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Premiums for New Yorkers to fall 50 percent thanks to ObamaCare!, says the NYT. …Really, though?
Hotair ^ | 07/18/2013 | Erika Johnsen

Posted on 07/18/2013 12:31:35 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

News stories about rising premium prices for health insurance plans have been erupting all over the country for awhile now, especially on those plans meant for young, healthier, and lower-risk people shopping in the individual market; back in March, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius finally admitted that the increasingly widespread phenomenon of rising premiums is, in fact, at least partially due to ObamaCare, and from coast to coast, that whole “affordable” promise is indeed looking worse and worse.

On Wednesday, however, the New York Times’ big and highly cited story was all about how the wise and magnanimous auspices of the Affordable Care Act are helping to dramatically lower health insurance premiums for New Yorkers, according to figures from the Cuomo administration:

State insurance regulators say they have approved rates for 2014 that are at least 50 percent lower on average than those currently available in New York. Beginning in October, individuals in New York City who now pay $1,000 a month or more for coverage will be able to shop for health insurance for as little as $308 monthly. With federal subsidies, the cost will be even lower. …

“Health insurance has suddenly become affordable in New York,” said Elisabeth Benjamin, vice president for health initiatives with the Community Service Society of New York. “It’s not bargain-basement prices, but we’re going from Bergdorf’s to Filene’s here.”

“The extraordinary decline in New York’s insurance rates for individual consumers demonstrates the profound promise of the Affordable Care Act,” she added.

Which certainly sounds awesome, except that the state of New York already has a convoluted, bureaucratic, and heavily regulated health care system and has been running some of the highest individual market premiums in the country for about two decades. It’s gotten so bad, there really isn’t much room for their premium prices to go anywhere but down at this point, and the NYT definitely misrepresented ObamaCare’s impact. Avik Roy has their number over at Forbes:

The other approach is to do what Obamacare does: to impose an individual mandate that dragoons the healthy into subsidizing the sick, and to subsidize the cost of the inflated health premiums for some low-income individuals, so at least they can afford coverage. …

As a result, Obamacare does have the effect of lowering premiums in New York, to a weighted average of $301 a month: a 39 percent decrease from 2013 rates, and a 16 percent decrease from 2010 rates. …

It’s always better to see rates go down rather than up, but you have to remember the context. New York’s rates will still be three times higher than those found in California before Obamacare. And the Times inflated the impact of the ACA, implying that average premiums in New York City exceed $1,000 today vs. $308 under Obamacare; by our analysis, using a fairer comparison, the five-borough average for affordable coverage was $695, with a much lower average upstate.

It was a good try, though — goodness knows ObamaCare supporters are certainly on the hunt for some much-needed little victories.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; US: New York
KEYWORDS: abortion; deathpanels; newyork; newyorkslimes; newyorktimes; obamacare; partisanmediashill; partisanmediashills; premiusm; zerocare

1 posted on 07/18/2013 12:31:35 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind
Once people see it, they will change.

Oops, it all happens on the tax returns, which nobody prepares themselves or can even begin to understand.

2 posted on 07/18/2013 12:35:38 PM PDT by elkfersupper ( Member of the Original Defiant Class)
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To: SeekAndFind

i unfortunately live in this liberal infested craphouse of NY...my insurance premiums have gone up 20% in two years while the deductible/out of pocket has increased...another words higher premium for less coverage....

i’m not holding my breathe....


3 posted on 07/18/2013 12:36:47 PM PDT by God luvs America (63.5 million pay no income tax and vote for DemoKrats...)
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To: SeekAndFind

I’ll believe it when I see it.


4 posted on 07/18/2013 12:37:04 PM PDT by pallis
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To: SeekAndFind
except that the state of New York already has a convoluted, bureaucratic, and heavily regulated health care system and has been running some of the highest individual market premiums in the country for about two decades.

that's because morons like mario cuomo instituted unisex rates in this state in the early 90's...healthy 24YO males pays the same amount as a 35YO males who's 40 pounds overweight and the same amount as a 50YO female who smokes three packs of cigarettes per day... who's getting screwed here??
5 posted on 07/18/2013 12:40:34 PM PDT by God luvs America (63.5 million pay no income tax and vote for DemoKrats...)
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To: SeekAndFind

DAMN! And I moved down to the Gunshine State last winter, just my luck! /s


6 posted on 07/18/2013 12:40:45 PM PDT by Impala64ssa (You call me an islamophobe like it's a bad thing.)
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To: SeekAndFind

ObamaCare is like a Madeoff scam - rates will be kept low long enough to fool almost all the people.


7 posted on 07/18/2013 12:44:08 PM PDT by GOPJ (Department of Justice to Americans:'How many fingers am I holding up, Winston?')
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To: SeekAndFind

Government claims that we can pay less & get more simply by legislative fiat.

What’s pathetic is not that the government says crap like this, but that the majority of Americans believe it. Hopeless.

Worse that same majority *wants* the government to rule their lives in exchange for this imaginary “free” stuff.


8 posted on 07/18/2013 12:45:55 PM PDT by ChildOfThe60s (If you can remember the 60s.....you weren't really there)
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To: ChildOfThe60s

She’s right about the direction it’s heading. Filene’s is out of business.


9 posted on 07/18/2013 12:50:51 PM PDT by massgopguy (I owe everything to George Bailey)
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To: GOPJ

Then the rates will skyrocket “Unexpectedly”!


10 posted on 07/18/2013 12:53:18 PM PDT by massgopguy (I owe everything to George Bailey)
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To: God luvs America

I’m with you. I’m a NYer too, and my premiums and deductibles are through the roof.


11 posted on 07/18/2013 1:27:40 PM PDT by alphadoggie
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To: God luvs America

And 25% of our state’s population is on some type of Medicaid assistance. What a load of crap.

I really am sick of this liberal hell hole.


12 posted on 07/18/2013 3:30:51 PM PDT by NoKoolAidforMe (I'm clinging to my God and my guns. You can keep the change.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Lower premiums?

Maybe.

Higher deductibles - absolutely!

That’s the name of this particular shell game.

Dear husband and I had to pick a new plan this year -
we chose the lowest deductible one that was about $75 per check less than the old one.

Our deductible and copays have increased by over $2000,
and believe it or not, this WAS the cheapest way to go.


13 posted on 07/18/2013 3:43:32 PM PDT by CaptainPhilFan (Yup. I'd like to see Barry on the Northwestern for one string.)
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To: GOPJ
ObamaCare is like a Madeoff scam - rates will be kept low long enough to fool almost all the people.

And THAT is why Obama is allowing companies to forgo the business mandate for a year.

Many, if not MOST, companies are going to drop insurance coverage. This will make each individual required to go out and purchase insurance. Now, if we defund or get rid of ObamaCare, the Republicans will be labeled as "taking away someones 'right' to health insurance."

Obama is trying to ingrain ObamaCare into the lives of as many Americans as possible, so that they will DEMAND it, simply because they are already getting it - even if it is the screwing that we all know it will be! The media simply will not allow any other point of view to be discussed: the meme "evil Republicans want to take away your healthcare that Democrats gave you."
14 posted on 07/18/2013 4:32:53 PM PDT by ExTxMarine (PRAYER: It's the only HOPE for real CHANGE in America!)
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