Posted on 09/09/2010 4:27:18 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
The Obama administration on Thursday told health insurers that it will track those who enact "unjustified" rate increases linked to the health overhaul and may block those companies from a new marketplace for insurance coverage.
Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of Health and Human Services, issued the warning in a letter to Karen Ignagni, the insurance industry's top lobbyist.
Ms. Sebelius said some insurers were notifying enrollees that their insurance premiums will increase next year as a result of the law's new benefits.
The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that some carriers are asking for total premium hikes topping 20% starting this month, and the carriers are attributing one to nine percentage points of the increases to new benefit mandates in the law.
"There will be zero tolerance for this type of misinformation and unjustified rate increases," Ms. Sebelius wrote. "We will not stand idly by as insurers blame their premium hikes and increased profits on the requirement that they provide consumers with basic protections."
Beginning Sept. 23 or later, many new plans for individuals and small employers must begin letting children stay on their parents' insurance policies until age 26. These plans also face a requirement to eliminate co-payments for preventive care, give coverage to children regardless of pre-existing medical conditions and eliminate lifetime coverage caps.
Ms. Ignagni, president of America's Health Insurance Plans, said: "It's a basic law of economics that additional benefits incur additional costs, and the impact on premiums depends on the type and amount of coverage policyholders had before." She attributed rising premiums to the higher price of medical services and the impact of younger and healthier people dropping their insurance during the weak economy, as well as the additional benefits required under the new law.(continued)
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
I just got a notice from mine (Regence Blue Shield) that my premium is going up 40% on October 1st.
I wish I could tell you something that would make you feel better but we are simply slipping into the abyss. Cant believe it...... I hate Obama.
and exactly how will they calculate what is “justified”?
This White House can piss off. They are going to get such a damn shellacking come November.
What will be SWEET is if/when the Congress de-funds his Commie DeathCare plan, and health insurers REDUCE THEIR PREMIUMS because the Greedy Hand of government is no longer controlling their business—and Americans see it and begin to reject these Democrat Fascists even MORE!
The final test for the country and the republicans, if they take the majority, will come early--to stand up to this tyranny in a Constitutional showdown or to fold their tents and slink away. We will not have long to wait after January when Congress convenes.
O’bonghit swings and misses again.
Not only will rate hikes be justified, they will be easily tied back to Obama care. And the alternative press will plaster the details all over the internet.
Obama will be on the trash heap of history after he leaves office. Enemy of America.
Aha! Here comes the wage and price controls. Wake up idiots. The Communists are here. Remember..in Communism everything is cheap..but there isn’t any.
People are putting thousands into their Medicare fund...and when they turn 65...they still have to pay...they take it out of your SS...and it has gone from $3 a month to $110 a month....and you have to have a supplement.....and pay out of your own pocket....
I think the Va. lawsuit will put the Kibosh on the whole deal. If it does not we are doomed.
Obama’s commissars are already empowered to regulate the tiniest aspects of our lives, from what type of lightbulb we will be allowed to buy to what kind of car we can drive to what kind of life or death medical decision will be made for us. Might as well have “Propery of Kathleen Sebelius” tattooed on our foreheads now.
This is a replay of Ma insurance fight....should get interesting when insurers revolt.
hahahaha they already hiked it.
Price controls fail epically every time they are tried...
Yet leftest never learn that lesson from history.
Cause and effect is beyond their ability to reason.
All solutions in their mind come from authority/power over others - not reason.
I am so damn sick of this sh-t.
communism bookmark.
Watching Howard Dean on Kudlow as I type.
They are touting the fact that the link between employer and insurance will be ‘finally’ broken. He says it makes the US less competetive when employers have to bear the cost of employee’s insurance.
Now, someone tell me the Democrats are NOT ‘Corporatist’!!??
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.