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Former MSNBC Host Loses Catostrophic Insurance, Is Baffled
Townhall.com ^ | November 8, 2013 | Katie Pavlich

Posted on 11/08/2013 10:56:01 AM PST by Kaslin

Former MSNBC host Dylan Ratigan recently got a rude awakening about Obamacare when he received a cancellation notice in the mail for his catastrophic insurance policy.

I bought a catastrophic health policy for $170/mo when I left MSNBC. Obamacare cancelled the policy. New rate $600/mo. Thnx Mr. President! — Dylan Ratigan (@DylanRatigan) November 8, 2013

Interesting discussion...many seem to think paying a high deductible in exchange for low cost catastrophic should be outlawed? I disagree. — Dylan Ratigan (@DylanRatigan) November 8, 2013

Serious question...do you guys think simple catastrophic coverage should be outlawed? If so, why? — Dylan Ratigan (@DylanRatigan) November 8, 2013

I have been a long time advocate of catastrophic with a transparent mkt for routine. Struck me as interesting that that is illegal now. — Dylan Ratigan (@DylanRatigan) November 8, 2013

We've known for years Obamacare would get rid of catastrophic insurance plans, Ratigan just wasn't paying close enough attention. The good news is, Ratigan isn't being a hypocrite on this issue and has been a critic of Obamacare since the beginning by pointing out the cronyism between the government and healthcare insurance companies. A flashback from 2009:

MSNBC's Dylan Ratigan Yells at Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL)

H/T Twitchy


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Government
KEYWORDS: 0bamacare; aca; dylanratigan; msnbc; obama; ratigan; schadenfreude
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To: Pearls Before Swine

I’ve got an HSA, which is basically a self-funded catastrophic health plan that rolls your money from year to year if you don’t spend it.

At one point, the ObamaCAIR laws were going to outlaw HSAs. I was pleasantly surprised I was able to keep my plan for 2014.


41 posted on 11/08/2013 11:28:51 AM PST by gitmo ( If your theology doesn't become your biography it's useless.)
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To: Regulator
These type of liberals look down their noses at conservatives, and generally think they are smarter than everyone else.

5 years ago, half of America could tell Obama was a skunk, but his type fell face first for the fraud.

Sad thing is — I don't expect this guy to learn his lesson — or lose his libsnob attitude.

42 posted on 11/08/2013 11:31:42 AM PST by BenLurkin (This is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire; or both.)
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To: Pearls Before Swine
My own thoughts on this is that if you don’t have a pricing club, the insurance companies worry that you’ll hit the deductible level too fast. And, it just isn’t worth it to them to provide both price mointoring and a high-limit policy.

Monitoring provider prices without making a payout to the provider is an expense to the insurance company which counts against Obamacare's 80 or 85% payout for healthcare. If some bean counter tells your hospital that the procedure they billed $10000 for is really only $3000, but you pay the $3000 yourself because you have a $5000 deductable, that bean counter has save you thousands of dollars but has cut into the insurer's 15-20% administrative/profit share. That makes those policies less desirable or completely unsustainable for the insurer. Thus they won't or can't sell catastrophic plans even if they are still technically legal.

43 posted on 11/08/2013 11:32:33 AM PST by KarlInOhio (Everyone get online for Obamacare on 10/1. Overload the system and crash it hard!)
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To: Kaslin

But didn’t the members of the SRM all get their waivers?


44 posted on 11/08/2013 11:32:46 AM PST by NCC-1701 (LIV's are products of an incomplete education.)
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To: Kaslin

So very true. From your link:

“Another avid attacker of all those people who were trying to warn him, becomes another victim of all those people he was trying to protect. And I want him to know it’s not the end of it.

If he even whispers another peep of whining that this happened to him, then he’d better be ready to explain why he’s a racist-terrorist-hostage taker-holding a gun to someones head, who really only wants to see this President fail because he’s a black man. Pompous, arrogant fool.


45 posted on 11/08/2013 11:32:50 AM PST by tcrlaf (Well, it is what the Sheeple voted for....)
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To: Regulator

Live with your choices, Liberal.


“But I’m a good liberal, I worked for Obama, did what I was told and was made promises! Obama should fix this for me!” ~liberals


46 posted on 11/08/2013 11:38:14 AM PST by Personal Responsibility (Government: Slimy used car salesmen writing laws forcing you to buy their cars)
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To: Regulator

He’s a rich white guy and can afford it.


47 posted on 11/08/2013 11:38:58 AM PST by Rebelbase (Tagline: optional, printed after your name on post)
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To: Kaslin

For this to happen to a guy like Ratigan. All I can say is:

SCHANDENFREUDE!


48 posted on 11/08/2013 11:45:41 AM PST by Signalman
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To: Kaslin

Comrade talking newshead Ratigan—why the long rodent-like face?
I have glorious news for you! This is simply communism coming to fruition!

Marxism 101

“From each, according to his ability; to each, according to his need”

“Religion is the impotence of the human mind to deal with occurrences it cannot understand”

“The theory of Communism may be summed up in one sentence: Abolish all private property”

“Anyone who knows anything of history knows that great social changes are impossible without feminine upheaval. Social progress can be measured exactly by the social position of the fair sex, the ugly ones included.”

“Democracy is the road to socialism.”

Karl Marx quotes (German political Philosopher and revolutionary, 1818-1883)


49 posted on 11/08/2013 11:50:41 AM PST by tumblindice (America's founding fathers: All armed conservatives.)
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To: Signalman

You mean Schadenfreude, don’t you? Which btw means Damage joy or Harm joy if you type it in as two seperate words. Schandenfreude is something completely different and although German is my native language I have never heard of that phrase. At least not that I recall


50 posted on 11/08/2013 12:03:09 PM PST by Kaslin (He needed the ignorant to reelect him, and he got them. Now we all have to pay the consequenses)
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To: All

Earth to Ratigan.

Why are you questioning whether low cost catastrophic should be outlawed.

IT ALREADY IS UNDER OBAMAcARE.....NITWIT !!


51 posted on 11/08/2013 12:10:42 PM PST by rbmillerjr (Ted Cruz...2016-24 ...A New Conservative Era)
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To: Kaslin

Funny and you can see some of them are Freepers as they use “/s” tag.


52 posted on 11/08/2013 12:11:28 PM PST by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously-you won't live through it anyway-Enjoy Yourself ala Louis Prima)
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To: KarlInOhio
If some bean counter tells your hospital that the procedure they billed $10000 for is really only $3000, but you pay the $3000 yourself because you have a $5000 deductable, that bean counter has save you thousands of dollars but has cut into the insurer's 15-20% administrative/profit share. That makes those policies less desirable or completely unsustainable for the insurer. Thus they won't or can't sell catastrophic plans even if they are still technically legal.

Agreed.

Look at how patently unfair this is to the end user. The prices are vastly inflated just so they can be discounted if you have "club pricing". This is illegal in virtually any non-medical area of commerce.

It's messed up in a number of ways. First, the monitoring to bring the prices back to some semblance of reality is, as you point out, costly. Second, it creates no end of non-productive screwing around and gaming by the providers. Third, it forces all sorts of administrative expenses. And, fourth, it legalizes the looting of the rare individual who has some resources but whose insurance has been cancelled through no fault of his own.

53 posted on 11/08/2013 12:24:47 PM PST by Pearls Before Swine
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To: Vendome

I noticed


54 posted on 11/08/2013 12:24:55 PM PST by Kaslin (He needed the ignorant to reelect him, and he got them. Now we all have to pay the consequenses)
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To: Kaslin
@How did a website that allows complete morons to blather on in 140 character bites get popular?

@What am I missing, and why wasn't I smart enough to start a website like that and become a millionaire?

55 posted on 11/08/2013 12:25:01 PM PST by Hardastarboard (You can keep your doctor - if you lock him in your basement.)
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To: Kaslin
Welcome to the Communist wet dream, Dylan.

I can't think of a more deserving tool.

56 posted on 11/08/2013 12:26:53 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum (Who knew that one day professional wrestling would be less fake than professional journalism?)
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To: Kaslin

Yes, I meant Schadenfreude. Mis-spelling on my part.


57 posted on 11/08/2013 12:39:08 PM PST by Signalman
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To: Signalman

That is what I thought


58 posted on 11/08/2013 12:40:56 PM PST by Kaslin (He needed the ignorant to reelect him, and he got them. Now we all have to pay the consequenses)
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To: Kaslin

I’d wager he still voted for Obama, twice. Suck on it Dylan!


59 posted on 11/08/2013 12:45:54 PM PST by CSM (Keeper of the Dave Ramsey Ping list. FReepmail me if you want your beeber stuned.)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

LMAO


60 posted on 11/08/2013 12:47:41 PM PST by Sam Clements
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