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No, You Can't Keep Your Health Plan
Old 05-19-2010, 12:25 PM   #1
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No, You Can't Keep Your Health Plan

WSJ Article:

Scott Gottlieb: No, You Can't Keep Your Health Plan - WSJ.com

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President Obama guaranteed Americans that after health reform became law they could keep their insurance plans and their doctors. It's clear that this promise cannot be kept. Insurers and physicians are already reshaping their businesses as a result of Mr. Obama's plan.
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Old 05-19-2010, 04:37 PM   #2
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From the article's description of its author

Dr. Gottlieb, a former official at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, is a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and a practicing internist. He's partner to a firm that invests in health-care companies.

Considering his economic incentives, I take what he says with a grain of salt.
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Old 05-19-2010, 07:19 PM   #3
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You can take what he says with a grain of salt, but all you have to do is talk to a few doctors and talk to a few policyholders from companies that are dumping plans and massively increasing rates due to the new laws. If you like your plan, you can keep it....if you can pay a 50% rate increase and the company continues to offer it. If not, you're going to be in a pretty crappy situation from here on out.
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Old 05-19-2010, 07:26 PM   #4
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Well, companies and insurers were reshaping health plans before reform, with more and more businesses dropping insurance because of the cost. Massive increases in rates and increasing numbers of uninsured predated changes in the law so we have to be careful about assigning blame and saying problems are due to the new law.
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Old 05-19-2010, 07:33 PM   #5
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Well, companies and insurers were reshaping health plans before reform, with more and more businesses dropping insurance because of the cost. Massive increases in rates and increasing numbers of uninsured predated changes in the law so we have to be careful about assigning blame and saying problems are due to the new law.
I was not talking about businesses changing their employee benefits. I was talking about people like me and many others on this board who buy their health insurance on the individual market. Several companies have already announced they will no longer be selling insurance in the individual market. Assurant has announced they will no longer guarantee rates for 12 months. Aetna has given existing policyholders a yearly increase AND an increase based on the new reform mandated benefits. Aetna policyholders who moved into a higher age bracket got the triple whammy. United Healthcare has already announced they will no longer offer child-only policies. This is only the beginning, and all of it is directly related to the bill. You're sticking your head in the sand if you think otherwise.
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Old 05-19-2010, 07:36 PM   #6
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Whatever.
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Old 05-19-2010, 07:39 PM   #7
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Whatever.
That seems to the response of choice from those choosing to ignore reality. Nothing personal.
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Old 05-19-2010, 07:47 PM   #8
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Much of what that article references was taking place long before health care reform was passed. So now the rules have changed and the insurance companies will do whatever it takes to maximize their profits. Is this a surprise? Single payer anyone?

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Old 05-19-2010, 07:49 PM   #9
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Much of what that article references was taking place long before health care reform was passed. So now the rules have changed and the insurance companies will do whatever it takes to maximize their profits. Is this a surprise? Single payer anyone?
I think both government and insurance companies are playing a game of chicken here. I suspect insurance companies will lose, whether they should or not -- because if they respond by pulling out of markets and jacking up premiums 20-30% a year or more as a result of the new law, all they'll do is get people to demand the public option.

Then again, maybe that's what the legislators were hoping would happen...
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Old 05-19-2010, 07:50 PM   #10
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I think both government and insurance companies are playing a game of chicken here. I suspect insurance companies will lose, whether they should or not -- because if they respond by pulling out of markets and jacking up premiums 20-30% a year or more as a result of the new law, all they'll do is get people to demand the public option.

Then again, maybe that's what the legislators were hoping would happen...
Ding ding ding, we have a winner...
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Old 05-19-2010, 08:29 PM   #11
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The reform debate turned into a circus.
The politicians on both sides seemed to be bought out by the lobbyist.
I'm not sure if the common working people benefited at all.
Got to keep in mind that lots of working people need insurance even if they work for themselves and not part of mega corp.
Whats the difference in a 1000 people working for themselves/in business and a 1000 working for a big company?
Everyone should be able to buy good health care at the same reasonable price.
Just my $.02,
Steve
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Old 05-19-2010, 08:43 PM   #12
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After actually reading the article, looks like it may get ugly for we the (retired) people that buy our own coverage. The powers that be will be busy fighting for the highest ground and we will pay for it.
It may balance out eventually but probably will take some years of higher premiums to get there.
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Old 05-19-2010, 10:09 PM   #13
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I had individual private insurance and was dumped by my insurer when they pulled out of my state almost 10 years ago. They gave me one month's notice. Blame that on Obama if you dare.
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Old 05-19-2010, 11:06 PM   #14
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My rates have been going up by 10-20% annually for years. Can I blame the rate increases through 2008 on Bush and Clinton?
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Old 05-20-2010, 07:20 AM   #15
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Originally Posted by ziggy29 View Post
I think both government and insurance companies are playing a game of chicken here. I suspect insurance companies will lose, whether they should or not -- because if they respond by pulling out of markets and jacking up premiums 20-30% a year or more as a result of the new law, all they'll do is get people to demand the public option.

Then again, maybe that's what the legislators were hoping would happen...
Many people have been stating this for a long time. Many others simply dismissed it as paranoia.
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Old 05-20-2010, 07:37 AM   #16
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My rates have been going up by 10-20% annually for years. Can I blame the rate increases through 2008 on Bush and Clinton?
Why not also blame the increasingly profitable insurance companies?

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Old 05-20-2010, 07:38 AM   #17
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To add a little more fuel to the fire, I also want the same tax break on paying my premium as I was getting before walking out the mega corp gate.
Might as well shoot for the stars, right?
Don't you just love the insurance wars?

Steve
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Old 05-20-2010, 08:02 AM   #18
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I am truly amazed at all the very smart people on here thinking that a single payor system run by the Fed govt will fix everything. Based on personal horror stories of family members suffering under Medicaid and Medicare, let's just say my trust is almost zero that the whole health care reform bill is anything about high quality care being made available to the everyone..........

I agree the system is broke, it was been borke for many years. Did we really think the insurance companies, who know they will be forced to take everyone with no pre-existing conditions, would not jack up rates before the bill takes effect?

There's more furor over halth care insurer's record profits than any record profits that big oil or big pharma or Goldman Sachs hijinks ever created..........that's unbelievable to me.......
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Old 05-20-2010, 08:39 AM   #19
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There's more furor over halth care insurer's record profits than any record profits that big oil or big pharma or Goldman Sachs hijinks ever created..........that's unbelievable to me.......
I think the uproar is the same.

But when the "middle men" such as GS and Insurance companies make outsized profits when they don't actually produce anything - that's a bit different than Oil and Pharma which actually do produce a tangible product, not just shuffle money around and take their cut.

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Old 05-20-2010, 09:07 AM   #20
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I think both government and insurance companies are playing a game of chicken here. I suspect insurance companies will lose, whether they should or not -- because if they respond by pulling out of markets and jacking up premiums 20-30% a year or more as a result of the new law, all they'll do is get people to demand the public option.

Then again, maybe that's what the legislators were hoping would happen...

That is why I think they fought tooth and nail to get the public option in the first go round.... now that we can see what is happening... it will be a lot harder to get it done...
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