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Obamacare Guru: Meh, America's Largest Insurer Abandoning the Exchanges isn't a 'Big Blow'
Townhall.com ^ | April 22, 2016 | Guy Benson

Posted on 04/22/2016 1:34:07 PM PDT by Kaslin

Give it time. This guy will eventually admit that the country's largest insurer pulling out of most Obamacare exchanges augurs poorly for the fiscal health of the law he championed -- just as he finally got around to conceding that the 'Affordable' Care Act isn't controlling costs.  Nothing to see here, MSNBC viewers (via the Free Beacon):

Obamacare architect Zeke Emanuel: UnitedHealth leaving exchanges isn't that big a deal

Emanuel claims that this story is overblown because UnitedHealth wasn't a major player in the exchanges.  They were enough of a player to lose over $1 billion in 2015 and 2016, and their concerns about the longer-term costs associated with unsustainable risk pools are supported by data and largely shared by other industry leaders.   Notice the dissent from the other doctor in the segment, who chimes in with this reality check: “What we know that’s happening with UnitedHealthCare is the same as the canary in the coal mine. This is the first of many insurers that will bail out of the exchanges. It’s already been stated by other insurers in their board meetings. Each insurer that is participating in the Affordable Care Act is losing money.”  Fewer carriers leads to fewer options, which leads to less accessible, more expensive care.  And speaking of affordability:

“I’ve been asked, what are the premiums going to look like? I don’t know, because it also varies by state, market, even within markets. But I think the overall trend is going to be higher than we saw previous years. That’s my big prediction,” she said in a recent interview with Morning Consult...In 2017, two of the three “risk mitigation” programs established under Obamacare will end. They are reinsurance, or payments to plans that enroll higher-cost individuals, and risk corridors that set an allowable range for losses and gains. The third “R,” risk adjustment that distributes funds from plans with low-risk enrollees to plans with higher risk, will continue...“Remember both risk corridor – i.e. there’s no cash there, that we’re aware of. So there won’t be any predictability after last year that there’ll be cash this year. Reinsurance is going away, this is the last year of the reinsurance,” Tavenner said. “So they’re going to have to price over, around, or at least take into account what’s going on with risk corridors and reinsurance. So that’s a trend in the wrong direction.

Those are the words of Marilyn Tavenner, Obama's former CMS chief and dutiful Obamacare cheerleader. These days, she's the president of a major insurance industry lobbying group who foresees a "trend in the wrong direction" that rates will climb "higher than we saw previous years." America's largest insurer is heading for the exits, and the industry is projecting higher costs for consumers next year -- with enrollments already down sharply, largely driven by sticker shock. Hillary Clinton, who is the original author of Obamacare, looks at all of this and declares, it's working:

Unpopular #Obamacare hiking rates, raising out-of-pocket costs, bending 'cost curve' up. Hillary: "It's working!" pic.twitter.com/3RKybGaVF4— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) December 3, 2015





TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government
KEYWORDS: 0bamacare; 2016election; abortion; deathpanels; deathspiral; election2016; guybenson; hillaryrottenclinton; obamacare; plannedparenthood; stemexpress; zekeemanuel; zerocare
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1 posted on 04/22/2016 1:34:08 PM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

Evidently the gene for “arrogant putz” runs in that family.


2 posted on 04/22/2016 1:35:58 PM PDT by Attention Surplus Disorder (I apologize for not apologizing.)
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To: Kaslin

These liberal slimebags permeate the government.


3 posted on 04/22/2016 1:37:36 PM PDT by headstamp 2 (Fear is the mind killer.)
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To: Kaslin
Obama's aim was complete government take over of medicine. Each insurance company leaving is a step forward. Of course he's not concerned.
4 posted on 04/22/2016 1:39:18 PM PDT by KarlInOhio (An orange jumpsuit is the new black pantsuit.)
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To: Kaslin

This a-hole is on my airport list.

L


5 posted on 04/22/2016 1:41:43 PM PDT by Lurker (Violence is rarely the answer. But when it is it is the only answer.)
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To: Kaslin
"Gorilla health insurer bails" Nuttin' to see here yo. Iraqi defense minisiter photo: iraqi monaliza image001oq8.gif
6 posted on 04/22/2016 1:46:41 PM PDT by tumblindice (America's founding fathers: all armed conservatives.)
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To: Kaslin
Morris covered United Health pulling out. Although UHC is only 6% of ObamaCare it is the nation's largest health insurance company. This will give shareholders of other insurance companies reason to demand its management pull out.

I know a lot a freepers don't like to hear it, but Rubio is to credit for this. Even the RATS admit that because they see it as a negative. But now that Rubio and Trump are playing footsie, maybe credit will be given to Rubio.

7 posted on 04/22/2016 1:46:47 PM PDT by 11th Commandment ("THOSE WHO TIRE LOSE")
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To: Kaslin

It’s just a flesh wound.


8 posted on 04/22/2016 1:53:02 PM PDT by kaehurowing
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To: Kaslin
We've been told and warned about the One Payer Plan. Obamacare was never meant to work paving the way to that One Payer, Government Run Healthcare, i.e., socialized medicine.

All the taxpayer money spent on this enormous quagmire of 2000+pages of government legalese; corrupt engineers to "help you" with the Obamacare forms; the wealth taken from government and spread among the Friends of Obama will be fought out in classrooms, courtrooms, and historians much like the War of Northern Aggression as to who won and who loss.

The Obama's and their cronies won; the Insurance Companies won; the American people lost in the biggest heist this nation has ever witnesses, all from corrupt politicians led by Obama.

9 posted on 04/22/2016 1:53:57 PM PDT by yoe ( The road of life is paved with flat squirrels that couldn't make a decisionÂ….)
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To: Kaslin

Right on track for single payer.


10 posted on 04/22/2016 1:57:37 PM PDT by stayathomemom (Beware of kittens modifying your posts.)
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To: Kaslin

Zeke Emanuel is Dead Fish’s brother and an absolute fanatic for abortion, euthanasia, and assisted suicide. He thinks we should kill ourselves at 75, or be denied medical care beyond that age. He’s as bad as any of the Nazi death camp doctors, including Mengele. Adulterated evil is this sick, twisted creature.


11 posted on 04/22/2016 1:58:25 PM PDT by twister881
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To: KarlInOhio
Obama's aim was complete government take over of medicine. Each insurance company leaving is a step forward. Of course he's not concerned.

Yes...Exactly! Each private insurance company that exits, means one step closer to single payer government run death panels. This was the plan all along if you listen to Obama's earlier speeches.
12 posted on 04/22/2016 2:05:04 PM PDT by Jan_Sobieski (Sanctification)
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To: twister881

Don’t you wish that the “interviewer” would do his/her homework and really confront this freak: “Now that you are becoming an old fart, too, do you still stand by your call for everyone to commit suicide at 75? Perhaps Soylent Green euthanasia centers would be more humane? “


13 posted on 04/22/2016 2:06:30 PM PDT by Sioux-san
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To: Kaslin

As long as the Federal Reserve can issue fiat, unbacked dollars in any amount and allow the US Government to issue massive debt at zero interest - this flood of money can paper-over all the cracks and flaws of Obamacare.

The fact that we now have politicized money-making companies, in bed with the government to force Americans to buy their product means fascism is alive and growing in America.


14 posted on 04/22/2016 2:06:42 PM PDT by PGR88
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To: twister881

Zeke looks like he is on hard drugs.


15 posted on 04/22/2016 2:07:45 PM PDT by Sioux-san
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To: Jan_Sobieski

“..This was the plan all along if you listen to Obama’s earlier speeches...”

There never was any doubt with those that even cared to notice. Congress does not/did not give a crap about it and left this radical, America-hating Marxist in our White House. It was always about power and control, just like EVERYTHING this psychopath has ever been about.


16 posted on 04/22/2016 2:09:19 PM PDT by EagleUSA
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To: Lurker

“Airport list” sounds like a phrase I should recognize, but don’t.

What is it?


17 posted on 04/22/2016 2:09:31 PM PDT by DuncanWaring (The Lord uses the good ones; the bad ones use the Lord.)
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To: Attention Surplus Disorder

this is the guy who said everyone should die at 75.

he looks a little up there? maybe someone should remind him.

arrogant piece of @#$@.


18 posted on 04/22/2016 2:10:03 PM PDT by dp0622 (The only thing an upper crust conservative hates more than a liberal is a middle class conservative)
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To: Kaslin

here is an actual death of an ill founded provider

Mountain States terminating CrestPoint Health insurance plans for employees, Medicare Advantage
JOHNSON CITY PRESS • UPDATED APR 13, 2016 AT 6:09 PM

Have CrestPoint Health insurance? You won’t for much longer.

Mountain States Health Alliance is killing off the subsidiary insurance administrator, affecting both Mountain States’ own employees and Medicare Advantage patients, in a mutual decision with the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

“Our greatest strength is providing care to people, while insurance companies excel at processing claims and administering benefits,” Mountain States CEO Alan Levine wrote in a letter emailed Wednesday to employees. “As the insurers get larger, the case is even more compelling for us to refocus on where we know we can succeed, while we can partner with the various insurance companies in our market.

“They don’t deliver care. We do. And they need us. This is our rightful place in the continuum, and by focusing our talent in this way, we increase our likelihood for success.”

CrestPoint, which is operated by a Mountain States subsidiary, Integrated Solutions Health Network, has provided a Medicare product for area residents who choose it for their coverage since 2013. Letters were going out to those participants, and coverage will end effective June 1.


19 posted on 04/22/2016 2:11:06 PM PDT by Thibodeaux (leading from behind is following)
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To: Kaslin

Ultimately the feds want to move to a single payer system so this is a step in the direction they want to go.


20 posted on 04/22/2016 2:16:51 PM PDT by Iron Munro (Noah: 'When the animals began to pair up by specie and stand in line, I really took notice.')
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