Quote:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2600970/posts
How ObamaCare May Disrupt Your Health Plan
Forbes ^ | Sept. 29, 2010 | Avik Roy
Posted on October 3, 2010 6:21:20 PM PDT by prairiebreeze
Imagine if you ran a business, and one day the government told you that you would be fined if you: (1) minimized unnecessary expenses; (2) hired workers to specialize in customer service; (3) invested resources in order to ensure you wouldn’t get victimized by fraud. What would you do? Think quickly: because three months from now, this very system will be the law of the land for our nation’s health insurers.
Last Friday, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners—the association of the 50 state insurance commissioners—issued its draft guidelines for how insurers will need to calculate “medical-loss ratios,” or MLRs. The wonkiest among you will recall that the medical loss ratio is loosely defined as the dollar amount that an insurer spends on the health care of its beneficiaries, divided by the total dollar amount the insurer collects in premiums. Section 2718 of our new health care law mandates that insurance plans sold to individuals and small employers must spend at least 80 percent of their premiums on health care, and plans sold to large employers must spend at least 85 percent.
But, like everything else with Obamacare, the devil is in the details: how do you define health care? How do you define “insurance plan”? Now that the NAIC has spoken, we have a good idea of how the final regulations will look. And the news is not good: the MLR regulations are likely to lead to a significant disruption of the health insurance market, with many insurers exiting the market, driving premiums up and choices down.
(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.forbes.com ...
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2601036/posts
“Single Payer Coming Under Obamacare”
Human Events ^ | October 2, 2010 | Roger Hedgecock
Posted on October 3, 2010 10:01:49 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
SNIPPET: “Leftists who opposed Obamacare because it was not the British-style National Health Service or the Canadian “single payer” system should take another look.
Constitutional conservatives who feared that Obamacare was a blueprint for an incremental roll out of “single payer” have been proven right.
California’s governor is about to sign legislation to set up that state’s Health Benefits Exchange. The HBE is authorized under Obamacare and is supposed to be a place where small business and individuals can access the best insurance plans at the cheapest price—a real exchange where customers can compare benefits and price in a competitive atmosphere.
Not in California. The main feature of the California HBE allows the exchange governing board to meet in secret and determine not only which insurance companies can participate and what must be covered, but also what they can charge.
Exchange employees would not be limited by Civil Service pay rates and personnel decisions would also be secret. The exchange would operate independent from either legislative oversight or the governor’s authority.
The main goal of this California HBE is to impose government price controls on insurance while mandating the expanded coverage that policies must provide.
California appears to be fulfilling the real intent of Obamacare. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius assailed the “free rein” which insurers had before Obamacare to set any price they wished. Obamacare she vowed would bring “accountability” to health insurance price.
States already regulate the health insurance industry. Responding to higher premium costs driven by new benefits mandated in Obamacare, the HBE in California and soon in your state will destroy what’s left of the insurance free market.”
Quote:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2602977/posts
Obamacare firesale: Three Catholic Hospitals for sale in Pennsylvania
The Washington Examiner ^ | October 7, 2010 | Mark Hemingway
Posted on October 7, 2010 12:39:11 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
It looks like it’s not just insurers that suddenly want to get out of the health care business. Three Catholic hospitals in Pennsylvania are now on the market, and the hospital management is telling the local media that Obamacare is a major reason why the facilities are being unloaded:
Mercy Hospital in Scranton is up for sale.
Those who run the place and all other Mercy facilities in our area said Wednesday they are already in talks with organizations interested in buying.
Mercy Health Partners hopes to have a buyer by the end of the year.
Officials said there are numerous reasons for the sale. One big one is the heath care reform bill signed into law this year.
The potential sale includes Mercy Hospital in Scranton, Mercy Tyler Hospital in Tunkhannock and Mercy Special Care Hospital in Nanticoke.
For almost a century there has been a Catholic hospital in Scranton. Now it looks like that will be coming to an end.
Incredibly, the hospitals are doing well financially, but according to the hospital owners, the new requirements brought on by the new health care legislation makes it hard for them to stay in the hospital business:
“Actually we’re doing well. We’re ahead of budget for the year. It’s more that when we look out over the landscape of health care over the next five years and the needs of these facilities, the needs of this community, we understand a different level of investment will be needed than what we can do on our own,” [Mercy Health Partners CEO Kevin] Cook said.
They said much of that required investment is the result of the health care reform bill passed in Washington.
The CEO said it means the need for more spending and less federal reimbursements.
“Health care reform is absolutely playing a role. Was it the precipitating factor in this decision? No, but was it a factor in our planning over the next five years? Absolutely,” Cook added.
This is likely to be a big story locally, and the hospitals fall in the districts of Rep. Chris Carney, D-Pa., and Rep. Paul Kanjorski, D-Pa. In the latest polls, Carney has a very narrow three point lead over his Republican challenger and Kanjorski, 13-term incumbent, is down 11 points against his Republican challenger.
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“You think health care is expensive now? Wait until it’s free.” PJ O’Rourke
1 posted on October 7, 2010 12:39:15 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
NOTE The following posts are a quote:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2607883/posts
Suing ObamaCare
NY Post ^ | October 14, 2010 | Betsy McCaughey
Posted on October 15, 2010 2:27:16 AM PDT by Scanian
Yesterday, in a federal courtroom far from the noise of town-hall meet ings, Tea Parties and talk shows, Judge Roger Vinson quietly compelled the Obama administration to show why the new health law, enacted on March 23, does not trample the Constitution.
The ruling is a victory for the cause of freedom and limited government.
Vinson reminded the nation that even in the face of a perceived crisis, such as the number of uninsured and rising health costs, it isn’t enough that a law be wise or expedient. That law must also respect the limits imposed by the US Constitution. Those limits are not merely “formalistic,” he said; they protect liberty.
Vinson rejected many of the administration’s arguments for throwing out constitutional challenges brought by 40 percent of all the states in the nation: Florida, South Carolina, Nebraska, Texas, Utah, Louisiana, Alabama, Michigan, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Washington, Idaho, South Dakota, Indiana, North Dakota, Mississippi, Arizona, Nevada, Georgia and Alaska.
The ruling paves the way for a trial to begin in Florida in December, with appeals expected all the way to the Supreme Court. The final word from the nine justices would likely come late in 2012, before the presidential election.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
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1 posted on October 15, 2010 2:27:16 AM PDT by Scanian
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To: Scanian
Attorney General Releases Summary Analysis of the Health Care Lawsuit Ruling
http://www.myfloridalegal.com/newsrel.nsf/newsreleases/A7EF30F80CE898B8852577BC007135B0
2 posted on October 15, 2010 2:31:10 AM PDT by sheikdetailfeather (Who needs an enemy when we have Barack Obama?)
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Quote:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2610908/posts
Cost of your health plan to rise (at least) 14% (Hey Liberal Idiots, YOU GOT PUNKED!)
cnn ^ | 10/20/2010 | Michelle Andrews
Posted on October 20, 2010 3:54:50 AM PDT by tobyhill
It’s that time of year when employers deliver bad news about next year’s benefits.
Chances are you’ll learn that your 2011 health insurance tab will be sharply higher, as companies continue to shift the burden of rising costs onto their workers.
Employees’ share of premiums for a family plan is up an average 14%, to $3,997, vs. just a 3% rise in the total bill, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.
And it’s not just premiums that are spiraling higher. You’re also likely to be hit with higher deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums as well as bigger bills for doctor’s visits and drugs.
“Increasingly, employees have to be thoughtful about not just the cost of the plan, but the cost of the services they use,” says Michael Thompson, a principal with Pricewaterhouse-Coopers’ human resources practice.
1 million to lose out on better coverage It seems people are doing that, but not in the way experts recommend: Recent data suggest that many insured Americans are now forgoing care because of the cost. Rather than sacrificing your health, keep expenses in check with these strategies.
(Excerpt) Read more at money.cnn.com ...
http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/hhs-giving-states-millions-taxpayer-doll
“HHS Giving States Millions of Taxpayer Dollars to ‘Help Consumers File Complaints’ Against Their Health Plans”
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
By Susan Jones
SNIPPET: “(CNSNews.com) – President Obama’s Health and Human Services Department on Tuesday announced nearly $30 million in grants to “help consumers see the benefits” of the Democrats’ new health care law.
Those “benefits” include helping consumers file appeals and grievances against their existing health insurance plans.
HHS says the $30 million will go to state consumer assistance programs that help Americans who have questions or concerns about their health insurance.
Specifically, the grants will help consumers:
— enroll in health coverage;
— file complaints and appeals against their health plans (see examples below);
— educate consumers about their rights and empower them to take action; and
— track consumer complaints to help identify problems and strengthen enforcement.”
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2613984/posts
#
Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HnkxIh62dQ&NR=1
“Dr. David Janda explains rationing and why Dr. Rob Steele must defeat Dingell.”
Video Description - quote:
robsteele2010 | October 19, 2010
Dr. Rob Steele must defeat Obamacare author John Dingell, sending a strong message to Defund, Repeal and Replace this disastrous bill. Dr. Dave Janda discusses the rationing component inherent in ObamaCare, and the only solution being electing representatives like Dr. Rob Steele on Nov. 2nd. Support Dr. Steele today at www.robsteeleforcongress.com .
Category:
News & Politics
Tags:
Rob Steele Dr. Robert Steele MI-15 John Dingell
Quote:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2614672/posts
The creeping chill of ObamaCare
NY Post ^ | October 25, 2010 | MARK K. SIEGEL
Posted on October 26, 2010 3:47:55 AM PDT by Scanian
I Can feel ObamaCare closing in.
It starts with small things. Consider a patient I’ll call Jane, a corporate executive in her mid 40s. She’s happy with her current health coverage — a high-deductible policy paired with a Flexible Spending Account that can cover up to $3,000 a year in routine expenses, which she uses to pay for much of her medical care.
Other than her yearly screening check-up, Jane doesn’t come in to see me unless she’s really sick. An occasional bout of bronchitis prompts a brief visit, where I prescribe her a short course of antibiotics. Otherwise she uses her FSA to buy Tylenol and Advil over-the-counter for an occasional headache, insect repellant for summers in her backyard and Prevacid for an infrequent case of heartburn.
But, starting Jan. 1, Jane won’t be able to use her flex-spend account to cover OTC remedies without getting a prescription first. That’s right: She’ll need a prescription for non-prescription drugs — a waste of her time, and mine. Otherwise, she has to pay a 20 percent penalty for using the account to buy exactly the sort of things it was designed to cover.
She’s not alone: I have 20-plus patients facing this pointless restriction on their flex-spend or Health Savings accounts. Nationwide, more than 30 million workers with FSAs and 10 million others with HSAs are all in the same boat.
Do the congressmen who passed the health-reform law seriously expect me to somehow find the time to prescribe laxatives, antacids, creams for insect bites and hemorrhoids and so on for these patients? Or are they just looking to render that coverage worthless?
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
http://www.cnsnews.com/commentary/article/littlest-victims-obamacare
“The Littlest Victims of Obamacare”
Commentary by Michelle Malkin
Wednesday, December 01, 2010
By Michelle Malkin
Note: Video included.
http://nation.foxnews.com/culture/2010/12/06/report-health-care-law-causing-mass-exodus-doctors
“Report: Health Care Law Causing Mass Exodus of Doctors”
December 6, 2010
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2652003/posts
“(HHS) Department of Health buys search engine advertising to promote Obamacare”
Daily Caller ^ | 1/5/2011 | Matthew Boyle
Posted on January 5, 2011 11:24:13 AM PST by markomalley
“ObamaCare waivers jump from 222 to 729 covering 2.2 million employees”
POSTED AT 8:15 PM ON JANUARY 26, 2011 BY JOHN SEXTON
SNIPPET: “This ever-expanding list of waivers is the direct result of ObamaCare raising the annual benefit caps on certain health plans. Obviously, a plan with higher annual limits is potentially more costly than one without them. The money to cover the difference in premiums has to come from somewhere. Without the waivers, it will come from the employer who are forced by law to upgrade to the more expensive plan. In other words, the 729 organizations who have received waivers are not seeking refuge from an unintended consequence, but from the costs associated with one of ObamaCare’s features. The real question is what these businesses will do once the waiver program comes to an end.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlBvrp4qV7Q
Video (HOUSE BUDGET COMMITTEE): “CBO CONFIRMS HEALTH CARE LAW DESTROYS JOBS”
(Added February 10, 2011)
http://blog.heritage.org/2011/02/17/lead-lawyer-challenging-obamacare-under-cyber-attack/
“Lead Lawyer Challenging Obamacare Under Cyber Attack”
Posted February 17th, 2011 at 12:43pm
CNS NEWS.com: "HHS SAYS YOU SHOULD KNOW WHO'S BEEN LOOKING AT YOUR ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS" by Susan Jones (SNIPPET: "Under the proposed rule, people would be able to request an "access report," which would name the particular persons who viewed their electronic health records. That includes access for purposes of medical treatment and billing. While an access report would allow patients to learn if specific persons have accessed their electronic health records, it would not explain the purpose of that access.") (June 1, 2011)
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/digital-health-data-push-launches-wild-west-market-2011-06-01
June 2, 2011, 10:58 a.m. EDT
“Digital health-data push a $30 billion boondoggle
Doctors face hurdles, onslaught by tech firms in converting to electronic records”
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2011/06/28/fda-panel-is-deciding-life-or-death-for-my-wife/
“An FDA Panel Is Deciding Life or Death For My Wife”
By Terry Kalley
Published June 28, 2011
FoxNews.com
SNIPPET: “December 16, 2010 will forever be the day that changed my life. I had just received a news flash across my monitor that the FDA had confirmed its advisory panel’s decision to ”de-label” the drug Avastin for breast cancer patients. The practical implication of this was that my wife Arlene was now at mortal risk.
My wife has stage IV or metastatic breast cancer. This is an incurable disease that claims the life of a woman every 14 minutes. A reported 17,500 women take Avastin for metastatic breast cancer and my wife is one of them. As Avastin is a unique drug that works by cutting off blood flow to tumors, we believe that the drug is saving my wife’s life and taking Avastin away is tantamount to a death sentence.
I picked up the phone to call my wife and tell her the news. When she answered, I was too choked-up to speak. The next five minutes were some of the worst moments of my life as I told my wife that bureaucrats in Washington were deciding to take away a drug that was keeping her alive.”
In the UK:
http://www.demos.co.uk/files/CoAD_-_web.pdf?1325710486
SNIPPET - quote:
THE COMMISSION ON ASSISTED DYING
“The current legal status of
assisted dying is inadequate
and incoherent...”
NOTE The following post is a quote:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2832649/posts
Skip to comments.
IRS Releases Revised Health Care Reporting Guidance
JD Supra ^ | 1/13/2012 | Reed Smith
Posted on January 13, 2012 12:48:28 PM PST by mdittmar
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 requires employers to report the cost of employer-sponsored group health plan coverage on Forms W-2. The Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) issued interim guidance regarding this informational reporting requirement in Notice 2011-28. In response to comments on Notice 2011-28, the IRS, on January 3, 2012, released an advance copy of Notice 2012-9, which supersedes Notice 2011-28.
In general, Notice 2012-9 retains much of the original guidance set forth in Notice 2011-28, but with certain notable changes and additions, including the following:
• Clarifies that the requirement to report the cost of coverage will not apply to an employer that files fewer than 250 Forms W-2 for the preceding calendar year.
• Clarifies that the reporting requirement does not apply to coverage under a health care flexible spending arrangement funded solely through employee salary reductions.
• Provides that the standard for determining whether the cost of dental or vision coverage is reportable, is the same standard that is used for determining whether coverage is subject to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 portability rules.
Please see full Alert below for further information.