums are increased. But hey, I am now able to get my flu shot covered. That $25 bucks for the flu shot was really breaking me. All for an addt $2500+ out of pocket and increased premiums. Thanks Obamacare.
I can appreciate the general sentiment that if the health insurers are for it, that it probably isn’t good for conumers. The view has much truth based on history.However, I think that the Republicans who have vowed to ‘repeal’ health reform in its entirety should now be pushed to act on it (put-up or shut-up). I think the public will come to realize that the health care reforms that were enacted are in fact generally supportive of the public’s interest. The Republicans (the party of ‘NO’) adamanet opposition was mostly politically driven and not based on any objective examination of the reforms incorporated. While insurers of course want to tweak this law to make it better for them, I think the real tweak still needs to be on curbing health care premiums and getting more for your health care premium dollar. Under the sytem right now the only thing the consumer knows for sure is what the monthly health care ppremium is. Consumers have no way of knowing what claims will be paid or how much will be paid net of any deductible or co-pay. It is this uncertainty that makes health insurance so frustrating for most consumers.
I read the article with great interest because insurance companies are going to be forced to reduce their profit and admin charges to 15% of premiums and spending more on care. This certainly means a more challenging environment, yet Aetna is in favor of the new healthcare plan because it sees efficiencies in the plan. By the way, your premiums went up because of greedy insurance companies and uncontrolled costs not because of the healthcare plan
rolfneu said: “real tweak still needs to be on curbing health care premiums”
Suggest you do some research before posting on a subject you have no knowledge of.
The for profit part of the health insurance business has the second lowest return on equity of any American industry, and non-profit health insurers have more market share than for-profits.
The actual problem is the ever increasing cost of health care. All you’re doing is shooting the messenger!
what’s in it, and to really understand the law, we need to leave it in place for at least 5 to 10 years to be able to understand what will happen…I have no idea why health insurers are for it other than they must ‘lower’ their profits to 15%, which is probably higher than most businesses could ever hope for…this allows us to later demonize their 15% markup and federalize the healthplans…but you must be patient and let us show you whats in the plan in the next decade ahead…it’s really good, it’s so good that we in Congress don’t deserve something this good, so we are sticking with our government (ie taxpayer) paid plans that cover us for life, but only at great cost (to you). Much love, Nancy P.
greedy??
What’s your definition?
The real problem is all the sick people. Let’s outlaw them and solve the problem.
Nancy, the 15% is not for profit only. It includes all expenses along with most taxes paid. As mentioned on a previous post for-profit health insurers have the second lowest return on equity of any American industry. Average profit averages 2% to 5%. If you work for a company other than a health insurer, that employer would not be satisfied for the profit % of the average health insurer.
The CEO of Aetna must be smoking those funny cigarettes that CA voted not to make legal…
Obamacare is a scary deal in government controlling what a doctor will be able to do for you so if one really want this coverage then I encourage those who do to move to Canada or Europe. Note this would make for more seats to open up on the Hill. Oh wait… they have a different health plan for themselves, not the one they rammed down our throats.
Aetna
Do any of the other insurance professionals reading these comments find it disheartening that there is so much mistrust of an insurance company and of its apparent rapacious lust for profit?
Insurance companies shouldn’t be above our criticism, but we work in the industry; shouldn’t there be a little more respect?
The correct amount for admminstrative expenses and profit is 20%.
If you dont think that the payoff for Aetna with the increase in premiums coming as a result of obamacare are not huge think again. Also their is a mandate saying you have to buy the coverage. It creates large pools of risk which will be given to a small handful of carriers. Notice I did not say small carriers though. Aetna stands to make billions off of the legislation due to decreased competition and the mandate to provide coverage, also the new republican majority in the house alows for the health insurance industry to not be afraid of the single payer system the Dems want.
REPEAL AND REPLACE!
STOP SPENDING OUR MONEY- TAXED ENOUGH ALREADY!
rcb: from an economic side high school & college education today stinks. Most all need a good education in eco 101 from a non-marxist/non-socialist professor. It’s truly alarming viewing most of these ill educated posts.
Don’t forget the old people!! They should be outlawed, too!!
I think P&C insurers do a good service to society and largely treat our customers fairly. Health insurers are a middle man between health providers and consumers who get in the way of what could be a normal relationship between a customer and a service provider. On top of that, they have a direct financial incentive for people not to get needed medical care. The only rationale for their existence is to provide health “insurance”, that is, to make sure individuals who suffer health catastrophes get the care they need and do not go bankrupt. I would say they get an “F” on that job. That is why I dislike health insurance companies.
So you are not a middleman as a p&c agent?
Another Corporation That has sold out to be a big part of the Soros Socialist “new world order”
We need to get rid of the Soros shadow government led by his pupet Obama and the bought off elite media, hell bent on destroying our great nation. Health Insurance reform, will add Trillions to the national debt, Stimulus 800 Million, 600 billion of fiat money to be printed out of thin air the next few months by the Federal Reserve. The Government Motors take over, All of this is not sustainable at all. They know it and they need the economic collapse of America to “Fundamentally change America” to a one government global currency. “George Soros”
It is time to stop the madness. Stop Soro’s and Stop the spending and take back our Nation.
Wow, are you really that angry? Why don’t you start demanding that we end our needless wars and stop wasting money on them? Oh wait. That was started by a different administration so that’s OK? How about the tax cuts? Let’s make them permanent too! That will solve our financial mess! Republican answer to every situation: Another tax cut!! Tax cuts have not done much to improve things the past 8 years. Why make them permanent and continue the sinkhole? None of our politicians have proven that they can quit their spending.
Well, I am not an agent. You can look at an agent as a middle man and for consumers who see it that way, there are plenty of direct writers.
Sorry, I know there needs to be health insurance in some form, but the current health insurance system goes far beyond the scope of what I think of as “insurance” or even a normal consumer product.
Bill–
“Needless wars”??? You really have b@lls to bring up “Needless Wars” on Veterans day. I’m so sick of people calling the War on Terror “Needless Wars.”
We were ATTACKED, Bill, by a bunch of spineless cowards hellbent on destroying the innocence and freedoms that people like you take for granted. These are the people that strap bombs to their kids and send them into a crowd of shoppers. These are the same people that behead innocent civilians.
And before you go off and say “Iraq didn’t attack us!” Keep in mind that most of the free world (including the administration before Bush) said Saddam was a threat. Had we done nothing, who knows what state we would find the world today.
To anyone who has ever served our great country in any branch of the military, THANK YOU for your service.
Rcb,
Obviously we work in the industry. I DO NOT distrust insurers generally speaking. However, this illustrates the flaws in the bill itself along with highlighting the inappropriate method for securing the necessary support of this legislation.
As with many of Obama’s agenda, he lacks the ability to think things through…he thinks very simplistically and cannot predict the true likely outcome of various things…he’s a scholar, not a businessman…..this has been shown time and again..In this case, I distrust GOVERNMENT, not the insurer. I do not believe they understood the monster they were created, because they lacked insight and information.
In fact, Aetna is right to pounce on the flaws of the bill, in effort to make the highest profit possible. I thorooughly support high profits!! But when we have turned the insurers into proponents, I suspect it was by accidental negligent design in the bill. As opponents suspected. I wish Aetna all the luck, but they should have laid low with their opinion.
Bill, Wow! are you really that Stupid? During the last administration Tax revenues were at their largest ever. Thats right knuckle head, Lower taxes mean higher revenue. Why do you think that the bipartisan Debt Commission has 23% as their highest tax rate and 8% for the lowest rate. Oh by the way all of your democratic friends now will have to pay something. And by the way it was under the democratic led congress that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac along with Bwarney Fwank and Countrywide loanholder Chris Dodd that ran ammuck and pushed the country into a financial meltdown. It certainly was not George Bush who requested tighter regulation in 2005 of Fannie and Freddie and Ben Bernake’s oversight of the NY Fed and the sale of Mortgage default swaps and AIG’s role in this market. So get your history correct before you make comments on the economic history and the role of lower taxes on the growth of the economy. I am sure you think the Federal Reserves printing 600 billion of money out of thin air this past week is a great idea as well. You liberals are so ignorant about economic principals, and the effects of inflation that will be coming to us all. You most certainly will not be able to blame Bush for the financial disaster coming our way when you pay $20. for a gallon of milk.
Thank you, Wally! I appreciate your comments & am thankful everyday we have men & women who feel ‘called’ to protect our Country!!
We can’t go back. He’s right.
TxLady. Most group health policies are experience rated. You need to look at our own organization (fellow insureds) to see what health issues that have had in the last couple of years. THAT is the reason for your increase. It has NOTHING to do with what you call Obamacare. Also, when was the last time coverage and premium actually improved frome year-to-year? That has never happened in my 25 years working for companies that give me group health insurance. Never. Each year it gets worse. I started working way before Obama came along.
Ask AARP who ran ads in support of Obamacare why they raised their rates by 14% last week for all of their employees.
THEY ADMITTED ON RECORD THAT IT WAS DUE TO OBAMACARE!
We cannot afford the trillions of debt, This legislation alone could send our economy into a depression!
Do not tell me about CBO scores either, 10 years of taxes paying for 6 years of benefits and the numbers anticipate deep reductions of approximately 400 billion to Medicare for the same 10 years. THESE NUMBERS ARE WAY OFF! THIS WILL BANKRUPT OUR GOVERNMENT!
Aetna is no different now than all of the other companies sucking on Country through Medicare fraud! They know this is a boon to them in the long run because the country has no appetite for a single payer system and the mandates are a license to steal.
Shame on you Aetna for your backroom move towards socialism and away from the free enterprise competitive marketplace.
Why is it we always always focus on the premiums and coverage? Health care industry has a ROE less than 5% so strangling premiums is not the answer. The premiums are nothing more than the biproduct of the costs of health care. That is where the focus needs to be! Of course adressing that is not comfortable for us. And I will admit, hard for me to even tackle on my own.
We as a society need to answer some very hard, tough, nonpartisan questions. Do we run the entire GDP through the health care system to extend our lives regardless of the quality of those lives? Do we allow people to end their own lives when they feel the treatment just extends their misery? Do we give a 90 year old a pacemaker? (Personal experience and I saw the bill and the suffering.) not easy questions but we don’t seem to have the courage to answer them. Yes we, the people we elect and us.
We jumping into solutions without addressing the issues which is always a recipoe for disaster. We can do better.
Who came up with this magical number? I guess if we all do the exact same thing with the exact same service and the exact same claim inventory in the exact same regulations year over year and the exact same results there would be truth to that. But that is for the ludites in the industry.
20% is a guideline, nothing more. At my company we manage the loss side which drives the expense side and in the end a better combined ratio. We pay for better claim people, better service, use better lawyers, have people in the state we service and invest in technology and drive beter results. So yeah we spend 35 cents to the dollar premium but will have a better outcome than the guy spending 20 cents per dollar.
I can’t stad commodity based formulaic thinking. The great companies throw out this type of measuring stick and nonsensical approach. There is no Pi in business.
FYI, the “group” consists of 100,000+ employees.
Good thing we had 11-2 so we could slow down the train and keep it from going off the tracks. Congress should be aggressive next year to dismantle all the back room deals and bad policy that went into this bill. Aetna and other large companies are just seeking to take advantage of this situation since they and Big Pharma will benefit from it. They may not realize they got in bed with the devil and good things usually don’t result from that.
Shareholders, do your duty as Americans and dump this moron.
Since when did logic enter this debate? There are a whole lot of bad actors standing to benefit from this disastrous law. They stand to get on the gravy train and be shills for the government, all at the expense of “the folks”. Big companies, AARP, AMA all supported it and are now realizing costs are going to escalate dramatically. Kind of like Obama’s statement on Cap & Trade. He stated under his plan, utility bills will necessarily rise drastically. There are many in this society which need to be drummed out of office on both the political and business front.
Please don’t start playing your violin for the ‘poor’ health insurers who are just barely making it on a miniscule ROE. The reality is these guys have a very ‘good’ business going and they have spent hundered of millions of dollars making sure it doesn’t change too much. The industry is now putting up a united front to keep ‘Obama Care’ because notwithstanding all their negative rhetoric they know it’s a good/great deal for them. Reason: 30 million prospective new customers and nothing in the law that limits the premiums they can charge. The only real issue for health insurers is the ‘single payer system’. The reason: private for profit health inurance will go ‘bye-bye’. I’m pretty sure that they all are dancing in the halls at the health insurers.
Perhaps Aetna is guaranteed to write the Health Insurance for Congress and the Administration since they have their own Cadillac plan not subject to Obamacare. They don’t have a problem unless the single payer kicks in and then they can go to work for the Feds and be good little bureaucrats along with the additional 17,000 IRS agents who will be monitoring, fining and putting people in jail for not buying coverage.
Get a life. No one is ramming anything down your throat. There is no part of the plan that says you have to buy it. It is only there for those that can’t afford a plan of their own (for whatever reason). The plan you have now (if you have one) will continue. Of course, that doesn’t mean it will cost the same …
You need to take your medication, man!
You’re kidding, right?!? You claim that Obama’s agenda is flawed because “he thinks very simplistically and cannot predict the true likely outcome of various things.” Einstein – if he, or any of us, could predict the “true likely outcome” of anything, we’d be trillionaires. No one can do that – not the Repugnantkins and not the Dumbocrats. Get a clue.
I think you are the stupid one. Tax rates were lower and revenues higher because more people were working. To offset the lower employment base you need higher tax rates. An analogy is the increase in property taxes on the part of municipalities to make up for their shrinking tax revenue base brought about by devalued homes.
The financial meltdown started with the housing bust – which, my friend, has it’s roots under the prior administration (Dec 2007 – start of Great Recession), not the current. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are privately owned – they are not owned by the governement. They are only backed by the government in case of financial difficulty. Interestingly, 3 top executives were fired years ago (under the prior administration) for accounting irregularities. Perhaps with some good ole fashioned government oversight that may not have happened.
Hope you don’t get laid off my friend. If you do – you’ll be glad we have that government created unemployment insurance program.
You may also find it interesting that a Republican was in office when we went into the Great Depression and it was a Democrat who took us out of it.
Insurers need to be non for profit, then there will be plenty of money, no need for mandates, less restrictions, less cost for insurer and policy holder. Better care, better coverage. Less burden on the tax payer and insentive for every one to appreciate and want to purchase. Especially if they can’t qualify for medicaid.
This is the humane and sensible way to run health care. COMMON SENSE.
Besides do we really know who the shareholders are of our big corporate insurance companies. Are they Chinese?
Just asking.
WELL SAID!!!!!
You just don’t get it. You can keep your own plan if you can afford to pay the stupid premium which gets higher as Obama mandates MORE COVERAGE!!!!!!!! AND YOU CAN KEEP IT IF THEY ARE STILL IN BUSINESS!!!!!! THEY WONT BE AND YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO AFFORD IT, WHY CAN YOU NOT UNDERSTAND THIS?? PLEASE THINK THROUGH THE ANTICIPATED BUSINESS RESPONSE HERE AND DON’T JUST BUY THESE STUPID THINGS OBAMA TELLS YOU!!!!!!!
So what are you saying? Obama is the anti christ?
It’s as if you don’t have any good ideas. Just fear.
Just don’t do anything at all about the current rising cost and the the millions of people who get turned down for coverage each day for being slightly overweight because the company is too driven for excessive profit.
Insurance is on it’s way out without Obama Care. It’s like buying an extended warranty these days. The insurers have enough data, according to lifestyle, work place environment, mortality, common diseases, etc. etc. There data banks are over flowing with data.
In other words the insurer knows just when to increase you rate and by how much in order to get rid of you. Unless you work for a municipality, State or Fed Gov’t. They will be the only ones with good coverage, and at our expense.
Why don’t you start whining about rate caps, and a federal charter, and non-profit insurers.
OPEN YOUR EYES TO IMPROVING UPON THE MOVEMENT.
You talk as if the world is going to end.
What? Have you been watching too much “life after people” or “Nostradamus Effect”?
If you like to worry. Then you should take all that energy and focus on North Korea and Kim Jung Un. Now this is a person to worry about.
Rebecca, Actually we have plenty to worry about with this progressive President who rammed this monstrocity down our throats against our consent. Big companies like Aetna are in bed with the leftists because they see the opportunity to make a lot of money. Anybody who thinks healthcare costs will go down under Obamacare are whistling dixie. If this were such a good plan for America, why do you think there have been 111 exemptions filed by big business and the Unions so they don’t have to comply with it. The “movement” as you call it is toward a single payer government bureaucracy, rationed care and ever increasing costs. Forgive me, but I don’t think this will be an improvement in our Healthcare system, especially when doctors refuse to see Medicare and Medicaid patients.
First of all Obama didn’t RAM anything down our throats. Reform has it’s roots inside all administrations going back more then 20 years ago.
So you say that our elected Congressman and Senators are communist and our elections are a farce (rigged)?
People can’t afford their health insurance now.
People can’t afford their deductibles and co-insurance now.
Soon, only the very rich (right now even they are self-insured) and our gov’t employees will be the only ones insured.
The only mandate is for employers with more then 50 employees.
Doctors will never refuse Medicare. What we need are more doctors and we’ll get them.
What we need is less Medicaid patients and more people who can afford their own insurance. Why make companies provide it when the individual can afford it on their own. They’ll have more freedom of choosing the right plan.
AND TRUST ME, EVERYONE WANT’S HEALTH CARE. Especially when they need an emergency apendectomy.
I agree with you we don’t need mandates but we do need reform. BIG REFORM
SO OFFER UP SOME BETTER IDEAS THEN ALL OF YOUR GLOOM AND DOOM. We’ll all sleep better.
Maybe you think we should just eliminate everyone who can’t afford their health insurance now. Why let nature take it’s coarse, so we have to see people suffer with horrible diseases, infecting everyone else. LET’s just round them up and shoot them all. Would this make you happy?
YES, YES. But let’s not waste our amo, when we can simply roast them by a fire. This would be more fun.
Perhaps you have been drinking some of that liberal Kool-Aid. Are you not aware of all that has gone on in the public arena for the past 18 months, the massive protests, the back room deals, politicians voting on this 2,700 page Progressive Healthcare nightmare without even reading it? Apparently, you have been out of the country all this time or just had your nose buried in your iphone or watching Dancing with the Stars and not paying attention. This bill will be dissected and either repealed or defunded or changed next year to get rid of the most onerous provisions of it. Everyone wants the problem fixed, not made worse by installing this legislation.
A few counter agruements to your hyberbolic statements.
Some people can’t afford the premiums. Most can. The number who can’t is increasing but not at a rate worth bankrupting our country.
Some people can’t afford their deductibles. Most can. The number who can’t is increasingbut not at a rate worth bankrupting our country.
Private practices do and are increasingly not accepting medicare and insurance.
Where are we getting these Drs? In MA we have a shortage of primary care physicians because they don’t get paid well for their work. They are all specializing or retiring. MA helthcare di not change it only accelrated it.
You are right this was not rammed down our throats, we elected these people. But I do beleive they stepped way outside of their mandate. All they did was create access, nothing to control costs. this bill will explode the cost of care.
My definition of them ramming it down our throats is: 1. No Bipartisan effort or input. 2. Secret backroom deals, payoffs for votes 3. Passed without debate with no votes from Republicans 4. Massive protests against the bill from the folks who were ignored by the Demwit majority 5. No one read the bill before it was voted on. Pelosi made a telling statement, we have to pass the bill before we can see what is in it. I think this qualifies as “ramming it” down our throat.
Most can’t afford their deductible but some can. Most can’t afford their premiums but some can if their employer is paying for half or more.
This won’t bankrupt the country but another Wall Street Bail out will.
Get your priorities straight and be more specific in regards to your “back room deals” comment.
This is the perfect example of the fear tactic opponents use. They make metaphorical accusations like “Ram Down our throats”.
Give me the details exactly. Describe these “deals” and tell me what is “no good” about the bill.
What exactly did they remove from the bill? TELL ME.
Republicans need to introduce rate controls with oversight. I believe that their is concern with the insurers not accurately justifying the rates and that they will manipulate their margins.
What’s wrong with this?
My opinion on most doctors:
Doctor want a be’s don’t enter general private practice, because they want to make enough money to get rich and pay their medical mal practice insurance. Most doctors that enter as a specialist don’t really care about their patients, they just pretend they do. They (especially their spouses) really just want the glamor and the life of the rich and famous. Very few really enjoy their profession, which is why so many of them get sued.
Just think what can be done to the cost of medical mal practice insurance if people wouldn’t need to sue for medical treatment.
The doctors entering private practice will come from our medical schools and universities. This demand will be fulfilled.
Make medical school more affordable and you might get better, more caring doctors.
I’m afraid to got to the emergency room, because I have a $10,000 deductible.
Most rich people can afford this but most people in general do not have this.
The average deductible for a family is increasing to around $5000 to $7500 per individual, with a 20% co-insurance.
I might as well not have kids. This is probably the whole idea.
It isn’t about medical care. It is all about population control.
People who believe that the world is overpopulating are correct. It is overpopulating with the misguided and uneducated.
You could kill 3/4 of the earths population and you won’t solve the over population crisis.
It will just happen all over again.
Numbers are good, the more numbers the better the survival of lively hood and freedom.
Dictators are always afraid of the numbers.
You can’t over populate and educated and well cared for society.
How is this so? You ask?
Because one can not escape death.
There is plenty of room on this earth. We simply need to learn how to live with it, love it, each other and all living creatures.
Material things and money have corrupted all of us.
All I need is a soft & dry bed, a warm fire on a cold night, a full belly. Someone to say good night to.
James, I guess you don’t get out much or pay attention to the debate that has been raging for the last 18 months. Did you not hear about the Louisiana Purchase with Landreu or the Nebraska kick back with Ben Nelson to buy votes to pass this? This bill was constructed behind closed doors with no debate allowed and passed in the middle of the night without anyone reading it. Pelosi intimidated the Blue Dogs into voting for it and they just got their head handed to them by the voters for doing it. There are so many things bad about this bill, it is impossible to list them all. Did you know that in this bill, if you sell your house next year, you will pay an additional 3.8% tax on the sale? What does that have to do with Healthcare? Did you know that in the 2,700 pages of this monstrocity, it didn’t address Tort Reform for doctors or hospitals for malpractice? That is just one of the factors driving up medical costs. You should really endeavor to bone up on the subject before posting.
Mr. Bertolini has sought and obtained an exemption from Obamacare!!! That’s right, his own employees and himself will be exempt but he wants the rest of us to be stuck with it so he can make more money! Verify at US Health and Human Services website!!!
Your approach is called fear mongering. Only those with incomes over $200,000 will be subject to a 3.8% sales tax on the first $250,000 profit of a primary residence. It is $500,000 for married couples.
Any one being taxed with this 3.8 is still making an extremely good profit and will not be forced to keep their home. If they can’t share their wealth, which probably came from the exploits of others in the first place don’t deserve the profit. They are greedy.
You come across as one should have the freedom to acquire wealth and not be responsible for anyone else but his or herself. Well if this is the way you think America was supposed to be then you are totally misguided.
You might as well go live in outer space. You shouldn’t be allowed the privileged to live with those whom you loath.
This land is your land. This land is my land. We are here together and we shall share. This is the only way to have peace on earth.
I wonder what deductible and coinsurance limit they have?
I am a member of a very large Aetna Group Employee Benefit plan. It is expensive, I have a $7500 d., 20% co-insurance, $35 copay Rx. Only my well exam is covered 100%. BIG DEAL.
I injured my shoulder and opted not to go to the Doctor, because of the hundreds of dollars out of pocket expenses.
Obama Care can’t be much worse then this.
IF you’re saying obama care isn’t going to treat me soon enough to prevent me from dying before I get to care I need. Then you are totally in the dark about what health insurance is doing right now.
I already have this plan. So I guess your right in one sense.
Why change something to something else I already have. If this be the case.
But from what I know about the Obama plan I think you’re DEAD WRONG.
His plan is supposed to included 100%( not subject to deductible nor coinsurance) coverage for preventive in addition to well exam.
Please tell me in more detail just exactly is too much for your to explain what is wrong with the bill.
“TOO MUCH TO EXPLAIN IN DETAIL” This is totally deceptive.
TELL ME WHAT I SHOULD KNOW> I DON’T TRUST YOU> WHY SHOULD I TRUST YOUR OPINION? WHO ARE,ANYWAY?
SATAN’S MESSANGER?
Spoken like a true Socialism believer, Sheltowee. You have been thoroughly brainwashed by some leftist professor who believes that the country will be made better by “spreading the wealth”. The only problem with that theory is that it has never worked in human history and only succeeds in making a prosperous country poor. If you don’t like it here, I am sure Hugo Chavez will welcome you. You should really enjoy living there since he has adopted these same Marxist theories.
FREEDOM? We haven’t been free to do anything in this Country since the Revolutionary War. It was just a change of hands.
We are over taxed, we can’t own property without paying a tax. It was once referred to as rent under British rule.
The only freedom you are advocating are for multimillion dollar corporations.
This Health reform is not socialism. It is good for small business and the individual.
Medicare is the best thing we’ve done for people.
I am a humanist not a communist. I don’t believe in oppression.
There is a difference.
I do believe in the innate responsibility to care for this earth and all that lives on it including my own species. The human race.
I am a Cristian. I am a Benevolent Spirit that is only on this earth for a short time during this life. And in this time my responsibility is to learn, prosper, let live in peace.
Is your motto “extract all that you can from life and how others are affected is not your problem”?
If you want the truth there is a movement in the world today to control the world’s population and it isn’t a good thing. Don’t you watch Jesse Ventura?
There are people who believe we are going to over populate if we don’t murder 2/3rds of the world’s population.
They think there going to live under ground and ride all of this out.
Well, it won’t goes as planned, because they are going to far under. It will all collapse.
Sheltowee, Your line of reasoning is like a lot of the other liberal bloggers out there. Anyone who thinks Obamacare is good for Small Business and Individuals is drinking spiked Koolaide. This bill represents a massive re-distribution of wealth and imposes more taxes, fines, penalties than we ever imagined. Why do you think that 111 exemptions have been filed for business and labor unions to be exempted from it? Why do you think our Congress and Administration is exempted from it? Why are States suing because they think it is unconstitutional? Why was it passed in the dead of night with backroom deals, no debate and with political payoffs if it is so good? The President made over 50 speeches trying to sell this monstrocity and the folks still didn’t buy it. I’m sorry, but this didn’t pass the smell test. That is why the majority of the American people want this bill taken apart or dismantled and a new plan made. Hopefully, the new Congress will do just that.