Facing health insurance premium hikes, Obama administration eyes price controls

the daily caller ^ | 6/23/10 | Jonathan Strong

[Nachum]

In a shot across the bow to the insurance industry Tuesday, President Obama warned companies facing higher costs in part because of his health care law not to hike their prices, saying “we’ll be watching closely.”

Backing up his rhetoric behind the scenes, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is quietly working on a new regulation to determine when insurance price increases are “unreasonable” and potentially prohibited by law.

The move may provide political cover heading into November’s elections as the President tries to keep the public from linking recent premium hikes to his newly-passed health care law.

[EQAndyBuzz]

“Yes, you will not interfere with my plan to force insurance companies out of business so my single-payer socialized medical control will become the “medical God”....”

Run by a company owned by George Soros no doubt.

[snowrip]

The second coming of Richard Nixon Adolph Hitler, without the brains

[Irisshlass]

Mine has already hiked.

[VRWCmember]

Price controls worked out so well for Nixon. Of course, Zero - if he is even aware of Nixon’s price control failure - would attribute the failure of Nixon’s price controls to the fact that it was Nixon, rather than the Obamassiah, that implemented them.

[TexasRepublic]

“The second coming of Richard Nixon, without the brains”

I think BO knows perfectly well that price controls result in shortages. That has happened in every Communist country where price controls have been tried. I don’t believe for a second that BO is ignorant of that fact. His intent is deliberate destruction of the capitalist healthcare industry and its replacement by Socialism. I hope there isn’t a shortage of tar and feathers.

[grumpygresh]

The price controls will only lead to shortages as you have indicated which will mean specifically that insurance companies will deny procedures and treatments recommended by physicians. Insurance companies will likely be enabled by government medical commissions that will issue guidelines that allow the denial of all but the most basic medical procedures and treatments.
I suppose the silver lining is that if insurance costs little but provides even less coverage, it will be essentially worthless. At that point, mandates will be circumvented and people will return to the old method of directly paying for medical care.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Price controls are the most certain way to assure that supplies (of the price-controlled product) evaporate.

[GailA]

Dems write off seniors
http://frontpagemag.com/2010/06/17/elderly-and-expendable/

NO DOC FIX FOR MEDICARE
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jun/18/senate-fails-spare-doctors-medicare-cuts/

Seniors Must Scrutinize Medicare Mailer
IBD Editorials ^ | June 8, 2010 | NEWT GINGRICH AND NANCY DESMOND

http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article/536677/201006081815/Seniors-Must-Scrutinize-Medicare-Mailer.aspx

“Your guaranteed Medicare benefits won’t change — whether you get them through Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage plan.”

Report: Bill would reduce senior care Medicare cuts approved by House may affect access to providers
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/14/AR2009111402597.html

Health Reform’s Hidden Victims Young people and seniors would pay a high price for ObamaCare.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203517304574306303720472842.html

Mayo clinic stops taking Medicare patients
http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article.aspx?id=517004

Seniors’ coverage options dwindle as Medicare Advantage programs close shop
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/DN-advantage_22bus.ART.State.Edition1.3c912a9.html

Weighing Medical Costs of End-of-Life Care
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/23/health/23ucla.html?_r=1&ref=business&pagewanted=all

Survey in New England Journal of Medicine Says 46% of US Doctors Will Quit If Obamacare Passes

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2798380/shocking_survey_in_new_england_journal.html?cat=75

Slashing Medicare to pay for healthcare reform an ugly shell game
Dr. Stuart M. Shapiro,
July 27, 2009

http://www.mcknights.com/slashing-medicare-to-pay-for-healthcare-reform-an-ugly-shell-game/article/140656/

Obamacare Impact on Seniors

http://www.heritage.org/Research/Reports/2010/05/Obamacare-Impact-on-Seniors

March 28, 2010 Health law’s heavy impact Paul Guppy
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/mar/28/health-laws-heavy-impact/

The Senate Health Bill: Ordinary Americans Have Been Warned

http://blog.heritage.org/2010/03/17/the-senate-health-bill-ordinary-americans-have-been-warned/

Obama Names Rationing Czar to Run Medicare
by Terence P. Jeffrey
05/26/2010

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=37186
Under Obamacare, IRS Has Power to Penalize Americans Who Refuse to Buy Required Insurance
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2807832/under_obamacare_irs_has_power_to_penalize.html?cat=75
obamacare taxes on working families
http://www.atr.org/obamacares-taxes-working-families-a4745

Electronic Records to costly says doctors

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/08/health/policy/08health.html?fta=y

Employer health insurance plans likely to be altered after all

http://www.telegram.com/article/20100612/NEWS/6120334/1116

Firms Find Changing Insurance Is Trickier
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703513604575311013340405940.html

‘From the Federal Register release on Grandfathering provisions, page 34552 released on June 17, 2010.

The governments best estimate is that by 2013, 66% of Small Groups (less than 50 employees) and 45% of Large Groups (50 employees) will lose grandfather status. Those are the government’s own estimates.’

So much for keeping your health care if you like it.

[Smokin' Joe]

The surest way to create a shortage of any commodity is to institute price controls.

I am sure the Government is aware of this. When private insurance has been eliminated by increased regulation under a price cap, the Government will take over--and typical in such an instance, raise the rates. It is a unique blend of Chicago Style with the Walmart business model.

[CSM]

“At that point, mandates will be circumvented and people will return to the old method of directly paying for medical care.”

Which will be illegal.

[CSM]

I agree, this is proof that the ultimate goal is to eliminate all privately owned insurance companies.

[dalebert]

did i hear him threaten the insurance companies...i think it was for show ...most of this mess wont go into effect until he is long gone. Is Obamacare just part of the destruction of America?

[grumpygresh]

Paying directly for medical care will not likely be declared illegal unless we have a hard tyranny, an outright dictatorship. Only Canada, Cuba and North Korea have prohibited the direct purchase of medical care. And now, Canada is now allowing private clinics to emerge.
MA has proposed tying medical licensure to the forced acceptance of all government insurance. If this happens, many physicians will leave the state. The federal government would have to completely nationalize the medical licensure process and pass a MA type law in an attempt to force physicians to see government patients. BTW where would the rich and famous go for their medical care and their cosmetic procedures? I wouldn’t make a lot of sense for them to go to the islands or overseas just for the treatment of a minor medical condition.
If all these things come to pass in America, it really wouldn’t be America and it wouldn’t be worth living here anyways.

[GOP_Lady]

How true. Well stated.

[CSM]

Hence my default answer to anyone supporting the fascism.
******************
When this “health care for all” crap passes, right now the legislation states that it will be illegal to sell private policies over the date of passage. It also says that HSA’s will no longer be allowed. That means that my current policy will no longer be allowed and neither I nor my employer will be allowed to privately purchase an alternative.

I will not accept the “public option” that I will be dictated to join. I will not give the government control over my physical body. I will not pay their fines, I will not surrender to the impending warrant for my arrest. When they knock on my door, I will not answer. When they kick it in, I will make the news.

How’s that for unification, libtards? You loons are currently legislating my death. I will chose the terms and I will bring as many of you along as possible!
*********************************************
“But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security”